Most people who fill up with the wrong fuel first turn to the AA & RAC.
It is widely thought that membership would cover fuel drains…….. dun dun dun dun!
Here’s some facts:
The AA offers a mobile fuel draining service, called “fuel assist” The AA charge £209.34 for AA Members and £246.29 for non members as of January 2011, being the AA of course the work they do is of high standard, in some areas they can attend with a mobile fuel van, but this is not everywhere, if they cannot attend they may tow you home or to a garage that can perform a drain, you will have to pay the garage for this as the AA’s job ends when they get you there.
The RAC are fairly new to the fuel drain services business and they are still in the pilot stages, therefore they don’t actually have fixed prices on there website, clients of mine have been qouted between 200 and 250. The RAC with the 6 vans they have operating out of the Bristol area or pass it on to approved and vetted fuel drain co’s, again technically the RAC also offer a good service and are a good company, along with the AA they are not the fastest to attend and they often price match the AA, they offer a £15 discount to members whereas the AA offers a £36 pound discount to members.
If you need a car fuel drain service near you, don’t take my word for it, call the RAC or the AA and see what they charge and how quick they can attend, then call me – you will get a better price and faster response.
I have been asked how I feel about the AA & RAC investing heavily into fuel drains and whether or not it will decrease my business, In fact I have seen it INCREASE my business, I’m faster, cheaper and answer my phone within 3 rings, I do the fuel drains myself and I know what my workload is, that way I can tell you exactly how long I will be. technically we use the same kit as the majors and we all do the same thing, but big companies sometimes cannot be as quick and nimble as the small local ones.
If you need a fuel drain, or have put petrol in diesel we are here 24 hours a day 7 days a week and we dont charge extra for weekends or nights,
call us for wrong fuel rectification.
OCT 2017 UPDATE:
This post was written in 2011. Since that time things have moved on and the RAC Motoring Services thought it important enough to write to us.
So we can let our valued customers know how far they have come in the last 6 years. This is quoted directly from their letter to us:
“1. RAC has been undertaking fuel drains since 2011…” Which I mentioned above.
Point 2 asked for evidence of prices: I invite you to look at their own website for this.
“3. RAC operates 26 vans for its Wrong Fuel Recovery Service.
“4. RAC offers a £50 discount to members.”
If you need misfuelling service near me – gives us a call!
I called the AA after putting 16 litres of unleaded into a nearly empty diesel tank. Drove two miles.
The price initially quoted was £289, but as I stalled at this, the price was reduced as I had been a member since 2002. I paid £150, which included £10 of diesel plus additive.
I couldn’t fault the service – no hassle- no mess. 1.6 vw golf running fine . Very happy AA member!
Having just done this in 2018 (accidently putting Unleaded into a Diesel) I can cofirm the following as an AA member :
I realised very quickly and only put in £4.80 of unleaded.
I knew NOT to start the vehicle if this happens.
I called the AA and explained immediately after paying the cashier.
The AA asked for my membership number and if I’d started the vehicle since fuelling with the wrong type, to which I confirmed as a NO (always be honest on this, to whoever it is. Correct details matter).
The AA then said they would send out a “fuel technician” to drain the vehicle, flush it through and then put in £10 of the correct fuel (…How kind).
All this for a charge of £199. It gets better.
The £199 Is apparantly a discount as I’m a member and hadn’t started the vehicle since fuelling with the incorrect type. Apparently I saved £50 by being an AA member and a further £30 “discount” for not starting the vehicle.
Wish I’d know about Fuel Fixer before. I know I would have saved a lot more!
It’s quite frustrating how the only time you need a use the “roadside company” you’ve been paying annually for years and never used, then the one time you make a one off silly error and realise before filling right up and don’t start the car. You call them to find “It’s not included” and a hefty premium is encountered. Being in the middle of nowhere, they have you over a barrel.
I totally agree with you. We started this service for exactly that reason – a lack of service from the major breakdown operators. Their response is that “wrong fuel” is user error and not mechanical breakdown, or an accident. But I really don’t know anyone who did it on purpose!
Just last week I stupidly locked my keys in my boot. Called the RAC as I have breakdown and key-cover with them. Unfortunately I didn’t read the fine-print and ended up having to pay a 3rd-party to get the keys out as “locked in car” is not covered, and the roadside technician the RAC sent out (not a locksmith by the way) was not able to help.
At least you are back on the road and your car probably no worse for wear.
The Fuel Man
No offence, but if you only put 4.80 of unleaded into a diesel, you could have just filled up with diesel and no damage would have occurred.