Yesterday I learned something I didn’t know about cars and I have been driving since Fred Flintstones had blistering feet!
My car and my wife’s car have their gas tanks
on opposite sides; and without admitting anything about getting older, I regularly forget which side of each car the gas tank is on. Maybe regularly is overstating it, but I digress.
Arrived at the pump and on the wrong side, then I have to go, restart the car and move it to a different gas pump while wondering how I get it wrong so much with a 50% chance of being correct! . (maybe you forget sometimes also, or you can say you do just so I feel better, pretty please?)
Did you know ?
On the gas gauge in your car, if you look really closely – there’s an arrow beside the gas pump symbol in the gas gauge AND the arrow points to the side of the car where you pump gas! (Forehead slap)
That’s it. I just thought I would share my epiphany and forehead slap!
Life and Random Thinking 
Gas caps/Design Engineers; quality…..I have 3 Suburbans, on a 1973 plow truck, all gas tanks on the right, when I go to fill them up, I have to put the gas cap in my pocket, so I do not forget it. All of these trucks are rapidly rusting out….Now I have a 1992 Toyota Previa van, gas tank on the left, lever by the seat to open it, and in the gas door a place to place the cap, also no rust! 200,000 + miles, when I need a new car, what am I going to shop for? The fit & finish in the Previa is top quality, like the fuse panel on top of the dash, instead in the lower left corner where one has to kneel in the mud & slush and become a contortionist to get to a fuse…..I always tried to buy American, but they are letting me down with the shoddy workmanship, I have had to replace rusted out gas tanks, that stupid fuel pump inside the gas tank that cost’s $500. to replace, + all the brake lines rust out,, the emergency brake cables fail. I was a mechanic & owned my own garage for 20 + years, at 74 I still try to do my own repairs. I just cut a hole in the floor of my Suburban to access the fuel pump, so I would not have remove a 40 gal gas tank to do it, it worked just fine….I could go on, but you get the gist of it…..I once went to a Chevy dealer to buy a new Suburban, What I want I said, is,” no Air Conditioner, no power windows, just a simple easy truck I can repair…… “Oh” He said, “They all come with AC now, well,” goodbye sir,” I said….I went and bought a 92 in excellent shape, & an 1988 old Fish & Game truck, cost: $5,500. I saved $40,000….I have driven those trucks for 20 +years with minimal repairs, and I can still do most of the repairs myself! An aside: If you think money ain’t worth s–t now you are correct, one used to be able to buy 30 acres & a house for $30,000. Now you cannot even buy a decent car for $30,000…But there is under 2 % inflation, another lie…..Plus you will never see the Unemployment figures published along side the jobs created figures. This is my Diatribe for today, sent to Life & Random Thinking…..Happy Holidays, Sir….
________________________________
LikeLike
American made has had to improve drastically since cars and trucks began to be imported. You can’t beat the positive feeling though when you fix it yourself, and it keeps rolling along plus it’s paid for! 🙂 You live in a beautiful spot and I know you love it and you see lots of wildlife. Merry Christmas 🙂 – Dave
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sir, My many,many break jobs, done as a mechanic, before we learned about Asbestos danger, stand now in my weakened lungs, taking their toll…..But how could we know, when none thought to warn us? I can still do a complete brake overhaul, + Pack the wheel bearings on my older Suburbans, remember to check the front wheel drive-shaft, inspect the gas & Brake lines for damage, make sure the vehicle is safe for any-one that may drive it….. Merry Holy-Days, Mr. dfolstad 58
LikeLiked by 1 person
It takes a big man to admit that. I offer you my sincere respect.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I actually knew that (but I only got it about 10 years ago, and like you, I remember when ole Fred was on the road 🙂 ) .
LikeLiked by 2 people
10 years ahead of moi ! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t know that but I did stop driving over twenty years ago, so maybe they didn’t have that back then?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I don’t know when it started. I just thought it was interesting that it was there. So often there are features that are helpful we aren’t informed about. Merry Christmas
LikeLike
I haven’t driven a car in over twenty years,
everything has changed so much from my perspective.
Merry Christmas David!
LikeLike