Staff putting wrong fuel in our fleet

HELPDESK:Answering all your motoring queries

From LM: I’ve owned a Toyota Prius for several years now and I’m due to change next year. The car has changed my driving style and I’ve saved on fuel since buying it.

I’ve read about the electric cars on the market but I’m still not convinced they will work for me. Of the hybrids out there, are there any you recommend to me?

Well the current Prius is certainly worth a look. It’s a much more refined package than the model you drive and fuel consumption figures have also been improved.

There are other vehicles which claim hybrid ability but in reality the battery power is really only there as a very limited crutch to support the engine. The Prius remains the best of the hybrid lot for now.

Toyota has a hybrid version of the Auris that was just launched here last week but it’s priced too close to the Lexus CT200h hybrid to make sense and, for our money, we’d opt for the more premium comfort of the Lexus. There is also a hybrid version of the Yaris on the way.

Coming in the next 12 months will be a couple of diesel hybrids from the Peugeot/Citroën stable. They offer the fuel savings of a diesel with the added bonus of hybrid power at low speeds. No prices as yet, but the model worth waiting to test drive would be the hybrid version of the new 508 family car.

If you liked your Prius then I think you can’t go far wrong with updating to the current model. But for a sense of where the market is, perhaps a test drive of the Peugeot 508 hybrid when it arrives next spring might be worthwhile before you make any final purchasing decision.

From PT: I run a fleet of eight vehicles – cars and small vans of varying age – in my firm. They’re a mix of petrol and diesels but I have a problem with staff regularly filling them with the wrong fuel.

I’ve a great relationship with my dealer, which helps, but things have come to a head of late. Is there any way to prevent these mistakes from happening?

If it’s any comfort, you are not alone. I read a report a few months back that claimed one of the British police constabularies had to carry out 100 repairs over two years because officers kept putting the wrong fuel in vehicles.

Simple things can help. For example, labelling the bottom inside windscreen of the car with either a “diesel” or “petrol” sticker will remind the driver, as will stickers on the fuel cap in the same way that rental companies do.

Even then, however, it’s not foolproof and rental firms regularly complain about the number of customers who misfuel vehicles.

There are several devices that can be fitted to cars to prevent the wrong nozzle being inserted and some car firms offer these devices as options. Ford, for instance, showcased one such device when it launched the current Mondeo model.

I’ve only tested these devices at organised events but they do seem to work and could well save you money and lost time if vehicles are off the road. They’re not always cheap but they can save you a lot of money in the long run.