Petrol in a Diesel engine

Last week I was driving home from work (Derby) when the fuel warning light came on just before the first Uttoxeter roundabout (from derby). Thinking to myself that garages on the A50 were a rip off, I'd drive down to the big uttoxeter tesco and fill up there, should be simple.

I checked my watch, it was 5:30, everything was fine. I pulled up to the pumps, and waited a few minutes for the lanes to clear, and pulled up at the pumps. Because it's new Uttoxeter's 24 hour station has card machines on every pump, so filling up is even easier.

In went my card, I was told I can have up to £100's worth of fuel, and in went the petrol. It wasn't until I closed the cap that I realised what I'd done.

After removing my fist from my gob, I let the lovely ladies know in the stations shop know what I'd done, and then went back to the car, and quickly phoned the Mrs, explaining that I'd not got much charge, but could she dig out the RAC number and policy number.

With 40% charge on my phone I phoned the RAC up and told them what I'd done, straight away they told me not to start the engine or even put the car electrics on. I almost felt like saying "I'm not stupid" but I then realised that I was.

We took the details of the car, and she asked me where I was. I told her "the big tesco, in Uttoxeter", but the RAC's computers weren't up to the job, so she told me to go into the shop and ask.

So I did, and was immediately told off my the staff for using my phone on the forecourt. Realising what I'd done, I quickly got the postcode from them, and passed the information to the RAC lady. She then said she'd get back to me.

So, I went to sit back in the car, and waited for a bit. After being there for over 15 minutes I asked two blokes if they could help me roll the car out of the way and park it besides the shop. They helped me out, and then had their reward of giving me a deserved ribbing, saying "I thought only Birds this sort of thing" in very broad Scottish accents. They'd earned there fun pushing the car, and it was good hearted, and besides at least I wasn't blocking a lane now, and getting endless looks, and peeps for not moving (even though the hazzards were on)

A garage from Derby then phoned up saying the RAC had been in touch, they were going to tow me to Derby, drain the tank, make my cars warranty invalid and charge me £280 for the privilege.

A jumped back onto the phone to the RAC asking firstly couldn't they get me to Stoke, and secondly the solution they were offering would knacker my cars warranty.

I'd also TXT'd the Mrs to say what was going on, as my phone was getting flatter by the minute.

She came back saying LC Charles said if anyone else drains the tank, it will void the warranty.

So with 30% battery juice left, I got back onto the RAC, who then wanted to charge me £100 towing fee, as in the circumstances they will only tow me 10 miles. That would have left me stranded somewhere on the A50.

However at this point, she said that the AA cover all new SEATs and after 10 minutes I was finally through to them.

The AA knew where I was, how long some one would be, and they could also send their mobile drainage service out the next day to my house for £199, and they said it shouldn't void my warranty.

So the plan was set and at 6:30 it looked like someone was coming to get me home.

Then the Mrs said no way, your getting the car to LC Charles in Crewe. So another phone call later, the plans were changed slightly but I was still coming home, I've now got 10% battery life left.

At 7:30 the AA man pulls up, he pushes the car back, and drives his van around so he can unload the towing trailer stashed inside the van.

At about 8:00 he gives up, the hydraulics for lowering the trailer down are kaput and we'd need another van.

During this time I'd bought a copy of the Sun which lasted about 5 minutes and picked up a copy of tourist magazine for Staffordshire, which was a brilliant read lasting 40 minutes.

I couldn't use my phone to surf the net, or twitter, as the battery was so low, I might need it for txting or one last call.

At about 9:20 the second AA van turned up, and at 9:45 we set off for crewe down the A50, M6 and A500.

We unloaded the car at roundabout 10:50, I posted the keys through and set off home. Arriving at about 23:15.

As luck would have, the Mrs was soundly a sleep, so at the very least I could sit and relax for a bit.

We got the car back the next day, and I was £160 down, but I had my warranty in tact, and saved myself £40 by not making use of the AA's mobile draining service (although I'm not knocking it as it's a very useful service)

So, what have I learnt:

• Don't pour unleaded into a diesel. 
• You can fit the  unleaded nozzle into a modern diesel car, but not diesel nozzle  into a modern unleaded car (if I had the AA man said he would have taken the mick out of me then)
• Always, check and double check before filling up. We've got two cars, one's petrol, the others diesel, so when you are in a hurry like I was, you can get mixed up. Triple check, just to be on the safe side.
• When it comes to renewing breakdown cover, ditch the RAC: they gave bad advice, didn't recognise my stupidness as a valid mistake, and wanted to charge me an extra £100 because of some rubbish 10 mile policy. I'm also ditching the RAC for sending me out onto the petrol stations forecourt to get a post code of something they should be about to find easily. And lastly because there way of sorting the problem, is to drag me the wrong way back to derby and void the warrant.
• The AA were brilliant on the night, and although one of their vans broke, it was no ones fault, just one of those things, and I did get a free lift home, and a chat with a very nice man.

Right Steve, Popeye over to you.....