Caparo Rightfuel is a revolutionary new device which prevents
you putting the wrong type of fuel in your car and is easily installed
as a direct replacement for your vehicle’s existing fuel
filler cap.
NRI
industrialist Lord Paul launched Misfuel
prevention device
London, Aug 25, 2008
Sirinder Mehta
Car repair bills slashed with Caparo Rightfuel
Drivers faced with expensive repair bills following misfuel incidents
can now take preventative measures with the launch of Rightfuel,
an innovative misfuel device from Caparo, that stops the wrong type
of fuel being added to diesel cars and light commercial vehicles.
According to the AA, the number of the motorists who put the wrong
type of fuel in their car in the UK has doubled over the last ten
years, and now affects an estimated 150,000 drivers.
Motorists can expect bills of between £150 - £300 just
to drain the incorrect fuel from a vehicle, and repair bills of
several thousand pounds if the vehicle engine runs with the wrong
fuel as this causes serious damage to the engine.
“Rightfuel is a simple, yet effective device that can save
motorists large sums of money,” explains Nick Mennell, technical
director, Caparo. “Rightfuel replaces a vehicle’s existing
fuel filler cap and will not open unless the correct size nozzle
from a diesel fuel pump engages it. This innovative and patented
design means that accidental misfuel incidents will be greatly reduced.”
Misfuelling of diesel cars is possible because of the different
diameter nozzles used by filling stations. Petrol pumps use a smaller
diameter nozzle than those used on diesel fuel pumps, meaning they
can be inserted in both petrol and diesel cars, whereas the wider
diesel nozzle can only be inserted in diesel cars. Rightfuel uses
this difference to protect diesel vehicles. It replaces the vehicle’s
existing fuel filler cap and is secured in position using a locking
tool that is included with the device. To fuel the vehicle, motorists
simply unscrew the unit’s ergonomically optimised cap and
present the nozzle from the fuel pump. If the correct diesel nozzle
has been selected Rightfuel’s patented design disengages its
prevention flap, allowing fuel to be pumped into the tank. If the
incorrect petrol nozzle has been selected, the prevention flap mechanism
remains locked and the fuel cannot be pumped into the tank.
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association backs-up the
scale of the misfuel problem for drivers. The association’s
research shows that only 7 out of 32 insurers specifically make
reference to misfuelling in their policies – all to state
they will not cover damage arising from it – while the rest
make no mention of it, leaving drivers unaware if their claim would
be met. Even if policies do cover misfuelling, drivers can expect
higher premiums as a result of claiming for this type of incident.
“Trends within the market mean the scale of the misfuel problem
is likely to get increase further,” continues Mennell. “The
combination of the record diesel vehicle penetration within the
UK and the improved performance and refinement of modern diesels
mean that more people are likely to forget they are driving a diesel,
and fill up using petrol. The problem has become so large that some
vehicle manufacturers have started to introduce factory-fit systems
to combat the problem. Rightfuel however, is the first product of
its type designed for the aftermarket, meaning it can be fitted
to millions of vehicles already at risk.”
As a simple fuel filler cap replacement, Caparo’s Rightfuel
can be fitted to most existing cars and vans.
“Whilst specialist services from some of the major breakdown
and recovery services now exist to get cars back on the road following
a misfuel incident, we believe the real solution to the problem
lies in prevention rather than a cure,” adds Mennell. “The
cost of Rightfuel is only a fraction of the call out cost for these
types of service and more importantly, provides ongoing prevention
of misfuel at every refill, avoiding damage to engines which can
cost several thousands of pounds to repair.”

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