Shock - horror

I was astounded today when the fuel pump at the Service Station, when I asked for the fuel tank to be filled. Anyway, R 990 later the fuel pump would pump no more into the tank, unless they switched off and restarted! This was the first time I had this problem, and what stunned me was that the tank was still 1/5 full before I even started.

As it was, the tank is all but full. The radio station has threatened that the refinery in Durban has to undergo upgrading - so will shut down for a month, and this could cause problems with fuel supply in the next month! Beats me how a company can SUDDENLY run into problems that will affect fuel supply. You think that they would carry out mainenance to ensure that all run smoothly. Instead the officials feel that it is more practical not to maintain the refinery, and to have it closed for a month!

I must remember to top up when the tank gets lower than 1/3 full. Luckily a full tank gives 1 000 - 1 100 kilometers between needs to stop and refuel. I know that there are jealous people out there who think it is a gas guzzler, ruining the environment, but I get better mileage from the 4 litre motor (the 3.9 litre motor was recently bored out to a 4 litre motor!) than I got from my 1.4 litre car.

My previous Opel used to be a 1.4 litre motor, and I had to refuel twice a month - every 500 kilometers and a tank cost me R 500 to fill. Now I have a motor 3 times larger - automatic, airconditioned and 4 wheel drive if I need it to be - and it uses no more fuel. True the tank is ENORMOUS, but I dont drive so far. It has to "run in" for 1 000 kilometers, so I have been running it in for a month and it has done 577 kilometrers - in a month!

The dealer who originally sold it to me, is of the opinion that - once the cylinders have loosened up - it is likely to be slighhtly more economical than it was - not that I really care! It is BIG and no-one pushes it around in the traffic! I think they are scared that if they peeve me off, all I need do is slip it into 4x4 mode and just go over the top of them with NO qualms!