Gas + Paint Job = Disaster?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: MA
E90 M3
Gas + Paint Job = Disaster?
I made the mistake of topping off today, and it got all over my rear fender. Is this anything to worry about and wash off with water or should I just let it be? I just want to make sure it won't deteriorate the paint over time.
Look on the bright side, at least it was 93 octane. It might even shine up my car a bit!
Look on the bright side, at least it was 93 octane. It might even shine up my car a bit!
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From: SF East Bay
"Double Stuff" SOLD | Nor*Cals "Pesky Audi"
"rinse, lather, repeat"
wash it off and maybe put a lil buff/wax job on, just in case. just dont let it sit or repeat this 'foul up'. you should be cool. factory paint is damn near bullet proof, but dont make it a habit ya know.
wash it off and maybe put a lil buff/wax job on, just in case. just dont let it sit or repeat this 'foul up'. you should be cool. factory paint is damn near bullet proof, but dont make it a habit ya know.
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From: Boston
2004 C32 ///AMG
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From: Markham, Canada
C320 Coupe
I made the mistake of topping off today, and it got all over my rear fender. Is this anything to worry about and wash off with water or should I just let it be? I just want to make sure it won't deteriorate the paint over time.
Look on the bright side, at least it was 93 octane. It might even shine up my car a bit!
Look on the bright side, at least it was 93 octane. It might even shine up my car a bit!
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From: Boston
2003 C240
i do that pretty often, i would like to know the answer too, usually i just use the dirt water that you use to clean the windshield, clean the rear fender that touched the gasoline, then use paper tower to wipe them off, i know it's not the good way, but I have no choice but to do that in Gas station plus in cold winter =P
Since we're on the topic of gas, I have a question.......
The manual says the C class has a tank capacity of 16.4 Gallons. Why is it when I have, say only 40 miles to empty, when I fill up it only takes 11 gallons. Where is the other 5 gallons. 40 miles of gas isnt 5 gallons....is it??
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From: Boston
2003 C240
That was my initial thought, but in the manual it says 16.4 (including reserve). The marker always goes past the F, so its def full...i dunno...I always try to use all the gas and fill all the way up. Seems to be the best way money wise for me.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Vancouver, Canada
03' E39 M5, 10' CLS63 AMG
I made the mistake of topping off today, and it got all over my rear fender. Is this anything to worry about and wash off with water or should I just let it be? I just want to make sure it won't deteriorate the paint over time.
Look on the bright side, at least it was 93 octane. It might even shine up my car a bit!
Look on the bright side, at least it was 93 octane. It might even shine up my car a bit!
hope that helps.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
The reason is lame, it's to keep you from contaminating the charcoal canister to contain evaporative emmisions, it's only a few hundred to replace so it's definately worth topping off to see how much it takes to ruin it and set the CEL off.
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From: Camas, WA
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
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From: Camas, WA
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
I notice the same thing on my 07. I bet the gauge and range are "programmed" to "underestimate" how much gas you have, so you are less likely to run out.
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From: Boston
2003 C240
Thats probably true and I suppose a good idea...it doesn't matter to me, from the first couple times Ive filled up, I just wondered why...When ever it clicks I just bring it to the next .10 mark, thats all..im sure thats not gonna cause any problems.
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From: York, PA
2003 C230K Sport Coupe, 1986 190E 2.3
There is a 2 or 2.5 gallon reserve in the tank, when the light comes on. ANd the gauges are set to read less than they have when near Empty. Not to mention that all gauges do not read the same. Basically the manufacturer designs the sending unit to slowly drop the level on the gauge for the first half and also makes it stay on full longer as well. Then the last half is normally a crap shoot for speed of descent to empty. This is to give the driver the idea that the gas does not burn as fast as it does. There was back in the day a problem with a persons perception of how much gas they have and burn. When GM came out with the first digital fuel gauges that read in gallons they found a problem. The gauge would go from F to 15 in a 16 gallon tank withing 20-30 miles after fill up, well this made people think they were getting worse fuel mileage and complain. So GM re-designed it to go from F to 14 on a 16 gallon tank skipping the 15 because this made people perceive better mileage since the gauge stayed on F longer. We are generally stupid as people and need to be coddled from time to time. :-)
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From: Boston
2003 C240
There is a 2 or 2.5 gallon reserve in the tank, when the light comes on. ANd the gauges are set to read less than they have when near Empty. Not to mention that all gauges do not read the same. Basically the manufacturer designs the sending unit to slowly drop the level on the gauge for the first half and also makes it stay on full longer as well. Then the last half is normally a crap shoot for speed of descent to empty. This is to give the driver the idea that the gas does not burn as fast as it does. There was back in the day a problem with a persons perception of how much gas they have and burn. When GM came out with the first digital fuel gauges that read in gallons they found a problem. The gauge would go from F to 15 in a 16 gallon tank withing 20-30 miles after fill up, well this made people think they were getting worse fuel mileage and complain. So GM re-designed it to go from F to 14 on a 16 gallon tank skipping the 15 because this made people perceive better mileage since the gauge stayed on F longer. We are generally stupid as people and need to be coddled from time to time. :-)
For instance I can back and forth from the North Shore to Boston (20mi) a few times without the gauge moving past 3/4 mark from F. Yeah, nowadays people really try to do whatever they can to get the best deal on gas.
