timorgan

Something I've always wondered...

Why is the gas cap on the passenger side of the car (on both the coupe and sedan), instead of on the driver's side?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have it on the driver's side?

Tim

Fuzzo

I can live with it being on the other side..but i can't stand the fact that it doesn't fit in the holder..

it's a pain to get it to stay firmly in the holder....

PHYBENZ

All european cars for themost part have it on the passenger side... I am sure there is a reason for that

benzomonterey

I was told they put them on the curbside so there is no risk of getting hit.

Buellwinkle

While I was in Amsterdam I noticed they have some gas stations where the pumps are at curb side. You pull into a pocket cut out in the sidewalk and pump away. At $5 a gallon I expect them to deliver it to my car while I'm not using it like they do personal aircraft at the airport.

Bud

I too had heard that's the right side has fewer collisions than the drivers side and thus the passenger side is a safer place for the fuel filler.

MB-BOB

I've been told that the gas caps are on the passenger side because there is an equal chance of getting t-boned one side over the other, but there's an additional chance of getting side-swiped in an accident on the Driver's side, too.

Flashman

It is my understanding that gas cap placement goes back to the days of full service stations. Cars usually had it on the opposite side of the driver so the fumes would not bother the driver. But as 'economy' cars came out in the 70's and people starting pumping their own gas at economy no-service gas stations, they started putting the fuel lid on the driver side.

The result is that cars with gas cap on the driver side are usually economy cars where the driver is expected to pump their own gas. Fancier cars where the driver is more likely to use full service have the gas cap on the passenger side.

Guess the MB is a fancier car.

SoCal240/6

It is an interesting question. My BMW and MB have it on the passenger's side, but my Porsche 911 has it on the driver's side.

Seems kind of random!

Lynn

Buellwinkel has the correct answer. Flashman, American cars (and pick-ups) have almost aways had the gas filler on the left, execpt when they got the bright idea of hiding it behind the license plate. Of all the American cars in my family going back to a 1951 Chevy, all have had the fillers on the left, except the ones having it behind the plate. All of the foreign cars (Opel, Fiat, Triumph, SAAB, Datsun and Mercedes) have had it on the right.

BlackC230Coupe

my jaguar XK8's gas cap is on the driver side.

Greekgirl

Most German Cars have it on the passenger side. As many others mentioned, to avoid getting hit.

Jorel C320

Thats easy! It's so you can tell your passenger (son, boyfriend, free loading friend etc.) to pump the gas for you. Who knows!? Maybe even pay for it.

Buellwinkle

The Jag is really a Ford and therefore it's on the drivers side. Actually the Mustang is on the passenger side. Heck if everyone had it on the same side we would be waiting longer at the pumps.

DtS

Maybe 'cause this is a brittish car. They (the brittish people) do everyting "backwards", for example drive on the wrong side of the road . So in its "original" setup, your Jag (with steering-wheel to the right) has the gas cap on the passenger side...

timorgan

My parents new Park Avenue has it on the drivers side, and on their last Park Avenue it was hidden behind the license plate.

Can't get much more American than a Buick!

I'd find it annoying to walk around to the other side of the car every time I want to pump gas.

Tim

vadim

I had a car once with the gas cap on the driver's side. On one occasion I hit the concrete pedestal the pump was installed on when I opened the door. Wouldn't have been the case if the fuel door were on the opposite side.

On a general note... Damn, 5 more feet to walk around the car is such an unbearably long distance...

DtS

It was better in the old days. On the original VW Beetle, I think you had gas-caps on both sides and those were located in front, probably reachable from the driver's/passenger's seat...

hanz

Eat yr hearts out, guys. My C has got its filler cap on the DRIVER'S side.

MarkL

We had a '92 Mercury Sable (i.e., Ford Taurus), and the filler was on the passenger side. Don't know about the current models. There was a little right-pointing arrow near the fuel gauge and it took me forever to figure out what is was for. A reminder that the gas cap is on the right!

benzomonterey

The epitomy of lazy?

avlis

I've noticed that it's been easier to find an available pump at my busy gas station because most people are waiting for an empty pump on the right side of their car. Seems people would rather wait than turn their car around and back-in on the other side of the pump. Their loss = my gain...

Not to restart the great "gas cap holder debate" but.....mine fits in the wire holder fine.

timorgan

haha I was just waiting for these comments to be said! :p Come on guys, that would've been too easy. Do you think I'd set myself up like that?

It just seems like one of those no-brainer things where it'd seem to make more sense to put it on the driver's side. But, if people are correct with the accident prone answers, then I can see why.

Thanks,

Tim