Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I have been lied to?

53 replies

Dextrodependant · 12/01/2019 19:37

My BIL is insured on my car because when I bought it I couldn't drive so he drove it back from the car sales place. I have since passed my test.

This means he can borrow it from time to time.

Today was one such time. I had 70 miles of fuel left and I specifically said they would have to put some fuel in as I need to use the car tomorrow and can't afford to put more in until Monday.

The light comes on at 42 miles and I won't drive with the light on. Maybe that's stupid of me but I make sure I have enough fuel which I did have if I didn't let them use the car.

I said this to my sister and my brother in law. I don't usually ask them to put fuel in but I explained about the light and that I don't like to drive with it on.

Well he brings it back and the light is flashing, it stops gauging the remaining miles when the light comes on so no way of knowing if it is just on 42 or if he has been driving with it on for miles.

He says he has put £10 in bit because the light was flashing it didn't register. I said well it's never done that before... He saw oh really, his old car did it all the time.

So knowing I need to use it tomorrow off we go to the petrol station and I put another £10 in, money I haven't really got spare today, lo and behold the gauge creeps up to the exact amount it always does for £10, 127 miles.

So AIBU to take him off the insurance and not lend them the car again because A) they didn't put fuel in when I asked despite using the car several times this week for free, B) thinking I am a mug and I will believe the bollocks that the fuel didn't register C) if I did believe him I would have been driving round tomorrow thinking I have 127 miles (a tenna worth) and would have probably broken down.

OP posts:
2cats2many · 12/01/2019 19:39

YANBU

TeaByTheSeaside · 12/01/2019 19:39

They're taking the piss. Just say no in future.

RayRayBidet · 12/01/2019 19:41

If he doesn't follow your wishes YANBU to stop lending him the car.
Just say money is tight and the premium for your insurance is less without him on it.

Nodrama999 · 12/01/2019 19:41

Take him off, if they are going to abuse a kind gesture then they can face the consequences of funding their own vehicle. Let’s face its, him borrowing your car doesn’t just use your fuel, it ups your mileage, wear on tyres etc etc.

popehilarious · 12/01/2019 19:44

Surely the number of miles you can drive depends on your driving efficiency? E.g. round town stop-starting you'll be able to do less than cruising on a motorway.

Original poster
Dextrodependant · 12/01/2019 19:47

Well I am just going off the gauge?

Either way there is no chance he put fuel in that just didn't register, not unless he put the nozzle elsewhere than the fuel tank.

OP posts:
TestingTestingWonTooFree · 12/01/2019 19:47

Find out whether it’s genuinely worth taking him off. What difference does it make to the premium? Is there an admin charge? As a new driver(?) you might be better with him on the policy.

Doesn’t mean you have to let him drive it though. Lying bastard.

BanjoStarz · 12/01/2019 19:50

Find out what effect it’ll have on your policy to remove him.

What a CF. Just because he’s insured on the car doesn’t mean he is entitled to it!

To be honest, even if it’s cheaper with him on you could tell him he’s been removed from the insurance? Not like they’re going to call him to let him know!

Imalittleelf · 12/01/2019 19:54

He should be paying you 42p per mile he uses the car..... that pay a for wear and tear and fuel. No way should he be getting to use it for free just because he drove it home for you as a favour once.

As above have a look how much it would cost to remove him? How long left on this year's premium. If it's going to cost too much just tell him you have done it (but don't until you renew) based on that it's costing you more in fuel and wear on the car

Original poster
Dextrodependant · 12/01/2019 20:14

That's actually a good idea, I will just say I have taken him off. I renew in April anyway.

Has anyone ever had a car that didn't register fuel? Am I being naive to think he is lying?

OP posts:
Imalittleelf · 12/01/2019 20:55

I think it would depend on how low the tank was. All cars have an additional reserve which will give you about 10 miles. It's incredibly bad to run the car this low (recommended to keep it above 1/4 tank due to the crap that lies in the bottom of the fuel tank.

Anyway if he ran the tank low and put £10 in it may have filled the reserve but not enough to turn the light off.

Also with some cars it depends on where the tank is and how hilly the area is as the sensor may not register if the remaining fuel slops to the front of back of the tank...

ShalomJackie · 12/01/2019 21:12

What type of car is it? Eg. My polo £10 would be a quarter of a tank. (£40 odd to fill) When I had a Kuga it would still turn the light gauge off and that would be £70 odd to fill.

BunsOfAnarchy · 12/01/2019 21:17

Take that lying prat off your insurance. Or at the very least tell him hes not insured any more

GloatyMcGloatface · 12/01/2019 21:18

He is BU

PawPawNoodle · 12/01/2019 21:19

I have a Polo and the petrol gauge changes depending on how I've driven recently and if I've been using the heating etc. Sometimes I'll fill the tank and it tells me 425 miles, other times 340. It's an estimate rather than a given (in my car at least).

Nodrama999 · 12/01/2019 21:21

Op said that he has used it a few times this week and she doesn’t usually ask him to put petrol in. So even if all the trips in the past week cost £5.00, it’s not much considering it’s for HIS convenience he just puts £10 in!
Anyway, even if he was on the insurance, it’s against the law from him to drive it without your consent

JohnCRaven · 12/01/2019 21:22

He's lying. YANBU

ThatOneHurt · 12/01/2019 21:32

Your insurance might go up if you take him off.

But YANBU, he gave your car back empty.
When the light comes on, I consider it empty.

DH always says to me "you have at least 30 miles left when the light comes on!" because I always want to add fuel when the light comes on.

But the way I think of it is, if my bank account says £0 and I carry on spending and go to -£30, I can add £30 in afterwards but then I'm only back at £0.

So best top it up when it's telling me it's at zero then constantly being in the red.

OnBail · 12/01/2019 21:32

I have a small car and even when it has been running on fumes putting £10 would give me around 60 to 70 miles and definitely enough to turn the light off. They are lying. No way would I give them the car to use again.

MarilynSlumroe · 12/01/2019 21:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mysteryfairy · 12/01/2019 21:55

I traded a car in not long ago and was doing my best to hand it over with minimal fuel. The digital gauge did count down to zero miles and then did a flatline the day before I was due to trade it in. I put a fiver in which was easily enough to get it to the dealers. It stayed on the flatline though so I can believe it could happen.

Original poster
Dextrodependant · 12/01/2019 22:52

It's funny though that when I went and put £10 in it, it registered as it normally would, not extra due to the 'unregistered' £10, so the £10 he supposedly put in just evaporated into thin air.

OP posts:
LtJudyHopps · 12/01/2019 22:56

Even if it hadn’t registered it should have gone up after turning the engine off and back on surely? So yes he is lying and taking the piss out of you. Stop letting him use it

Productrecall · 12/01/2019 22:58

Though your additional £10 could have taken it up from the 'only just turns on light' level, iyswim .

Evilspiritgin · 12/01/2019 23:02

I had my bil and dad on my insurance, I saved a whole £15 taking them off

Swipe left for the next trending thread