Bad gas leads to $1,200+ in car damage, 7 On Your Side helps teacher claw back repair cost
POINT PLEASANT, New Jersey (WABC) -- After bad gas led to more than $1,200 in damage to her car and the gas station owner and its parent company refused to pay for it, New Jersey teacher Katie Alvino called 7 On Your Side.
Last July, Alvino hopped into her one-year-old Acura TLX on her way to the beach.
She noticed her fuel gauge was on "E" so she filled up at a Conoco gas station in Point Pleasant.
"Got gas, got in my car went to the beach, then two and a half hours later, car wouldn't start," Alvion said.
Alvino's boyfriend called a tow truck and the tow operator suspected there was a problem with the petrol.
"He asked what did you do? I said 'I just got gas.' He said, 'there it is,'" Alvino said.
He was right, her mechanic emptied her fuel tank and found watery gas.
"'It's contaminated. Your car can't run on water,'" the mechanic told Alvino.
He removed all of the gas and replaced the fuel pump.
Alvino took the more than $1,200 bill to the gas station's owner.
"First question was, 'why is it so expensive?' So I was not thrilled with that," Alvino said.
So she went to Conoco's parent company, Phillips 66, and included the receipts from the tow company and the mechanic in her report.
She never got a receipt from the station attendant, instead, she sent a credit card statement showing the transaction, but even then she heard nothing back.
So she called 7 On Your Side and we called the station owner and Phillips 66 who investigated.
Days after our calls, Alvino received a check for more than $1,400.
"You guys are the best. I love you forever," Alvino said.
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