Staten Island Auto Repair

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- George Zaloom, owner of Zaloom's Auto Repair, in Westerleigh, has had to repair five cars in the last year (four of those just in the last six weeks) after the driver accidentally put diesel fuel in the vehicle instead of regular gasoline. Some gas stations that have single-pump units don't separate the diesel pumps from the regular pumps, which can lead to customers accidentally picking up the green pump nozzle — which is diesel gas — instead of the black nozzle used for regular gas. "People need to pay closer attention," said Claudette Duff, of Graniteville, who accidentally pumped diesel fuel into her 2015 Subaru Forrester at a Tompkinsville station. Dee Dushmantha, manager of the Tompkinsville Mobile station, said that, while the mistake doesn't happen often, it does happen. "If you need help, please come in and get us," Dushmantha said, "We will come out and show you the correct nozzle to use." He add ... read more

Pushing the Needle Too Far: How Long Can You Drive on Empty? By Natalie Josef September 17th 2012 Anytime the fuel gauge gets less than a quarter full, my mind starts to race. What if I run out of gas? Is this hurting my engine? Can I really “run on fumes”? I am way too much of a worrier to let my needle get to “E.” I have a friend who always comes to pick me up with the fuel light already on before a night out. After freaking out in silence for twenty minutes, I finally suggest getting some gas. What does she do? Laugh and then drive further (my friends know I am a worrywart). We’ll be fine, she says. And you know what? We always are. Some of us in this world like to push the limits, to see how far things can go before they break. These types will see a gas station on the next block, but will wait for the gas station forty miles away, just to see if they can. Others of us like to play it safe and don’t fe ... read more