I think I was robbed

Royk · 07-22-2004, 09:42 PM

I picked up my truck from the body shop yesterday afternoon (another story I don't have time for now). They did a great job. The assistant manager was great and worked with me, even cutting me a good deal saving me about $200. After I left I took the truck for fuel since I'm leaving for Maine tomorrow night with my boat for a two week vacation on the coast. Call me anal, but I keep a log book where I've recorded my miles, gallons, MPG, date, where I purchased the fuel, oil changes, etc. After filling-up yesterday, my calculated mileage was 15.8 MPG. WTF?! I recalculated: same thing. My console said I was getting 19.8 ( I know alot of you don't believe that thing but mine is always .2 to .5 over actual calculated [I write the computer mileage in next to my calculated in the log book]) and my last four tanks were 19.6, 19.9, 19.3 and 18.7, the forth one was towing. Only once since I've owned the truck had I ever had a tank in the 15's, and that was towing in February. I think someone siphoned some fuel from me!

When I got home I did the math and calculated how much fuel it would take to cause a 4 MPG drop for the number of miles driven/gallons pumped. Lo and Behold it came out to be right about five gallons, the size of a gas can!

The reason I selected this shop was because it is fenced in, in a rural area away from the low-lifes, and otherwise very professional. I really am not so concerned about the approximately $10 worth of fuel, but the fact that it occurred in the first place.

My truck is either at home in the country with me, at the end of a half mile driveway and a free running Doberman, or at work in an admistrative parking lot where it is in plain view of many people. I don't think my fuel disappeared at either of these places.

At the body shop I know at least one guy drives a diesel (a CTD). I think he is the manager of the place and we've talked about how much we love our trucks. It seems pretty pathetic that anyone would need to steal 5 gallons of diesel, but I know my truck isn't getting 15.8 MPG and it seems pretty ironic that I lost it the one week the truck was away from my sight.

What do you guys think? I couldn't call to complain today as I was out of town on business. If I'm going to say anything, I need to do it before they close tomorrow afternoon since I'm leaving for two weeks. How would you handle this? Do you think they did it?

Roy

P.S. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to give you all the details in case I'm missing something.