BP Petrol Stations Review

Overall Rating

They sell petrol.

Poorly marked Pumps.

I've used BP petrol stations pretty much exclusively for the last 18 months because it is convient on my way home from work, as of last night I think that will stop. I went to fill my car up in a petrol station I don't usually use, pulled up at the pump picked up the green nozzle and filled my car up. Turns out in this case the green nozzle was for diesel. I've been driving for 6 years and never once filled my car with diesel and was really confused when my car broke down as I couldn't believe I would have done that. On returning to the petrol station I realised that BP had decided to use a green nozzle for their new super BP diesel, well what a good choice that is, I can't see anyone else getting confused there! I am not trying to completely absolve myself of blame, if I had bothered to read the pump I wouldn't have made this mistake (though some illiterate people or foreigners may struggle), However I think it's universally accepted that green is for unleaded and black is for diesel. There are plenty of other colours out there if you introduce a new petrol Orange, Purple, Blue and White spring immediately to mind. And if for some bizarre reason you really have to use green, put it next to an unleaded pump so that at least people will think, 'two green pumps, is there a difference?'The one I used was just next to a bog standard black diesel pump. They must know it causes confusion, and do because I had to go back and get another tank of petrol to replace the diesel I had drained from my car. I think BP should find the Guy who decided that green was the best colour for their new diesel and give him a large slice of their £8billion profits, because I bet they have made a killing from confusing inattentive drivers and taking more money from the little guy. Though they couldn't possibly reduce the cost of petrol. My advice is be very careful, green doesn't necessarily mean unleaded, and it's an expensive mistake to make (£30 for a tank of diesel and £90 to get it drained).

While I'm on one I would also like to mention that the other reason I have previously used BP so much other than convenience is to get the Nectar points. However I have been going there for about a tank a week for 18 months and have yet to even get a fiver back. I used to get money back all the time when I shopped at Sainsbury's, seems you actually get very little points considering how much you spend. All in all I will endeavour to buy my petrol from elsewhere in future.

Members' Comments oncowcalves's Review

• Wattie on 12th Oct 2005

  Wow - the only reason I was looking for BP stations locally was because I have just got a nectar card. It seems not worth it. Have you tried contacting Nectar, out of curiosity ?

• AvRICA on 3rd Nov 2005

  Did exactly the same thing for the first time- Ive been driving for 38 years - my usual petrol station (Shell) was being refurbished so used BP - NEVER EVER AGAIN.

• daveramsey on 30th Jan 2006

  i am the proud owner of a freelander dt4 of 3 weeks. So, diesel getting low i went to my BP station to fill up. I pulled up at what i thought was the diesel pump you know the one with the black hose to discover 100 mtrs up the road that it was unleaded i had used so i went back to the station to be told "you should have looked at the pump more carefully". In my day deisel was black unleaded green and leaded red. Car off the road, £300 out of pocket. I'll never go back there again.

• Inspectorgadgit on 12th Apr 2006

  I have to say I always use BP - a move I made when I used to be a taxi driver (taxi drivers where advised to use at least one full tank of BP diesel before going for their plate test - taxi equivilant of MOT - as it cleans the injectors etc better than most other brands) and I can't say I have ever noticed that BP ever changed the colours on their pumps. However if you don't check before you put it in you only have yourself to blame. Of course most modern cars now have smaller nozzle holes for unleadead than for diesel so this should be an indicator that you may be using the wrong fuel. Finanly - its not unusual for some companies to change the colour of its products from what is classed as the norm - Walkers Crisps have been doing it for years with their Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion flavours.

• blodbof on 16th Aug 2008

  Snap, just done the same thing myself after more than 40 years without such a mishap. The green / blue logo on the pump for super unleaded is virtually exactly the same as the logo for the super diesel. Just awaiting the cost of sorting all this out. I shall in future avoid BP like the plague.