travelingman79

Just to throw in my $0.02, here's my experience/guess about fuel filler door side...

Right hand (passenger) side:
-Older American car designs (Crown Victoria, Taurus)
-European market designed cars (the German brands, GM: G6, mailbu - derivatives of the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra)
I think putting the fuel filler door on this side is due to most fuel stations in Europe being full-service (at least the parts I've visited) and it used to be that way in this country (still is in New Jersey!)

Left hand (driver) side:
-Newer American cars
-Asian cars designed for US market

flyingsaucer

My Ford (in the UK) has it on the right. Its special trick is to automatically lock it when the car doors are locked - so if you pull up at the pump in a dodgy area, lock the car, then try to open the petrol cap you can't, you have to open the cap first, THEN lock the car.
The Fiat's is on the right too.
Our Ford lorry has it on the left.

fairviewroad

I rented a 2006 Chevy Aveo

(pauses for derisive laughter)

yesterday and the cap was on the right. There was also not an arrow on the gas gauge. Fortunately, the car is so small you can practically walk the gas hose 360 degrees around the car if needed.

guv1976

I think to facilitate use of both sides of the service bays at gasoline stations, without requiring cars to make U turns in the station.

iadh

It used to be that the pump was just right next to the road. To allow easy access the fuel cap had to be on the side facing the side of the road. That's why cars in countries where one drives on the right-hand side of the road had their fuel cap on the right and for countries with left-hand side traffic the cap was on the left. For example, German cars have their caps on the right and Japanese on the left. Nowadays, of course, with cars being exported all over the world and with multi-lane gas stations off the road, this simple rule no longer applies.

IceTrojan

Honestly, I think it depends on where the car's original design hails from.

While the majority of GM cars on the left, those with European and Asian influence tend to be on the right. E.g., Pontiac G6/Chevy Malibu (Epsilon platform, which I think started with the Opels) and the Chevy Aveo (from Daewoo).

Those with a purebred American design have the gas caps on the left. E.g., The Chevy Impala and the newer Toyotas (designed for the US market in mind, and designs sent back, which is opposite of what it was before).

I can't explain the Taurus... it's just a ....... car anyways

The historical reason is that while American gas stations were drive in, those in Europe and other foreign lands had curbside gas stations, which necessitated the gascap to be on the right side.

BamaVol

It's been a while since I've seen one in the rear. Often they were hidden behind the license plate. It think it was mostly luxury cars; caddys, etc.

djk7

Back in the 70's, many American cars had them in the rear, either behind the license plate, or above it. That included most or all fullsize cars, and many mid size ones too. I remember that if you had a full load in the trunk and it was sagging, it was difficult to fill the tank all of the way because of how low the fillers were. If the station had any kind of slope at the pumps, you had to make sure to pull in so you were pointed downhill.

DWilliamson5002

It is about the Exhaust. If the exhaust is to the left the gas cap is on the right. And vice versa.

Little tricky with dual exhaust, but only one is the main exhaust pipe the other is there and kinda works, but mainly there for looks on most cars.

gj83

I don't think i've ever gotten a manual in an Avis car. I tried to use it a couple times to figure out cruise control (in the Hyundai Sonata anyone??).

I'm also not doing well finding ice scrapers in the middle of winter in upstate NY.

That galant fuel door had me going for about 5 minutes before I just tried pulling the darn thing open...and it worked. Nice thought, but why can't they just put a switch in like normal cars with fuel doors like that?

IAHtraveler

Most manuals are in the trunk, under the carpet (down with the spare tire). They usually have the spare key fob down there too, in case your battery is dead on the main one. (One exception is Chrysler cars. Since the key is also the remote, there's not a spare key/fob in the trunk)

As for ice scrapers, I'm 1/3 for getting ice scrapers in cold locations when there's snow on the ground this year... quite a pain!

BamaVol

Nice tip on the manual location. Thanks.

I was baffled by the Charger gascap door this morning. But, I pushed on the back and it opened. Whew! I wouldn't want to have to pay Avis to fill that one up.

The Viking

It's always on the outside though....

heffa

Thanks for that one. It's really cool! This Monday was the first time I saw that, after renting hundreds of vehicles...

Bobster

Get a car with OnStar. Drive until out of gas. Press emergency button. Wait for gas. Resume driving