Why not more gas caps behind the license plate?

[JEDI]

last century my father's brand new car had the gas cap behind the rear license place.

nowadays its on the side of the car, either on drivers side or passenger side.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Rear end accident safety issues?

 

[MovingTarget]

Meh, I still drive a car like that... Its kinda nice not needing to remember what side you have to pull up to the pump on. Of course, the fuel economy of said vehicle made those trips to the gas station quite frequent. :/

 

[Ferzerp]

You don't need to remember the side. Every (halfway modern) car has an arrow on the gas pump icon on the fuel gauge pointing to the side of the car the cap is on...

 

[Plugers]

Probably for lower entry height into the trunk.

 

[pcgeek11]

How about behind the tail light ( 1956 1957 Chevy and several others).

 

[Plugers]

How about behind the tail light ( 1956 1957 Chevy and several others).

That would still work.

 

[sao123]

what would be the benefit?

I can think of reasons not too...
1) rear end collision safety
2) more compact pump spacing at gas stations
3) more trunk space

If anything id like to see it standardized to the drivers side.

 

[justfrank]

What cars still have a gas cap behind the lic plate? The last time I had a car like that was on my '74 Regal, so ages ago.

 

[Jumpem]

You don't need to remember the side. Every (halfway modern) car has an arrow on the gas pump icon on the fuel gauge pointing to the side of the car the cap is on...

I had never noticed this before.

 

[MovingTarget]

What cars still have a gas cap behind the lic plate? The last time I had a car like that was on my '74 Regal, so ages ago.

That trend continued well into the eighties. I have an '87 Caprice. That generation was produced until 1989 (for the 1990 model year before transitioning to the third gen version).

 

[SSSnail]

Pssst, most gas nozzle's hose can reach the other side of the car... It's a secret

 

[Plugers]

My 95 caprice has it behind the plate also. I do think if it is on a side it should be the drivers though.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Most German cars have it on the passenger side, from what I've noticed anyway.

 

[Bignate603]

Most German cars have it on the passenger side, from what I've noticed anyway.

I've driven a few Japanese cars that had it on the passenger side. I always wondered if it was because they put it on the side that a Japanese driver would be sitting on.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I've driven a few Japanese cars that had it on the passenger side. I always wondered if it was because they put it on the side that a Japanese driver would be sitting on.

German and Scandinavian cars tend to prefer the passenger side too. And the Honda I used to have had the filler on the driver's side.

Personally, I prefer it on the passenger side. That way I can pull up close to the pump but still open my driver's door all the way without hitting anything.

ZV

 

[IcePickFreak]

Plates are either on the trunk lid or way low on the bumper cover these days, it's unpossible. The gas tanks are further forward than they use to be for crash safety as well.

As far as what side, I'd guess the seating arrangement on foreign cars as well, depending where the cars primary market is. My car has it on the passenger side, but I just figured it's GM wanting to be like the imports. :sneaky:

 

[Bignate603]

German and Scandinavian cars tend to prefer the passenger side too. And the Honda I used to have had the filler on the driver's side.

Personally, I prefer it on the passenger side. That way I can pull up close to the pump but still open my driver's door all the way without hitting anything.

ZV

It doesn't really bug me either way, except it messes with my habits. My most recent cars have had it on the driver's side. If I get a rental that has it on the passenger side I'll constantly pull up to the wrong side of the pump.

 

[Meghan54]

What drives me crazy is having two vehicles in the family, each with the gas cap on opposite sides.

 

[dawp]

I have a car (triumph tr7) that has it on the rear deck between the window and the trunk.

 

[KeithP]

Why not have gas caps on both sides? Use the side that is most convenient at the time.

-KeithP

 

[Throckmorton]

Interesting fact... the filler cap is always on the opposite side from the exhaust (unless you have dual exhausts or a license plate cap obviously)

 

[pcgeek11]

Interesting fact... the filler cap is always on the opposite side from the exhaust (unless you have dual exhausts or a license plate cap obviously)

No. It isn't, My exhaust pipe and fuel filler neck are both on the drivers side. 2004 Toyota Matrix.

 

[sontakke]

Interesting fact... the filler cap is always on the opposite side from the exhaust (unless you have dual exhausts or a license plate cap obviously)

A Click&Clack Listener!!!

 

[skipsneeky2]

lol my daily driver for a short time last year was a 1965 chrysler newport with a 383,the gas cap on the big chrysler cars was behind the license plates hell i think till the 1980s if i remember right.

I found it nice in fact,but you end up taking up more of the parking lot at the gas station,between you and your land yacht vehicle...its why a 25 foot chrysler doesn't exist any more.:awe: