I might be out to lunch, but my 2014 Focus has it on the right and I know that model was designed and is huge in Europe, so I thought be something to do with that whole right hand drive thing. I know the gear shift (5-speed) is located to be much more cofortable for someone in the passenger seat.

I think  KAR nailed it. I would guess that it depends on where the car was designed, and mostly sold. The ones mostly sold in wrong hand drive markets would have them on the passenger side ,and the ones mostly sold here in the states would be on the drivers side.

Last edited by Derek (1/12/2015 12:46 PM)

Dang Steve, all along I thought you were a squared away guy. Now I see you've got the same crazy thoughts going around in your head like me. And I agree with your analasys of the problem.

Bob

As a general rule cars built in Asia and Europe have the filler on the LH side.  American cars on the RH side.  I don't know why that is, but I don't think it has to do with which side of the road they drive on.  If you build two versions of a car like say my WRX (left hand drive in the US, right hand elsewhere) how big a deal is it to move the filler door?  I have to think that in the grand scheme of things building two versions of each quarter panel and two versions of the fuel tank pale in comparison to building two version of the entire dash, steering system, etc.  Maybe its just a cost saving measure as they have to do the later, but not necessarily the former.  All I know is it screws me up going from the WRX to my F250 and back.  My Mustang's is in a great spot.  Doesn't matter which side the pump's on.  Damn crash safety standards. 

This one sounds reasonable... http://blog.allstate.com/gas-tanks-arent-fuel-doors-side/
 

Are the new mustang gas filler doors on the drivers side?  I was under the impression that most ford "cars" have the filler door on the pass side, and trucks all have them on the drivers side.  The last bunch of "cars" I've had, the gas door was on the pass side, 2 Taurus's and 2 Focus's, foxbody mustangs, sn95 mustangs.

it can really confuse some people.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROYcAwdDPwY

Last edited by Nasty65 (1/12/2015 4:49 PM)

Sherry's 2011 Ford Flex, RH
her 2013 Lincoln MKZ, LH
my 2007 Mustang GT, LH
Kat's 2000 Mustang, RH
Fox Mustang RH
2010-2014 Mustang LH
2015 Mustang LH

I can believe it is a "packaging" issue.  I just wish that my cars had them on the driver side for convenience.

Derek wrote:

MustangSteve wrote:

Sherry's 2011 Ford Flex, RH
her 2013 Lincoln MKZ, LH
my 2007 Mustang GT, LH
Kat's 2000 Mustang, RH
Fox Mustang RH
2010-2014 Mustang LH
2015 Mustang LH

I can believe it is a "packaging" issue.  I just wish that my cars had them on the driver side for convenience.

I don't know I can't believe it would be a packaging issue either though. There's nothing in the rear of the car that would make one side eaisier then the other.

If it's not ah LH or RH drive thing then it must just be a judgment call of the designer.

Perhaps they figure it's a blind spot issue? Or the car looks cleaner to the driver to have it on the opposite side?

I think Derek gets the prize for the best answer with the judgement call. The designer wanted it on that side and had the stroke to get it put there. The designer can recieve input for the styling, but likes to have the gas cap in a certain spot and has a reason for it. It's not that the other side is wrong, they just don't want it there.

Or when you run out of gas, you will be safely off the road emptying the gas can into the filler on the right side of the car???

What other trival problems can be solved tonight??   

think costco gas.  Extended filler hose length fits both sides.  When I did work I traveled a lot, four sometimes six rental cars a month.  I got into a habit of making sure I knew what side the filler was at before I  got in.  I spent a lot of time racing to a airport but had to fill up first before turning car in, hated turning car around just to get 2 gal of gas.  

I never really thought about it until now. Something to ponder during existential thought sessions.
I have two cars right, one car left, and one car center. The car with the left filler throws me off sometimes.

Here's another one to drive you nuts just before your about to fall asleep. How do they decide which side of the car to have the single exhaust exit? Most new cars I can think of have them exit the passenger side. Is this for some safety reasons? Or is it simply cosmetic? Is the exhaust opposite the fuel filler? Now you'll all be driving around today looking at cars to see were the filler is relitive to the exhaust HA!

Last edited by Derek (1/13/2015 9:35 AM)

rpm wrote:

wsinsle wrote:

Don't know the answer but reminds me of a funny story. I worked at filling station back in the late 70's. A Volkswagen Beetle pulled up to our self serve pumps with the tank on the wrong side. He got out of the car seen he was on the wrong side. Got back in, pulled out and did a U turn to the other side of the pumps. Got out, looked and seen he was on the wrong side again. Shook his head, got back in the car, pulled out makeing another U turn back to the side where he started. Got out of the car seen he was on the wrong side again. Started cussing at us in the station, got in the car and drove away. I don't know if he ever figured it out.
 

 
Really? Were not the fuel tanks on Beetles under the hood?

Bob

Some of them were on the side just under the A-pilar