More economical and more ecological, the opportunity is popular in many areas. But by offering to sell fuel between individuals, the Swiss Allexx application can put your car at serious risk. Argus takes stock.
Buy used fuel? Despite very high prices at the pump this year, we have to admit that the idea had never occurred to us. But it is nevertheless this type of transaction that the Swiss application Allexx intends to facilitate.
“According to its founder, Aleksandar T. Gajic, “ 500 million liters of second-hand fuels per year lie dormant in the tanks of individuals in the 10 countries »European where the service is offered.“
A figure as spectacular as it is impossible to verify! The young start-up, founded in 2020, therefore proposes to individuals to sell all this unused gasoline, diesel or ethanol, for a price per liter that they themselves will have set. It collects a commission and fees of up to 6.5% of the transaction, except in the case of payment in cash.
Risks to your engine
Alas, while the idea sounds laudable on paper, the potential risks make us recommend the utmost caution. It seems unlikely that you will be offered, at half price, lead-free 98 freshly bought at the pump!
“As examples, Allexx mentions ” a car that sleeps in a garage, a boat out of the water stored for wintering or a motorhome that is only used in season, a lawn mower that you no longer use “.“
However, fuel is not a product that can be stored easily for a long time. After a while, on a car that is not running, condensation can cause humidity to appear in the fuel tank. Transferring this mixture of water and gasoline, diesel or ethanol to your vehicle could then have unfortunate consequences for your engine. Especially if you have recent and sophisticated mechanics, direct injection.
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Scams that are difficult to counter
The risks of scams are also numerous, and even more difficult to verify than when buying a used vehicle. Nothing says, for example, that the fuel offered to you will not have been mixed with another liquid to artificially increase the volume offered for sale. With, again, possible mechanical problems with the key. Nothing proves, either, that this “black gold” will not have been acquired by siphoning off another reservoir. With the increase in prices at the pump, the police have seen fuel thefts increase, especially from heavy goods vehicles. If the diesel that you are offered to buy is stored in large cans, it is therefore better to go your way.
Problematic fuel transfer
Finally, this type of transaction also poses technical difficulties. So that the passage from one tank to another can be done in a secure manner, there are indeed a number of precautions to be observed. The purchase of a transfer pump, preferably electric, is in particular essential. An expense that can easily exceed a hundred euros, and thus postpone the time when the use of the Allexx application will prove to be profitable. In short, you will understand. While buying retreaded tires is rarely a good idea, buying second-hand fuel leaves us puzzled to say the least.
