[Pangloss]

That's happened to me before, and it really bugs me. Cheaper to reimburse the few owners that come forward than to replace the underground tanks I guess. Never mind the massive inconvenience to the car owner, not to mention the could-that-really-be-it hand-wringing, as well as the what-did-you-do-to-this-car glares from mechanics that come along for the ride.

I heard once from a local building/code inspector that replacing underground tanks can be a local ordinance nightmare. Might have something to do with it. I know it's an awful drag trying to buy a property that used to be a gas station -- understandable, but not fun.

Could be worse. My wife once pulled into the driveway with an inch-wide trail of GASOLINE on the ground leading from where it was gushing out from under her car all the way back to a neighborhood tire reseller. She'd just gotten new tires and their lift had cut right through the fuel line. I was just glad I didn't see a sheet of flame coming up the driveway behind her.