HOUSTON – When it comes to buying gasoline, there is good news and bad news.

The good news is that gas prices are going down again.

But guess what? No matter how much you’re paying, you may not be getting what you asked for.

The 11 News Defenders have discovered that Texas doesn’t inspect the fuel that gas stations sell.

And that can mean real trouble if a station owner cuts his gasoline by adding water to it.

You see, “harmless water” isn’t harmless in an automobile engine and can ruin your sparkplugs, the manifold, and even the engine itself, costing you thousands and thousands in repair bills.

Dr. Don Tom, a Houston anesthesiologist, said that he pulled into a service station on his way to work. Tom said that after filling his tank to the brim, he found his car had come to a sputtering halt.

Tom’s mechanic found his gasoline had been mixed with water. Tom said he was furious, because repairs were going to top over $3,000.

But Investigative Reporter Mark Greenblatt has discovered that isn’t the only way your car’s performance could suffer. 

For instance, premium gas is good for the engine. It is not good if the gasoline isn’t really premium.

So why isn’t our government preventing this?  You’ll be amazed at the answers the 11 News Defenders found.

You’ll hear them, and get the knowledge you need to protect you and your family by watching 11 News at 10 tonight.

Click here for a preview of this exclusive investigation.