When do you stop to get gas?

[DanielDudley]

In my GMC Sierra, if I don't get gas at 1/4 tank, it will run out on the next long hill.

I have run out of gas in that truck more times than I care to recall.

[KFC911]

I have always "stopped" for gas...the thought of refueling while moving scares me . On my DD F150...only after "low fuel" replaces the temperature reading and I've driven another 50 miles or so. I've only ran out of fuel one time in my life...about to leave my 'hood heading to a station several years back...in that little German mistress out in the garage. She REALLY means it when the light comes on...live and learn

[dave 911]

Good story here. My 06 Explorer has a 'miles until empty readout' that I have tested down to 0 on occasion. Several years ago we were on a family ski trip out to Colorado, and heading west through eastern CO saw a sign that Limon was 100 or so miles out, and my miles til empty was 130 or so. No problem. Next sign was 70ish miles to go, 80 miles til empty. Hmm, that headwind must be pretty strong. And there ain't much out there in eastern CO....

50 miles til Limon, 50 miles til empty. Uh oh. And now I'm noticing that it's blowing like a bi#$& out there, really strong headwind....Wife is asleep next to me, kids sitting in the back seat. 30 miles til Limon, 25 miles til empty. Wife wakes up and asks me 'what's wrong'? "Nothing dear...why?...." I probably looked like Chevy Chase in vacation with sweat dripping down my head at that point. Miles til empty hits 0 as Limon appears on the horizon.

Made it to Limon, so I know the computer has some reserve built in...but I never push it beyond 1/4-1/8 now ....

[Jays72T]

Fill up after light goes on, that's what it's there for. In our 05 Honda minivan I've gone 30 miles with the light on and still had 2 gallons left. On road trips I usually fill up at a quarter tank or whenever we stop.

[june82000]

I put about 600/week on my Acura RSX DD and I've driven it for so long I know the light will come on about at about 370 miles. I've driven close to 400 miles but normally I fill up at around 350 miles. I figure also that if you're carrying around extra gas all the time (ie filling up at 1/2 tank every time) then that adds extra weight which might shave a mile or two off your average MPG? Who knows? I get roughly 31.5 MPG.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by slodave

i usually don't have to stop to get gas. It shows up on its own, random schedule.

lol

[Aragorn]

Around town, I usually run the Jeep until it is down to a 1/4 tank. Anything lower than that and I worry about fuel pump damage.

On a trip, I usually plan out the route and get gas every 200-250 miles. Depends on the car and tank capacity. I had one car that had around a 9 gallon tank and averaged 38mpg on trips. I usually stopped every 300 miles in that car.

[FastCarFan]

It depends. If I am driving home from work & think I can make it to my hometown (I try to support my local station as much as possible) I will run it until I get a message on the dash saying "Get gas you idiot! I've been warning you for 30 miles!" But if I'm on a trip, or if there is a chance of getting stuck in a major traffic jam (e.g., blizzard), I try not to let it get below 1/2.

[Doug&Julie]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

When I see a low price.

This. I watch gas prices…if they're low, I'll check my gauge and see if I'm "low". Anything around / under half a tank and I fill up.

Otherwise, I never like to let it go below 1/4 tank. If it's winter, I don't like to let it go below 1/2 tank. Never had problems, it's just a comfort factor there.

Oh, and I always fill up. I've never bought $10 in gas, or $20 in gas. I've never understood that. You're always going to need gas. (..unless you're about to sell the car, but even then, don't be a d*ck, fill the tank for the next guy. It's good karma.)

[foxpaws]

I recently bought a Volt (go ahead - pile on... smile)

It looks like I will buy my first tank of gas at the end of June...

[Noah930]

Light. Sometimes fumes.

Why make travel so boring and predictable? Why not make even routine trips interesting? Will I make it? Or will I get in trouble?

I take a racer's approach to it. The fewer stops I have to make, the less time I waste on pit-in and pit-out. I might as well maximize the distance I get in between fuel stops.

In each of my vehicles I know how many gallons are left when the light winks on. So I have a rough idea how many miles I've got left before I'm hoofin' it. I just make sure I fill up before I've hit that distance. Useful to know in those rare occasions when I'm in BFE or running really really late and need to know if I can make it to my destination or not on what I've got left.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Light. Sometimes fumes.

Why make travel so boring and predictable? Why not make even routine trips interesting? Will I make it? Or will I get in trouble?

I take a racer's approach to it. The fewer stops I have to make, the less time I waste on pit-in and pit-out. I might as well maximize the distance I get in between fuel stops.

In each of my vehicles I know how many gallons are left when the light winks on. So I have a rough idea how many miles I've got left before I'm hoofin' it. I just make sure I fill up before I've hit that distance. Useful to know in those rare occasions when I'm in BFE or running really really late and need to know if I can make it to my destination or not on what I've got left.

Me too. And I've never run out.

I figure I gas up about once a week. As close to bone ****** dry as I can get. If a fill up takes 10 minutes, I'll spend more than 400 hours in a gas station over 50 years. If I fill up at 1/4 tank that number goes over 500. No thanks.

[wildthing]

When the light comes on... old habits die hard. I've been doing that since I started driving. Gas was expensive for a student...

Of course it sucks when the car I drove had a broken fuel gauge...

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by dave 911

Good story here. My 06 Explorer has a 'miles until empty readout' that I have tested down to 0 on occasion. Several years ago we were on a family ski trip out to Colorado, and heading west through eastern CO saw a sign that Limon was 100 or so miles out, and my miles til empty was 130 or so. No problem. Next sign was 70ish miles to go, 80 miles til empty. Hmm, that headwind must be pretty strong. And there ain't much out there in eastern CO....

50 miles til Limon, 50 miles til empty. Uh oh. And now I'm noticing that it's blowing like a bi#$& out there, really strong headwind....Wife is asleep next to me, kids sitting in the back seat. 30 miles til Limon, 25 miles til empty. Wife wakes up and asks me 'what's wrong'? "Nothing dear...why?...." I probably looked like Chevy Chase in vacation with sweat dripping down my head at that point. Miles til empty hits 0 as Limon appears on the horizon.

Made it to Limon, so I know the computer has some reserve built in...but I never push it beyond 1/4-1/8 now ....

I've been in the EXACT same situation, I forgot to fill up somewhere in central KS and my DTE was reading less than the next town. Thank God they build some conservatism into those things. If I remember correctly, I put something like 35.5 gallons into the 36 gallon tank in my F150.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Light. Sometimes fumes.

Why make travel so boring and predictable? Why not make even routine trips interesting? Will I make it? Or will I get in trouble?

I checked fill up at 1/4, I live in San Pedro and work in South Central... running up and down the 110 freeway I pass such interesting towns as Watts, Vernon, Compton, etc. A little too much adventure running out of gas in those towns.


However I am with you on a road trip, I am constantly calculating in my head, gallons in tank Vs MPG Vs miles to the next town... I will run it until the light comes on if I am driving cross country (but have never run out).

[weseeeee]

I fill up at a 1/4. I'm usually just getting ready for the next days travel plans.

[mattdavis11]

I know how far mine can go after the light comes on, without having to push or walk, so I shop prices. Most of the time, I will pay an extra cent a gallon to the station on the right if the one on the left is lower. Crowded station, move on to the next one.

In the 944, when the light begins to flicker, I'll check the mile markers or estimate milage, then safely assume another 70 miles. The odometer does not work.

With the LandCruiser, when the needle gets to the middle of the E<, I pray for right hand turns only. Both the odo and light work.

Driving the Camry, when the light comes on, I'm good for at least another 150 miles.

If I'm driving a vehicle other than mine, I'll call and ask how much farther I can go.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Am I the only one who doesn't pay that much attention to prices? Sorry, but I'm not waiting in line (burning gas) for $0.05/gal.

[bri450sl]

Am I the only one who doesn't pay that much attention to prices? Sorry, but I'm not waiting in line (burning gas) for $0.05/gal.

I'm with you. I could care less.

[dw1]

Typically around 1/8 tank or a bit less. My commute is 35 - 37 miles each way, and my morning drive is before most stations open, so I can't let it get too low.