When do you fill up your gas tank?

[momof1princess]

i fill my car's gas tank up when it reaches 1/2 tank, or just below. my former car's gas hand floated horribly if it got below 1/2 tank, so i was never sure how much gas i had below that. it was easier to fill up at 1/2 tank, so i didn't have to worry. and it reassures DH that DD15 and i won't run out of gas.

 

[SC Minnie]

I only have a 4 mile one way commute. If its during the week and I don't have to go anywhere besides work I'll let it get down to 10 miles. I pass by 3 gas stations in the 4mi to work so it's not a big deal.

 

[Squirlz]

I fill up when it's low or when it's convenient. I don't commute and only drove 7000 miles last year, but 16 MPG and an 18 gallon tank doesn't get you too far! One feature that I love is the car will speak and tell me it is low on fuel and would I like it to show me where the nearest gas stations are? I really like this car!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

When the display flashes "--- Miles to Empty" I usually fill up; about every other week.

 

[nchulka]

When my low fuel light comes on I look at the mileage and know I have 60 more miles to go. When I get to 60 miles on the low fuel light I fill up. I've been doing this for years and it drives my DH crazy. He says it will ruin the car. I say my car is unbreakable! It's a 99 Ford Escort and I have had it for 13 years. It has 181,000 miles and I am convinced it cannot be killed! I have wanted a newer/bigger car for years but I refuse to buy one until mine dies. I've tried everything I only change the oil every 7,000 miles and never add more in between, I let the gas go to fumes between each fill up. I never do any maintenance and nothing ever breaks down on it! The other day my DS told me he washed my car out in the driveway with the hose. He said he even washed the inside for me. I asked what he meant by that and he showed me how he stuck the hose up inside the tailpipe He told me that he has been washing my car like that for years!!! I am truly convinced that I have a car that cannot be killed, it will live forever!

 

[Hannathy]

My fuel gauge doesn't work so I fill up when the trip odometer reaches 200 miles!

There is usually about 3 gallons left in the tank at this number so I find it is a good round number to remember and I"m not in danger of running out if I get stuck somewhere and have to go to 225 or something.

Having the gauge not work has made me be much more conscious of when to get gas became I always waited till the light went on and then some before.


Plus having my DH constantly harping about how much it would cost if it ran out and sucked up all the gunk in the bottom of the tank in an old car helps!!

 

[Fortuosity]

Never. (I don't drive these days.)

But back when I did?

Uh.... never.

(I learned to coast on fumes on my father's knee.)

 

[lilouisianagal]

I fill up when the low light comes on (30 miles left). It's been pretty accurate so far. That's usually every two weeks (I love my Prius!). I always fill all the way up.

 

[Micca]

We mostly use DW's car so my car stays in the garage for long periods of time. Last time I filled up was mid April. I'm getting pretty low, but I'd like to make it another couple of weeks just so I could say I went six months between fill-ups. Usually fill-up between 1/2 and 3/4 empty.

 

[scrapquitler]

I used to let it get down to almost empty but not any more. Years ago, we had a sudden natural disaster and power was out for days. My gas tank happened to be nearly empty and no gas stations were open for many miles around since the power was out. It was a scary feeling, like being trapped. Never again. Now I always fill up at 1/2 tank.

THat's a good point. We had the halloween blizzard here last year, and there was no power in the area for up to 10 days in a lot of our towns, and I was very grateful that I had a full tank of gas and didn't need to wait in the long lines at any of the few gas stations that had power.

 

[mrodgers]

I only have a 4 mile one way commute. If its during the week and I don't have to go anywhere besides work I'll let it get down to 10 miles. I pass by 3 gas stations in the 4mi to work so it's not a big deal.

Dang, 4 miles and you pass 3 stations? I drive 20 miles one way and still have to go out of my way to get gas, either 5 miles out from work or continue 5 miles past home.

I fill both up on Friday, that is payday. I use about half a tank. My wife goes to work 3 times and I fill hers up again. Then she can go grocery shopping and to her last day of work and ends up eating up most of the rest running the kids to school or whatever else. A 1/4 tank won't get her to work and back or to the grocery store and back. Well, I guess it would, but that would be pushing it driving 60ish miles on less than 4 gallons. Her coming home after using the last quarter tank though probably wouldn't get the extra 5 miles down to the gas station.

I budget $150 for gas from before I bought my current car when I was also getting 20 mpg (in an Altima at that.) Now any extra left from gas, since I usually fill mine with $30 and hers with $45 each time, the extra is our allowance.

 

[PollyannaMom]

After I notice it hitting 1/4 tank, I fill it at the next convenient time - usually when I'm doing other errands.

 

[belle07]

1/4 tank, and I usually fill it up.

 

[pixiewings71]

I let mine go to empty a lot. lol I don't prefer to but I only get gas with cash so if I don't have the money I don't get the gas. I filled up yesterday, had just about a quarter tank, cost me $72 to fill up. When we first got the van it was $25-30 to fill it up. I do a lot of in town driving and work is close to home so I can normally get a tank and then drive for 3-4 weeks before I need to fill up again.

 

[Adipoo]

I fill up around the quarter tank mark except in the winter when I don't like to go below half a tank just in case the weather takes a nasty turn.

My husband has run out of gas on the way to work and he only has to go 3 miles. Drives me nuts, pun intended.

 

[kt_mom]

I used to let it get down to almost empty but not any more. Years ago, we had a sudden natural disaster and power was out for days. My gas tank happened to be nearly empty and no gas stations were open for many miles around since the power was out. It was a scary feeling, like being trapped. Never again. Now I always fill up at 1/2 tank.

THat's a good point. We had the halloween blizzard here last year, and there was no power in the area for up to 10 days in a lot of our towns, and I was very grateful that I had a full tank of gas and didn't need to wait in the long lines at any of the few gas stations that had power.

I learned my lesson on that this summer. I was on fumes but I knew we were leaving the next day for the beach. I figured we would just fill up on the way out of town. Well, that night the derecho or whatever the storm was called came through and our power went out. The closest gas station was several miles away but DH thought we could make it. I was scared to death the whole way that I would run out of gas. We made it but the lines were horrible.

I had DS in the car with me because DH was at work (one of the handful of places in town with power) Anyway, not only was the station crowded but the pumps were pumping extremely slow. I had one car in front of me and it took him almost an hour to fill his tank. People were standing around outside their cars chatting and whatever. The lady next to me said she had just left a station down the road becuase a fight broke out. I finally made it to the pump and it took another 30 minutes or so to put about $25 in my tank.

So now once I hit a quarter tank I try to fill up as soon as possible.

 

[denisenh]

I usually fill up on weekend, no matter what the guage says. Which day is determined by exactly how much running around we do that week.

My mom on the other hand, she'll put 10 in 7 days a week, instead of just filling up once.

She's also a big complainer that that 10 dollars barley got her through the day. But bite your tounge if you suggest that instead of running her a/c, that she just roll down her window. Even though we have proven that her a/c system sucks down the gas faster than she can put it in, she will not roll down the windows. She doesn't like the noise.

wow, i didn't know that the a/c runs on gas either! i thought it was the battery. i don't mind having the windows down but i thought that the resistance created uses more gas.

I don't really plan it but seems that I fill up on Saturdays. Just works out that way.

 

[tOSU]

wow, i didn't know that the a/c runs on gas either! i thought it was the battery. i don't mind having the windows down but i thought that the resistance created uses more gas.

I don't really plan it but seems that I fill up on Saturdays. Just works out that way.

The AC doesn't run on gas. what causes the lower MPG is that the AC compressor motor is powered by the accessory belt. When the compressor motor is engaged, it puts more strain on the engine to turn the accessory belt, hence lower MPG

Found a video that explains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEyun_O35b4

 

[Handbag Lady]

I just wait for the DING! and then the gas picture to go all red.

Once that happens, I still have 20 miles to go.

Unless, of course, the gas station I'm driving by has really low prices, then I'll put in gas any time.

This morning, the nearest station was at $4.29. It just was $4.09 two days ago. No gas from you!

 

[willowsnn3]

Usually around half a tank. Not as much sticker shock that way. A few weeks ago tho, I was topping off every other day as the 2 stations close to my job had gas for $3.37 while everyone else had $3.87. I was afraid every day it would go up. Finally went up to $3.69 for a couple days then up like all the other stations. Now it is $3.52.