When do you fill up your gas tank?

[Mel522]

My gas light turns on at a 1/4 of a tank because it's bad for the car to go lower then that. I always try to fill up before the light turns on. It's usually about once every 2 months

 

[keypooh90]

Once a week...when the tank hits 1/4 full. I have a 30 mile one way/60 mile total commute two days a week and then 15 mile commute two days a week.

 

[LBIJim]

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

The gas gauge on my first piece-of-junk car didn't work, so I kept a small notebook and recorded how much I bought each time. The car would go about 250 miles on a full tank.

With cars with analog (needle) gauges, I've discovered that you could ALWAYS go at LEAST 50 miles when the needle was BELOW empty. Only one time I ran out....about 30 feet from the pump. My friend had to push me to the pump.

With digital gauges, I fill up soon after one of the warning lights comes on, but I'm sure I can go much farther.

Jim

P.S. During gas rationing in the summer of 1979, I think you could get perhaps 3 gallons or so on your non-designated day if your needle was just about on empty.

 

[Becky2005]

Depends on the timing & season. In the winter time, I never like to let it get to below 1/2 tank. In the spring/summer, I don't have much strategy other than when I have some money. If the gas light comes on, which is usually at 1/4 tank for my car, then I try to fill up. I know mine can go pretty far after the light comes on (I was running on fumes, so did a quick put $10 in until payday).

If I'm traveling a far distance, I always fill up 1/2 tank, no matter the season, etc...

 

[Lassie Lynne]

I only drive short distances, so dont use that much gas, but I tend to fill up when my gas light come on, unless I know that I will be going to drive over an hour and I have less that a half tank, then I tend to fill it up for the trip. I am also one of those people who tend to buy gas in even amounts - like 20 or 30 dollars. Not sure of why that is, just like the sound of it I guess.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I typically stop when I'm afraid I'm down to my last round-trip between home & work. My typical fillup station is always the slowest to adjust to price increases or decreases. So, if I see an increase everywhere else & they're still at the old price, I'll go ahead & stop early.

edit: and I always fill up. That was a REAL pain back when the pumps were set to shut off automatically at $75.00 and gas was around 4 bucks. I've noticed I can run it up over $100 now w/o the pumps shutting off.

 

[I Love Pluto]

To me - half a tank means empty. I always fill at half. You never know when you will be stuck in some serious traffic.

I wonder if "city" people fill up more often than those who have less traffic near their homes.

 

[Minnesota!]

We fill up when we go to Costco - which is every 15 days or so. So depending on driving in those 2 weeks we might be coasting in on fumes or we might still have 1/4 tank.

 

[Albort]

We fill up when we go to Costco - which is every 15 days or so. So depending on driving in those 2 weeks we might be coasting in on fumes or we might still have 1/4 tank.

Speaking of Costco, do you get less gas mileages if you gas Costco instead of like Chevron or Shell? I thought it was a strange that i can drive 50 more miles on a tank of Chevron, and it isnt just once or twice, its all the time...

 

[Suellen]

I fill when the light comes on. Always have. Okay so I never fill it. I wait for the light to come on and then send DH out on an errand and he fills it.

It took him like three years to mention that my car is always empty when he uses it. . LOL! Now that we live where we do we went to only one car - so I think it is less suspicious to him.

 

[shortbun]

I fill up at or around half a tank. In the winter, I never let it get below half. When we're travelling, half tank. I've been in power outages where no gas can be dispensed and WOW, was I glad I always keep it at at least half!!!
Be prepared is my motto. I never run out of things that are important: gasoline, toilet paper, water, food.

 

[Maleficent53]

Filling more frequently is like dollar cost averaging same as investing. In the long run it will $ave dollar$.

Filling when it is cooler outside is false. http://newfrugality.com/top-5-gas-saving-myths/

Allowing your reserves to get too low can be VERY COSTLY. The fuel pump is in the gas tank. The fuel pump is COOLED by the gas in the tank. The fuel pump CAN overheat and fail causing HUNDRED$ of DOLLAR$ in replacement cost.

DFIL always waited for his digital display to show 50 miles to empty. Cost him $600.00 for a new fuel pump!

The fuel pick-up is raised to prevent sludge from entering the pump and even if it did, the filter will stop it.

I fill when the tank is 3/4 full.

This . My (very excellent) mechanic told me this many years ago. He was cuban so I could hardly understand him with his accent.....but he made a diagram on paper showing half tank - okay - quarter tank with a big X over it. Told me the same thing about the fuel pump being cooled by the liquid gas.

In winter I never go below half tank because of fuel line freeze up. Had that happen a couple of times and it sucks because it was always when I was at work in the parking lot - at night - and usually below zero temp. My son hates getting a call at midnight to come pick me up!

 

[Suellen]

Our mechanic told us if youmalways run it to empty the sludge doesn't build up.....IF younnever let it get empty and then start doing it can be a problem. He also told us never to buy gas at Sam's or BJ's - something about leftover dregs at the bottom of an assortment of delivery trucks.

I don't know - we've always run our car to empty and have never replaced a fuel pump.

 

[John VN]

Our mechanic told us if youmalways run it to empty the sludge doesn't build up.....IF younnever let it get empty and then start doing it can be a problem. He also told us never to buy gas at Sam's or BJ's - something about leftover dregs at the bottom of an assortment of delivery trucks.

I don't know - we've always run our car to empty and have never replaced a fuel pump.

Sam's and BJ's delivery pumps have filters just like your car and just like in your tank, the gas inlet is raised from the storage tank.

Nobody has a problem until they have a problem. The repair cost is too much for me to take the risk.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

To me - half a tank means empty. I always fill at half. You never know when you will be stuck in some serious traffic.

I wonder if "city" people fill up more often than those who have less traffic near their homes.

I'm actually more cautious OUTSIDE of cities. My brother-in-law & I almost ran out midway between Russell & Hays, Kansas one time - about 10 miles from the nearest station in any direction & a 40 MPH wind we would have had to deal with if we hadn't limped into Hays on fumes (put 25.3 gallons in a 26 gallon tank).

 

[carrie1626]

Usually long after I should.
Ex: My tank this afternoon is below 1/4. I will be running errands tomorrow and suddenly shriek because I'll be hovering on E.
I know this because I've done it over and over.
In my defense, I have NEVER ran out of gas. JINX

 

[Laurabearz]

I fill mine up every other week when I get paid... or before a longer than normal trip...

 

[kacaju]

I drive all over the place a lot. I also live in an area where I can easily get to 4+ gas stations within 5 miles of me. I fill it up depending on where I have to go. I always fill it up before leaving NJ...I really hate having to get out and pump my own gas...I CAN do it..I have when I have no choice...given a choice..I will fill up right before I drive over the State Line and fill it up again as soon as I get back into NJ!!

 

[dfchelbay]

I usually get a half a tank every Wednesday. I pay very close attention to the prices and when the go up and down in my area. They go down on Tuesdays a little, then a little more Wednesday mornings, then even lower by Wednesday afternoons. So, on my way home each Wednesday evening, I get my half a tank of gas.