Please convince me this is not borderline retarded

[99Saturn]

I've run out once. Driving an Aspire when I first put it on the road. I thought, no way could I only have gotten ~200 miles to the tank even if it's reading close to empty, I'll wait until after work to tank up since I was running late (and the gas station is about 2 miles away)... made it onto the first main street and stalled at a light. Lesson learned.

I do know someone that has the gold AAA membership and seems to think it's his duty to use all his free gas calls as soon as possible each year.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Darwin1138
A great solution to a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place.

Wouldn't the normal AA roadside assistance covers that stuff? You call them and they bring you proper fuel instead of carrying around half a gallon of stale gasoline. Seriously, just leave open a gasoline container for two days and what is left will also extinguish a burning match.


I want to say they won't bring you diesel. Then again a good number of diesels need to have the air purged to run again.

I routinely run to the low fuel light. My car is known for a bad fuel pump but it still went over 250k. The fact that a few pumps could not handle low fuel a few decades ago does not mean they all still don't. I like to use the full range of my tank. Then again, I know of plenty of places to full up. And don't push my luck when I'm away from my daily travels--on trips I'll fill up at quarter if not sooner (so as to stretch the legs).


It's not as easy to get a diesel going once it's out of fuel as it is a gasoline engine. Purging, changing filters and fighting with air bubbles are pretty common.

 

[901Memphis]

Even though i usually try to fill up at 1/4 tank, i have ran it down to the low fuel warning light when my Buick chimes, and even then it only took 14.88 gallons on a 17 gallon tank. I have no idea how someone could run out of gas!

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Even though i usually try to fill up at 1/4 tank, i have ran it down to the low fuel warning light when my Buick chimes, and even then it only took 14.88 gallons on a 17 gallon tank. I have no idea how someone could run out of gas!


It takes effort. Or ignorance. Although in this case I wonder if it takes both? When the fuel light comes on I generally fill ASAP, as it bothers me otherwise (what if an emergency were to come up?).

 

[exranger06]

I never understood the point of running a tank almost empty. It's not like you have to dump out the rest of your tank before refilling. I always fill at 1/4 tank or sooner.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
I never understood the point of running a tank almost empty. It's not like you have to dump out the rest of your tank before refilling. I always fill at 1/4 tank or sooner.


I drive at least 450 miles a week.

Also, I signed up for Irving's reward card, after buying 50 gallons I get 10cents off a gallon on the next purchase, up to 20 gallons. If I was brighter I'd pay more attention, but it's annoying to have the pump tell me I get 10 cents off and realize I only need ten gallons.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
I never understood the point of running a tank almost empty. It's not like you have to dump out the rest of your tank before refilling. I always fill at 1/4 tank or sooner.

I often try to stretch the tank out over the weekend as gas is usually cheaper early in the week. But if I see a good price at 1/4 left, I'll fill up.
I suppose I visit the gas station 25% fewer times by waiting until 400 miles on the tank instead of 300. Whatever that is worth?

 

[99Saturn]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: exranger06
I never understood the point of running a tank almost empty. It's not like you have to dump out the rest of your tank before refilling. I always fill at 1/4 tank or sooner.


I drive at least 450 miles a week


+1 Between two of us we drive 800 miles/week just going to and from work. One goes 300, the other 500. Depending on the car and traffic, it equates to both of us tanking up somewhere between 3 and 5 days, so there is incentive to stretch it out as much as possible. Plus, we both work in NJ so for us, its $.40 - $.50 cheaper if we tank up closer to work which means it's 60 to 100 miles before we can buy "cheap" gas again.

Not a good reason to run dry, but tanking up every third day gets old quick.

 

[andyd]

The Transit Connect has a 14 gallon tank. I fill it 4 or 5 times a week. Same with the E 150, except they have a 30 gallon tank I should plug in the battery minder on the Rat. It hasn't left the yard in a month. Same with my car.But since I took out the radio, the battery has stayed up.

 

[Andy636]

Originally Posted By: andyd
The Transit Connect has a 14 gallon tank. I fill it 4 or 5 times a week. Same with the E 150, except they have a 30 gallon tank I should plug in the battery minder on the Rat. It hasn't left the yard in a month. Same with my car.But since I took out the radio, the battery has stayed up.

Is that Transit a newer unit? Since 2011 they are all made here in Romania

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Andy636
Originally Posted By: andyd
The Transit Connect has a 14 gallon tank. I fill it 4 or 5 times a week. Same with the E 150, except they have a 30 gallon tank I should plug in the battery minder on the Rat. It hasn't left the yard in a month. Same with my car.But since I took out the radio, the battery has stayed up.

Is that Transit a newer unit? Since 2011 they are all made here in Romania

maybe for Europe.
they made/reused a new factory in Kentucky

 

[Cujet]

Why not simply find an appropriate container and carry some spare gas if you feel it's needed.

There are plenty of small, metal fuel cans that will do the job perfectly. You can even use some form of gas that won't go bad rapidly, such as "rec fuel 90" without Ethanol. Might cost you $2 for 1/2 gallon of that...

 

[Kestas]

Ever since I replaced my fuel pump, the gas gauge is inaccurate. I now keep a gallon of gas in the trunk. It's a tightly closed container so it won't go stale.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
I never understood the point of running a tank almost empty. It's not like you have to dump out the rest of your tank before refilling. I always fill at 1/4 tank or sooner.


+1

I never understood it either, since the fuel pump is cooled by the fuel in the tank. Running on empty all the time will burn out a fuel pump. I've always heard the "but gas is X cents cheaper at this station that I almost made it to" excuse. Okay, so you might've saved $5 but now you need to walk or have someone bring you gas, not to mention you are potentially damaging a couple hundred dollar fuel pump by running on empty all the time.

My sister has run out of gas three times. Two of those times she was in the middle of a busy intersection when the car stalled. Some people just aren't that bright.

 

[surfstar]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: exranger06
I never understood the point of running a tank almost empty. It's not like you have to dump out the rest of your tank before refilling. I always fill at 1/4 tank or sooner.


+1

I never understood it either, since the fuel pump is cooled by the fuel in the tank. Running on empty all the time will burn out a fuel pump.


I've never understood filling up early. I know how many miles per tank I can go, so I plan accordingly. Every 4 tanks you guys fill up, is 5 for people like me. That's 20% fewer trips to gas stations throughout your life.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Ever since I replaced my fuel pump, the gas gauge is inaccurate. I now keep a gallon of gas in the trunk. It's a tightly closed container so it won't go stale.

You should use that gallon every second fill up so that you have fresh gas in the container.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071

I never understood it either, since the fuel pump is cooled by the fuel in the tank. Running on empty all the time will burn out a fuel pump.


What setups require the fuel to cool the pump? I've been hearing this statement since the 80's, but the 80's was a while ago.

Antedotal, but I ran my car to 255kmiles before the electric in-tank fuel pump died. I generally fill up when the fuel light comes on. Get this: my car has a fuel cooler on it! There's a small mini-radiator under the car, with a thermostat on it too.

 

[uc50ic4more]

A $360 6' power cord. Checkmate.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Kestas
Ever since I replaced my fuel pump, the gas gauge is inaccurate. I now keep a gallon of gas in the trunk. It's a tightly closed container so it won't go stale.

You should use that gallon every second fill up so that you have fresh gas in the container.

How can it go stale in a tightly closed container? It doesn't lose volatiles as it would in an open container.

 

[Andy636]

Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
A $360 6' power cord. Checkmate.


Just add any Monster cable...never understood why people would spend thousands on Monster cables