Fill Up when Tank is Empty, Quarter Full or Half Full?

No.

I've gone completely "off the radar." I don't even check or keep track of my gas mileage anymore. After 5 months of driving, I know I will get somewhere between 56 and 62 MPG city, without even trying. I even turned off the Eco display screen. I'm a rebel! I fill up when I reach the last 1 or 2 bars, and fuhgetaboutit.

(I will be sure to surrender my Magic Fob to TidelandPrius before I leave the forum.)

 

I even kept track of the MPGs in my F150 truck - to my dismay! The main reason I ditched it...

 

That is a typically young unmarried male standard.

By many other standards, 300 miles is a fairly large bladder.

Survival when the zombie apocalyse arrives? Or maybe a clearer picture of one's travel flexibility in case an OPEC oil embargo or energy crisis leads to alternate day fuel rationing?

One of those scenarios has already happened within the lifetimes of current PC members. Not just once, but twice.

One of our PC members has done intentional "run out of gas" tests more than 50 times over two Prii, for a variety of engineering test purposes. His test reports have been highly informative and useful.
And thus far, he reports no durability problems resulting from those out-of-fuel events.

Based upon Bob Wilson's primary Gen3 out-of-gas test thread, I'd say 'No' for the Gen3.

 

Indeed, my wife still complains . . . but we've been married 40 years. Just don't replace the hearing aid batteries.

Bob Wilson

 

I totally agree with you. I don't keep track of my MPG or MPT ether I just watch the gas gauge. I am retired and live on social security and I don't worry about the price of gas from 1 station to another. I or 2 dollars dif. a month won't make me miss a meal. I am getting twice the mileage I got on our other car and happy with that.

 

Some people live in areas with essentially no fuel price competition or 'diversity'.

In contrast, I live and travel in a region where ignoring the posted price, or blindly selecting convenience, can easily cost $7 per Prius refill, or $10 per refill on the household's Subaru, under today's spread. And more when price trends are not flat.

I didn't retire early by treating such amounts as too small to think about. And as an engineer, the math and planning around this comes very easily. This contrasts with dad, who is not as much of a numbers guy. (And not retired either, but that is another story. I'm headed back tomorrow to help with more of his farm work.)

 

I sure hope I have a full tank when that happens!!!
Me too. It's a great feeling knowing that I don't have to check as often, or be too concerned about gas mileage. (The display shows I average a consistent 60; probably 58. I'm not complaining!) I'm very happy with this Prius.

And many thanks to the forum members who have done all the interesting high-mileage testing. Thanks to their work, I now know I could probably squeeze out 700 miles or so from a tank of gas. That's good to know in an emergency.

 

Not just a full tank, but also a realistic idea of how much really is in that tank before making any choices that rely on it.

That is not the right time to discover, as I did on my first car, that fuel shown on the gauge (or claimed by some anonymous far-away guy in the Internet), isn't really there. Such surprises are better learned earlier when the consequences are negligible, at a time and place you choose, and won't snowball out of control or seriously constrain your response to other simultaneous problems.

 

Yep, pick your battles and where you fight them. I choose to not run out of gas do to foolishness on my part. But stuff happens.

But it is your car and drive it the way you want. We are just flapping our gums.

 

Well said, sir. That pretty much sums it up.

(I peaked at my gas mileage this morning. I'm down to the last bar on the gauge; Have gone 550 miles. I'll refuel tomorrow. But the odd thing is, I'm still getting a bit better gas mileage while driving 100% in PWR mode. Go figure! )

 

Shows that it's not the mode you drive in, it's how you drive that's important.

 

And it seems easier to drive while in PWR, too. So it's all good. 63.7 city, after 550 miles. That's better than I ever got in Eco mode.

Once you go PWR... you never go back.

 

OK, that is a quote from an important saying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What was it????


Oh, it is not how fast you mow but how well you mow fast.

Which is another take off of another saying.

Something like it is not what you have but how well you use it

or If you can't be with the one you love then love the one your with Crosby Stills, Nash,

 

I now have Pokemon where the Eco display used to be.

 

Describes me. I be a slow pokey man

 

Staying wi

Staying with the Japanese theme...