Has this happened to you???

Your variance is amplified by the small amount you filled. It could also be perhaps that such a small fillup causes the pump to stop pumping earlier.

 

The next time you see that kind of mileage early on a tank, continue until empty, then fill up and see what your mpg's is. At the low miles, just a few tenth's of a gallon can make a big difference.

 

A pip is between one and two gallons usually. Add to that, in summer gas can expand a bit throwing off a normal readout. If the gauge shows full and you can put 3 to 4 gallons in, you could have a sticking float.

 

Probably the automatic shut off was different. Even if you use the same pump it will be a little different from fillup to fillup. Best to check it over several hundred or even several thousand miles toping it up on the first and last tank. You will have to sneak across the border into WA to do that though. I know you aren't suppose to top off but a couple of times to check the Cons readout won't hurt anything.

I checked mine over 3500 miles when the car was new and computed the error of the Cons readout. Now I just use the readout and subtract the error.

 

Really? You can't pump your own gas in Oregon? I've never heard of that. Learn something new every day...

 

Mandating that all gas stations be full service adds several thousand jobs state-wide. In the current economy, that would actually be A Good Thing, in my opinion. When I lived in Vermont, I used full-service stations whenever I could simply to support their existence.

 

In our municipality, Coquitlam, self-serve is outlawed. It's the only community in greater Vancouver with such a policy. We've lived here over 20 years, and always drive to a neighbouring municipality (no big deal, on our way) to gas up.

I recall once walking by one of our local full-serves: the attendant had left the pump on, unattended, and the auto shut off had failed. It was gushing gallons down the side of the car and down the street, great fun...

 

Unfortunately it hasn't worked out that way for us. What usually happens is the clerk at the mini-mart is given the additional duty of pumping gas. The result is the customers get worse service both in the store and at the pumps. There are usually no additional jobs created.

But jobs is not the reason the law continues to exist. It is to keep card lock stations from selling gas to anyone except their commercial customers. The people who own mini-marts and gas stations don't want to compete with card locks. We had a ballot measure about 10 years ago to allow self service, unfortunately it was voted down, so the people got what they wanted.

 

Yes, and I believe New Jersey is the other state that prohibits pumping you own gas.

Stupid restrictions IMHO, but I suppose they try to consider the lowest intelligence quotient. Like the warning on frozen entrees...."please cook before eating"!