When do you fill up?

I try to fill up between 200-300 miles. For some reason, the mileage seems to be better. Also less painful on the wallet.....
Also try NOT to buy gas on the weekends or near holiday

 

zzz

 

In a lot of places, gas magically becomes slightly more expensive Friday night through Sunday evening. That's probably the result of the increased demand by weekend road warriors (or at least that's the excuse). It isn't much the case around the area where I live; our prices tend to increase on Mondays.

 

Usually two "pips", but once at three "pips" before a day trip and a few times at one "pip" when doing everyday type errands around town. Haven't heard a beep or seen a warning yet...

If it weren't for the bladder, we probably would go down farther. However, I have read more than enough stories about running out of gas on this board to trust that the fuel gauge is more of a "guess gauge". In my previous car, I would watch the gas gauge AND the mileage to decide when gas was necessary. Knocking on wood, I have never run out of gas. DH, on the other hand, has run out several times since I have known him and apparently more times prior. (I was never in the car with him when it happened.) I was in a friend's old Mustang years ago and we ran out of gas. It was late at night and we got totally lucky by coasting into the only open gas station around for MILES.

LOL @ the term "pip" and the Gladys Knight comment!

P.S. How do you regularly get 10 gallons into this thing???? The highest we've ever filled it is 9.4 and that was only once. It is usually in the 8 gallon range, low 8s if 2 bars and high 8s if 1 bar.

 

2 pips. I'd rather not risk things due to the unpredictability of the gas gauge.

 

I fill up on the 'home' end of my commute. @ 130 miles round trip, after 4 days, I have 520 miles, maybe a bit more from some errand type local trips. At that point, I'm usually showing 2 pips and can get in 9.x gallons.

A lot of times, I'm at 520 after 4 days to work on a friday night. I'll drive my weekend stuff on that tank down to the blinking last pip in that 580 mile range, then fill up and be ready for Monday morning with a new tank.

Sometimes my weekend driving will put me out of range for that 4th day round trip and I'll fill up in the 400's just so I'm not pushing it to get in one more day to work on Monday.

Gas is more expensive 10c or so, on my work end of the commute, so I fill it up on the home end. If I can't comfortably do another 130 miles, I will fill it up on the home end.

After you get comfortable with your car and mpg, you can more easily run it to the point where you get in 10 gallons if you want to do that. Track your 'at the pump' mpg over time. Mentally note that against your mfd mpg. For me, subtract 2 from mfd and I'm about right on.

So, if I gassed up 4 or 5 days ago and put in 10.2 gallons. The mfd is at 56.3, I figure I can easily get to (54*10) 540 miles before that 10 gallons I put in is used up. It wasn't empty before that last fillup, so I still have that cushion.

My filling up is more of a routine than an attempt to get 10 gallons at the pump. That said, 10 of my 34 fillups have been 10.x or higher, only one over 11. (11.241gal)

 

Usually 2 pips, one time 1 pip.

In the six times I've filled up, I've had between 424 and 471 miles on the tank (avg 444). I've put in between 8.8 and 9.2 gallons (avg 9.0).

I'm at 428 miles now with 2 pips. I'll be getting gas at the end of my 25-mile commute home this afternoon.

MFD currently showing 49.5. Lifetime avg on MFD is 49.8. Lifetime calculated avg is 49.0.

I've never seen a blinking pip.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(withersea @ Jul 12 2006, 02:33 PM) [snapback]285124[/snapback]</div>

Shortly after the last pip starts blinking, 644 miles the last tank, but one of the next two or three may break 700. Most of my driving is an in town commute, but If I am on the hiway, I would fill up at 2 pips. B)

 

Syllogism:

Costco has the cheapest gas around here.

The Prius was made to use cheap gas.

I fill up whenever I'm near Costco (about 20 miles away) and the tank is half empty.

Plato cum Prio