21 responses for this post

1. Michael on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 9:28 am

   My car has a readout for “Miles to Empty” and it usually says about 40-50 once the light comes on. I NEVER wait. I think it’s because if I run it to empty then the fill-up seems more expensive. You know?

   PS It’s just a compact car, but they recommend 92+ octane, which was $3.97 yesterday! It was over $50 to fill up.

2. Sandyjoys on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 9:39 am

   Wow. teh interweb really has everything.

   I remember in high school that my friend’s gas light went on and he was broke and had to drive me home and he was speeding all the way because he thought that the gas worked on a time system, so the faster he got home, the less likely he would run out of gas. Well not only did he get pulled over and get a ticket, he ran out of gas just before reaching the gas station. Ooops. Lesson learned.

3. Jody on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 9:49 am

   I have a Matrix as well and it seems to go forever once that light comes on.

   I’m aware that I’ll be taught a lesson one day (and it will probably be the worst day ever for it to happen) but I can’t help myself.

4. freakgirl on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 10:15 am

   You’re a girl after my own heart.

5. chuck on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 10:31 am

   I’m lucky enough that my work pays for the subway and my station is about 2 miles from my house. I only fill up once every 6 weeks or so! It wasn’t such a big deal at first, but it saves us about $120 a month now.

   As far as a gas light - I don’t have one, but I push the limits of riding on fumes always.

6. krup on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 11:04 am

   “How far can you go after the gas light in your car comes on?” I believe this is a question that only Hillary Clinton can answer…

7. Susie on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 11:16 am

   Heh. Al constantly drives on fumes. I also do it more often than I should, although frankly, I live within walking distance of most of my destinations, so I don’t use my car all that much and don’t need to gas up too often. Our car has the miles to zero thing that Michael’s has, so I’m pretty daring about driving with the gaslight on. I’ve heard it’s not good for the car, though — is that a myth?

8. Jen in OH! on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 11:39 am

   I’m so paranoid that I fill up as soon as my needle gets below half a tank. Gas light? E? Never heard of ‘em. I also have the “miles to empty” thinger but I’ve never seen it below 100+ miles.

9. shannon b. on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 12:09 pm

   My father used to tell me that sediment builds up in the bottom of the tank, therefore you should always fill up at the quarter tank mark to avoid said sediment from damaging the engine. I’m sure it was total bullshit to keep me from running on E, but I can’t help but fill up early on the off chance he wasn’t lying.

10. Marjon on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 2:32 pm

    Just today I drove home with the red gaspumpmarkthingie on. I was on the Dutch equivalent of the interstate and gas is more expensive there. And I figured it should get me home. Which was kinda tricky, since this is my new car and I have no idea how much mileage it does. But I got home and I’ll have enough left for driving to the gas station.
    Oh, and it’s about 1,50 euros per liter over here. That would be 5,70 euros per gallon, which is about 8,20 USD per gallon.

11. Heidi on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    Then there is always the “what if your little light bulb in there is burnt out?” paranoia. I suffer from that.

12. Hugh on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 5:36 pm

    shannon,
    Your pops IS full of it - but with the best of intentions.

    Please, ladies, keep it at a quarter-tank or more. The menfolk who love you live in fear of you running out of gas at the corner of Perv Avenue and Serial Killer Lane. That’s probably chauvinist, but I’ll own it.

13. Lauren on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 8:53 pm

    HI!

    I can drive for 2 days with the gas light on. I’m not sure about miles. Generally I figure if I’m staying local I can drive with it on forever, it the trip requires highway I’ll stop and fill up. I’ve only run out of gas once, and I had made it home but when I went to leave again the car wouldn’t start… oops!

    Old Job = fill up once a month yay!
    New job = every two weeks…. boo!

14. GeekBoy on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 8:29 am

    Hugh, is her father really full of it? I’ve found mixed reviews on this from people who work with cars. Overall, it sounds as if the sediments at the bottom of the tank, thanks to modern filters and all that, aren’t going to kill your engine because you run to empty a few times … but if it’s habitual behavior, it can have an impact over months and years, especially if you’re not somebody who keeps up with filter maintenance. Likewise for the fuel pump, which apparently relies on the liquid gas itself as a cooling system and can run hot if the gas level gets too low, which decreases the life of the pump.

    Now whether a quarter-tank is really the level you should never dip below, who knows. That’s probably just a convenient number to use as a rule of thumb. Maybe it’s an eighth of tank. Or maybe filling up immediately after the light goes on is fine. I don’t like to do it, because I hate to be at the mercy of looking for a gas station at an inopportune moment — like when I’m already running late for work or something. Also, I own my car, and I’ve had it for 7 years now, so I’m a little more concerned about what might cause long-term damage. Freakgirl leases for 3 or 4 years at a time, so it’s probably less of an issue in her case.

    What I’m surprised about is that Freakgirl keeps doing this, knowing that if/when she ever does actually run out of gas one of these days, she’ll get THE biggest “I TOLD YOU SO” in the history of “I told you sos”.

15. freakgirl on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 8:33 am

    BLAH BLAH BLAH

16. GeekBoy on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 8:38 am

    Just for that, I will also create a little “I TOLD YOU SO” song and dance routine.

17. freakgirl on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 8:57 am

    BRING IT

18. Janet on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 9:11 am

    My friend Andy was a firm believer of running on E until we got stranded on the Thruway on the way to a wedding. He underestimated how far E would take us in his Honda. He schlepped a mile and back in the July heat while I picnicked with a nice family who happened to have a flat.

    We missed the ceremony, which he really regrets. And as for me, he will never live that down.

19. Hugh on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 11:40 am

    I wouldn’t think sediment would be too much of a problem unless you live in the desert. And it’s been a while since I lived in Jersey, but…
    You probably could screw up a fuel pump, and if you have fuel injection, well, good luck getting it started again unless your name is David Banner and you can lift the car up by the rear bumper.
    Freakgirl! You live in NEW JERSEY where they pump it FOR you! Gas up, sister. We heart you and don’t want you to be stranded. Although it would probably make a funny blog post.

20. freakgirl on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 11:43 am

    I live in NEW JERSEY. At any given time or location, I am only a ten-minute walk from a pizzeria. I’ll be fine.

21. Hugh on Friday, May 09, 2008 at 11:45 am

    Mmmmmm. Pizza.

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