# How close to empty before you fill your gas tank? How far do you trust the range calculator? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640 "2017-06-22T21:35:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/81 "2017-06-30T00:05:27Z")
15 year old car here (Modified 2002 Chevy Cavalier). I fill once it drops to 1/4. at 110K on the car, I don’t really want to play games with it. I already dropped it below 1/4 one single time with an ailing fuel pump(OEM, needed replacement anyway) and thats what did it in. Flushed the tank to get rid of sediment too, but I still get wary. I only fill up once a week and when I am in a different county (outside of Chicago) because the gas savings are enormous. Sometimes over $0.50/gal. I pay about $2.15 per gallon usually. for a 14.1 gallon tank. Get on average about 26MPG mixed driving. (My fuel efficiency is better than factory for the car, not by much, but I still don’t know how). ---
**Author:** ![Allthegood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@Allthegood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allthegood)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/82 "2017-07-10T06:29:07Z")
I generally follow the Quarter Tank Rule. I don’t have a range calculator but I do trust the gas gauge. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/83 "2017-07-10T12:37:10Z")
**The Grapist** , is that you? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/84 "2017-07-10T14:05:57Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I usually get twitchy when I get down to a half tank, so that’s when I fill. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been as low as a quarter tank. > > Maybe I’m the only one like this? > mmm Nope. I don’t like getting below 1/4 tank. I live mountain rural and we have very long and very snowy winters. Never know what might come up. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/85 "2017-07-10T22:02:22Z")
During the winter I try to keep it at 1/4 tank, but the rest of the time I let it get down to one “square” on the gas gauge: [![](https://pictures.dealer.com/s/stanleysubarusne/0696/2c5f4a6d6707d3e6e260889a1a5393f6x.jpg) ](https://pictures.dealer.com/s/stanleysubarusne/0696/2c5f4a6d6707d3e6e260889a1a5393f6x.jpg) the light is on, and the miles remaining is at about 50. I’ve never been below a gallon I don’t think. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/86 "2017-07-11T05:18:56Z")
I fill up at two bars left (Yaris), 1/4 tank (Ranger), or 70-50 miles left (Hyundai). I have a friend with a very well preserved mid 90s Suburban. He always fills up at the 3/4 full mark. The thing has a 42 gallon tank (yeah, really!) so he has to have some seriously old gas in there, especially considering the thing probably doesn’t get driven 100 mi/month. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/87 "2017-07-11T16:16:24Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I usually get twitchy when I get down to a half tank, so that’s when I fill. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been as low as a quarter tank. > > Maybe I’m the only one like this? Nope, I fill up at a half-tank, too. I don’t think I’ve been at less than a quarter tank in over 10 years. I don’t understand this thread at all!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/88 "2017-07-11T18:02:32Z")
My car is a hybrid and so the warning comes on at the last “tic” on the meter but that’s still ~60 estimated miles of travel left. The manual had dire warnings of letting it run dry which makes sense since then it’ll be all on the electrical system which isn’t intended to drive the car purely on its own. The lowest I’ve gone with it was 20 miles remaining. ---
**Author:** ![Allthegood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@Allthegood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allthegood)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/89 "2017-09-14T18:08:49Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > **The Grapist** , is that you? No. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/90 "2017-09-14T23:57:03Z")
> [@Allthegood](#): > > I generally follow the Quarter Tank Rule. I don’t have a range calculator but I do trust the gas gauge. That’s okay, I un-graped you anyway. Me? Okay, another pilot weighing in. Well, student pilot. I fly sailplanes and have the pleasure of being blissfully unconcerned about gassing up. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/91 "2017-09-15T15:22:38Z")
2013 Toyota Tacoma … when the low-on-gas warning light comes on, I better be close to a gas station, about 20 miles is all … now when my 1998 Nissan’s dash completely gave out, it was a total crap shoot, never knew how much gas I had on-board … ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/92 "2017-09-15T17:04:28Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > … > I fly sailplanes and have the pleasure of being blissfully unconcerned about gassing up. Altitude on the other hand … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640/93 "2017-09-15T17:53:07Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Many opine that it’s foolish to go below a quarter tank or so. But the time it takes to buy gasoline represents a significant portion of the total cost of operating a car. To me, that is a reason for filling up sooner. After it gets down to 1/4 tank, I’ll start thinking about getting gas. Then when I happen to drive by a gas station when I’m not in a rush to get somewhere, I’d fill up. If I wait till much later, I may end up going out of my way to get gas, or having to stop when I’m busy (e.g. in the morning). Though with my new car, I just plug in the charging cable every time I get home… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-to-empty-before-you-fill-your-gas-tank-how-far-do-you-trust-the-range-calculator/789640.md?page=4)