When do you fill up your gas tank?

[Kitty 34]

Between 1/4 and 1/2 a tank especially in the winter.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Often if I know the gas is about to raise I'll fill up if it's at least around the half mark or below.

As far as normal filling up it tends to depend on how far I will be going/how much driving I will be doing. Sometimes that means I'm waiting to fill up even if it's under 1/4 tank but other times that means nope I'll fill up before I start my errands/drive to where ever.

Costco used to be the cheapest place and it still is when comparing to gas stations around it but the Murphy Express (Walmart) right by our house has consistently since it's been open been the cheaper so I try to base my decisions around that, no need to spend more money just to fill up when I'm out and about just because I didn't choose to fill up before starting knowing I'd be driving a lot.

 

[soccerdad72]

On the weekend when I go to Costco for food. Lately, I don't need to fill up more than once a week.

 

[CallieMar]

At around 1/4 tank. I try to go to the Costco gas station 15 minutes before the warehouse opens. On a Saturday morning I usually don’t have to wait more than a few minutes to fill up, then can go straight into the warehouse. Around here Costco prices are around the same price as the cheapest cash only places, and I prefer the cash back paying with a credit card.

 

[Kennywood]

In general, it doesn't cost any more to keep it full than it does to keep it empty.

 

[dez1978]

about a day after the light comes on lol. Drives DH batty. There have been several times where I've filled up and going by what I put in vs what my tank holds only had a gal or so left. Mostly I just hate doing it. DH complains every time he gets in my car that he has to fill it up or about how I shouldn't push it. But ask which on of us has ever run out of fuel on the side of the highway with a kid in the car..... Hint, not me...

 

[kdonnel]

In general, it doesn't cost any more to keep it full than it does to keep it empty.

Except time.

Filling up once a week vs stopping every day during the week would have very different amounts of time spent by the person doing the filling.

 

[Sinder]

Under 1/4 but sometimes I let it get real low.

 

[tvguy]

Except time.

Filling up once a week vs stopping every day during the week would have very different amounts of time spent by the person doing the filling.

And except for fuel use. Gasoline can been to go bad in 3 to 6 months, and some folks aren't even using a full tank of gas in 3 months these days. So better to buy a little fresh gasoline than have a tank full of gasoline that could start turning bad. I know my wife's Hybrid actually monitors all that, and runs the gasoline engine to burn off gasoline when it senses the fuel is getting old.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When do you fill up your gas tank?

Usually when we're halfway down. You just never know when you're going to have to evacuate at a minutes notice. It changes when we're towing, depending on how long the day's travel was.

 

[Carol_]

I drive more than most people.
I drive until ( at least )20 miles after the light goes on.
I don’t recommend this.
We recently had a costly cleaning of valves and fuel injectors caused, I’m told by the Dealership service supervisor, largely by having direct injection, cheap gas (guilty), and not having cleaned it every 15,000 miles… which is the new standard thanks to progress.

Still, I get about 43mpg in a fully gas-powered car. 48 if I can slow down.

 

[mikehn]

I have a 32 gallon tank (according to my vehicle specs). But the light comes on when it's down about 26 gallons. So I know I have about a 6 gallon cushion for the pushin.

 

[DumboDash2006]

When the light goes on.

However we usually use my car on the weekends or whenever we go out together and dh usually fills it up then. Or when he washes it on the weekend, he'll often fill it up for me then. I had to do it myself yesterday on the way home from work as I wouldn't have made it home otherwise and I did not enjoy it. It was super cold outside and cost $71.00. I prefer when he keeps me from the cold and uses his account to pay!

 

[chickapin parterre]

when our kroger points give us 30 cents off the posted price and we fill up both vehicles, we wait for my 45mpg car to be empty before also filling the 17 mpg van. on kroger points ....wife has to fill up twice and she is a fume burner.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My husband likes it if I fill up the tank when I'm at a half tank. I think he said something about dirt getting in....I don't know why he said to do it that way.

 

[NMBCFangirl]

Half a tank. It snows here, and I have gotten stuck needing before. Lesson learned.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Usually about 1/4 tank, but I’ll fill up before a long road trip or if heavy snow is expected.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Always at 1/2 tank
Married to mechanic won’t get into all of it but it’s not good for your engine to get to bottom of tank could cause problems
Also as others have said - you never know - weather : traffic accidents - I’ve been stuck on highway for hours several times - don’t wish to run out of gas

 

[disneychrista]

About 1/4 or when I’m going on a longer trip, regardless of what the tank has in it.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I drive a lot of miles for work, going between sites in a very rural area. My fill ups tend to vary by my work schedule. If I'm going to the far reaches of my district I want 100 miles or more on my tank as I pass the gas station on my way in. If I'm just going to the next town over, I'll wait a little longer. Winter also influences decision making. I'm a LOT more conservative with fill ups in the winter than in the summer.