I pretty much assume when the "low fuel" message comes on that I ought to get to the gas station shortly. Probably helps that I ran out of gas about 30 times when I was a teenager, so I've learned my lesson (hard).
Vehicle Fuel Range
- Thread starter Isualum13
- Start date
If you go with a Ford, get the EcoBoost engine. Also I burn regular unleaded (no ethanol, unless unavoidable) and get 4 or 5 MPG more.
Let me check my spreadsheet. 
I fueled the 2004 Audi A4 296 times with an average fill of 13.9 gallons. Tank capacity was listed at 17.4 and max I ever put in was 16.4
I have fueled the current Audi A5 70 times at an average of 10.91 gallons. Max fill has been 13.9 with capacity listed as 16.1.
I've run both down to 0 on remaining miles so guessing Audi is pretty conservative or it's a case of @wxman1's "usable" fuel.
I fueled the 2004 Audi A4 296 times with an average fill of 13.9 gallons. Tank capacity was listed at 17.4 and max I ever put in was 16.4
I have fueled the current Audi A5 70 times at an average of 10.91 gallons. Max fill has been 13.9 with capacity listed as 16.1.
I've run both down to 0 on remaining miles so guessing Audi is pretty conservative or it's a case of @wxman1's "usable" fuel.
This. We made it from Mason City to Rapid City, SD on one tank in my truck which is about 560 miles
Just filled up and says 624 miles but I have been doing only mostly in town driving last 3 months so it is calculating that on 17 mpg.
Props to Qwik Star gas pumps, 30 gallons in 3 minutes.
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You get to ~1/4 tank and fill it up. This isn't hard people. There is no reason to find out just how far it will go unless you are living on the edge. It costs way more in time and money to stop every other freaking day. Can't believe how many times I see $5 on a pump when I pull in.
I ran out of gas once in high school. Learned my lesson and haven't done it since. I normally don't let it go below 1/4 tank in town. On road trips I'll go until it's a bit under 100 miles remaining, but with little kids that need breaks often, that normally isn't a factor.
Lowest mine has been is 6 miles to go. Happened after I got to my dad's rural house with 12 miles to go and realized I probably should have planned that out better.
Last year after my sister's bridal shower we hit the bars and for some reason there were no ubers out so we had to call mom to pick us up at bar close. She drove my sister's car and the low fuel light came on and my sister was insisting that we fill it up immediately, at almost 2 am. She ran out once in high school so is now super paranoid apparently. I had to promise that I would be the one to walk to a gas station if we ran out in the 3 miles of in-town driving back to the hotel. Not surprisingly, we made it just fine.
Last year after my sister's bridal shower we hit the bars and for some reason there were no ubers out so we had to call mom to pick us up at bar close. She drove my sister's car and the low fuel light came on and my sister was insisting that we fill it up immediately, at almost 2 am. She ran out once in high school so is now super paranoid apparently. I had to promise that I would be the one to walk to a gas station if we ran out in the 3 miles of in-town driving back to the hotel. Not surprisingly, we made it just fine.
My fuel range doesn't specify miles left below 30 miles. I usually fill up after my light comes on (around 45 miles left) and before it drops below 30. The most gas I've ever put in it was about 9.8 gallons for a tank that is allegedly 11.4 gallons. Doing that made me anxious.
Our 2 Chevy vehicles once you get around the 50 mile range it just says low fuel once it is under that so basically once the fuel light goes off at the 50 mile range I know it's time to think about getting gas soon. My dad and brother seem to have a tendency to try and push the gas mileage to the last drop to save a few cents a gallon when they are on road trips and I'd rather just fill up when I need to than try to risk running out of gas just to save a few cents. It's not worth it to me over maybe an extra $1 or 2 more to fill up the tank to risk running out before I make it to a stop with slightly cheaper gas.
A friend of mine ran out of gas out in the country. Farmer brought him a gas can and the advice "it's just as easy to keep the top half full as the bottom half"
That was my dads advice along with, it doesnt hurt as bad to fill the top half as much as it does to fill the whole thing at once.
