Running on empty

[bigstraight6]

Only just made it to a fuel station earlier, after having driven about 30 miles through 'no mans land' Mid Devon with the low level light on, the range left was 0 miles as I stopped on the forecourt

 

[HillmanImp]

i swear these things are pesamistic, as i can always cruise a lot further than the gauge says in modern cars. Wonder how much further you could have gone?Old cars, you really do run the gauntlet in them but i have gone 60 miles in my Xantia whilst on reserve whilst run out of fuel in a 205 whilst showing just under 1/4 of a tank.....

[FredTransit]

Hmm sore point. On Sunday had to go out and rescue a mate of mine who's looking after our minibus. He said he had put £15 in it (remember that's less than 15L now) yet it was like it was out of petrol. He had driven 30 miles on the M25, and he said the petrol gauge didn't work. Odd, cos at on 70,000 miles it was always reliable (for five years). Got to him, put 5L in the tank and a drop in the carb, took her to a petrol station where, magically, the tank gauge sprang to life when introduced to £35 of petrol!

[VWPowered]

mine never comes out the red

[shite_meister]

When I worked for Honda the Parts Manager there told me that he once was driving home from Paignton to Plymouth and the fuel light just came on as he left but he managed to tickle it home to Plymouth, I've no idea why you would risk doing that maybe he didn't have muller for fuel I can't remember.

[j-j]

HaHa! I remember when I was 18 and on my first car, The Mighty Panda, I didn't have enough money to get gas as it was 'pay day' and I had to wait until midnight to actually have the dosh to pay for ANYTHING. Anyways, the gauge read minimum that morning so I set off on the 30 mil trip to work. Upon approaching the place they call 'Falkirk' the petrol light had been on for a good 10 miles.Spent most of the night with some work mates and set off late to arrive (hopefully) after midnight when I could actually PAY for petrol. Going home that night I had the light on ALL THE WAY back and was clearly shitting it on the last 10 miles I was coasting at EVERY opportunity and taking the 'racing line' in every corner, the route is motorway and mostly rural twisty stuff so I 'used' the hills where poss. I rolled up to the town filling station absolutely in no comprehension of how it could possibly still be running after the light being on going to work and the 30 mile return. And just as I pulled into the station the mighty panda began to cough and splutter! I coasted up to the pump (closest one to the entrance) with no petrol whatsoever! Brimmed the tank and payed with ma carde. All good but my one and only mega close one.Nowadays if I do run out of LPG I just switch to crappy, dirty ol' petrol and I'm good

[garbaldy]

Our old passat tdi was running on the bottom off the red so i went to the local garage to find that they had no diesel left i then headed to the next town but that garage had shut already by this time the readout had said 0 for the past 5 miles i drove home and the following day filled a gallon can with cherry just incase i couldnt make it and set off for a fill up all was fine this time and the car had covered 18 miles after the readout had said 0 miles left in tank This got me to thinking just how far would the car go before it ran out so when it was low on derv the next time i filled a 20 littre drum with fresh diesel and kept on driveing right up untill 132 miles after the readout had said 0 so i gues the car companys add a bit off a safety net incase off this happening to drivers. However i cant garantee your car would go so far on empty.

[Station]

I've run out of petrol so many times in my life, I'm almost embarressed to admit I must've run out 20 - 30 times. My excuse is I can't be arsed and I'll fill up when I'm near the station, instead of going out of my way. Plus I felt bitter parting with 20 quid, as over half of that is for the government to waste. Finally sorted out, and always put 40 quid in the Astra.Has anyone ever put £2 in recently?

[wuvvum]

I found out the hard way that the fuel light on my old 406 diesel didn't work. Fortunately the rubber bulb primer pump under the bonnet was still operational so it was fairly easy to get going again once I'd slung a gallon in. Last time I ran out was in the AX just before Christmas - I'd been round a mate's and left rather later than I'd intended and all the petrol stations were closed. Cue a three-mile walk (in the snow) to my unit, where I took the battery off the Fourtrak, shoehorned it (with much effing and blinding) into the battery compartment of the Skoda, disconnected the fuel line to the carb, switched the ignition on and waited while the Facet pump pumped the contents of the Skoda's tank (about four litres) into a waiting fuel can. Then another three mile walk back to the AX, which was just sat on the road with its hazards on. That's put me off running out for a while.

[HillmanImp]

I will quire happily run out of fuel rather go to somewhere 5 miles away even tough it will cost me an extra £2 to get there. Its the principle of the thing....

[Station]

Will go extra 1 mile to pay 107p over 109p up the road.Tesco used to do 5p off a litre if you spend over £50 (which I did every week). It's shocking as it now reduces the petrol price to LAST WEEK'S prices (as opposed to LAST YEAR or FIVE YEAR'S PRICES).

[chester drawers]

Here’s one I prepared earlier:

The display’s accompanied by an audible toll of doom. I suspect the computer’s predictions are a touch pessimistic, but it’s not something I do too often in case there’s something nasty lurking in the bottom of the tank…

[Tayne]

.

[Pete-M]

My A6 used to randomly dive from 15-20 miles to 0 on occasion. Probably had a petrol tank either side of the propshaft with joiny bits and one tank sender.Wouldn't have been that irritating, but it would instantly start running badly as soon as the bloody needle dropped, and then when I put fuel in the gauge would say "Oh, and there's the 15 miles worth of dregs that were on the other side of the prop".I tend to put fuel in when the light comes on.

[Richard]

I've said it before but I don't think Tesco fuel is any good. When I stopped using Tesco my fuel consumption improved by about 20%. This is a company that even waters down steak, so it stands to reason that they'll dilute their fuel.I routinely pass the Tesco station with the fuel light on to drive ten miles to get fuel at a real petrol station.

[Pillock]

Here’s one I prepared earlier:

Another four circle 'shiter?

I was going to say; the central display looks like a modernised version of my Audi 90. When I owned that I was fairly skint so never put more than a tenner in which barely bought it out of reserve. Every frickin' time I started that car I got the "Bong!" and the picture of the petrol pump. Every time. I've run out of petrol three times in my life, all of which were on a petrol station forecourt. Two of which were on the same one, halfway down a hill in Sheffield. Only ever put a fiver in (ex-student) which got me to work and back a few times, but twice it started to splutter as I sat waiting for a pump.The other time was the M1, with a big long sweeping entry to the services just north of J28. Left work, straight to a mate's house thinking I'd call in there anyway and just as I indicated to pull off the motorway, it died. Clutch in, keep your speed, coasted up to the pump - sorted

[chester drawers]

Here’s one I prepared earlier:

Another four circle 'shiter?

B5 series A4 1.8T Sport for daily. Probably not going make me massively popular on here, especially given that it's silver In my defence it'll be 10 years old this year and I didn't set out to buy a silver one. I looked at loads and this one just happened to be the best. Best being a relative term as it turned out

[meggersdog]

I ran out of diesel once in a Land Rover 90.Guage read a quarter ! 3 litres of cooking oil from the local shop got me to the nearest petrol station.

[scooters]

Here’s one I prepared earlier:

Another four circle 'shiter?

B5 series A4 1.8T Sport for daily. Probably not going make me massively popular on here, especially given that it's silver In my defence it'll be 10 years old this year and I didn't set out to buy a silver one. I looked at loads and this one just happened to be the best. Best being a relative term as it turned out

you're alright mate - but if it had been a TDI!!!....well! that is a different matter!

[Milford Cubicle]

I've run out of fuel a couple of times lately, my car has developed a horrible habit of fuel starvation the moment the fuel warning light comes on.

 

It wasn't always like that, often offering 40-50 miles extra once the fuel light came on.

750 mile tank range, splendid

[r.welfare]

Modern VAG-based stuff don't 'arf "bong" loud when the range gets down to 50 miles. My wife's Fabia used to scare me witless in this respect.

 

I can honestly say that in 15.5 years of driving, I've never run out of fuel. I too tend to avoid supermarket fuel - http://www.petrolprices.com is a useful tool to find the cheapest station locally.

 

Manufacturers seem to vary on the "reserve" levels. The Accord has a reserve of 10L according to the handbook, so you could do a gentle 70 miles before running out.

 

On the other hand, the 405 has a hugely pessimistic fuel gauge that "entertainingly" moons about all over the place - it is at it's most optimistic when negotiating a downhill left-hand bend. I was amused to read a 1978 review of a long-distance trip in a 504 in Australian "Wheels" magazine which noted the exact same attributes.

 

Oddly enough, although the tank capacity is 70L, I never usually have to put more than 55L in, even with the fuel light solidly on and the gauge refusing to rise off the stop.

 

Over 700 miles out of a 405TD's tank is very good going, Milford_MusicHall. My last tankfull gave me 37MPG (cold weather, lots of idling and slow going in t'snow) which is the worst it's ever done.

[scooters]

I have to say I don't trust the fuel gauges on any of my shite - I work the odo instead - the XM has a long range 95lt tank - costs 100quid to fill but you get 600 miles out of it - not bad for a 2 lt petrol. The Golf Clipper suffers from the problems all golf clippers suffer from - ie rusting filler pipes - I have replaced mine but not before previsoul owners had filled the tank with so much sludge and rust that I now have to keep the car filled with fuel to avoid problems! The Moggy - I fill up every 200 miles or so. I do carry a 10lt tin jerry can with me in my daily driver especially this time of year

[Parky]

I ran a Picanto on Tesco unleaded and it was ok-ish. Then one day I treated it to a tankful of BP Super Unleaded and it was like having an extra 10bhp and I got another 30 miles out of that tank. My dads old Renault 18 pinked like a mo'fo on all four star except Jet and it ran like a dream on that. My current Leon doesnt seem to perform any differently on 95 or 98 octane but some cars are very sensitive to what you use. I remember Practical Classics did a test on an old Volvo and found the torque and BHP both improved noticeably on Super Unleaded. Fifth Gear also did something similar on some exotics and the difference was huge on one car - might have been an Evo or Impreza. Certainly an eye opener.

[j-j]

B5 series A4 1.8T Sport for daily

Slightly O/T here but what was it about A4s that was a 'design fault' on the interior?Remember it being revisited on Top gear when James May was in the A4 of a couple (good looking girl too!) going across London at night and she pointed the thing out to them (as though TG is some authority that could do something about it)and May said something like "O yes, it's well known" or some such. Maybe to do with you can't do the gears with the cup holder out or something?It's just one of those little factoids that sees me racking my brain to recall what it was.

[Cavcraft]

I used to run out of fuel in my BX diesel in pretty much exactly the same place everytime because I couldn't be arsed stopping for fuel some days.I stopped being such a lazy get when I ran out of fuel on the M53 overtaking a tipper truck who luckily realised I was struggling and slowed down to let me coast past and onto the hard shoulder. I now try and make sure I have enough juice as it scared the crud out of me.

[Mr H Sceptre]

Managed to do around 40 miles on zero with a mate in his 09 plate Audi A6. It was obv VERY light-footed driving (all motorway/dual carriageway), but pretty amazing nonetheless.

[wilko]

I've said it before but I don't think Tesco fuel is any good. When I stopped using Tesco my fuel consumption improved by about 20%..

I have a Tescos just round the corner, my other half works at a ford delaership with a shell forecourt - last 2 tanks I've had in my Acclaim have been Shell, as I have been playing taxi to her - noticed that I am now getting better mileage - question remains, why?We buy Tesco super unleaded 99 octane with a shot of additive in it for banger racing, with the engine set up properly, the cars fly on it - but we only get 4-6 mpg from a carb converted 2 litre Primera at race speed!We once ran the 7.5 tonner so close that it coughed and died just as I got to the pump! We had to tilt the cab off it and prime the pump again to get it to start, which got some strange looks...As for those "range" gauges - you can play them up by changing your driving style mid-tank. If you have one, try cruising at 60mph in top for a few miles, then thrashing it, then cruising again - depending on how your particular car calculates range, this can cause havoc with the reading!

[Guest]

Q. What's the best way of confirming if a vehicle has a fuel light?A. Give it to Vicsmith.Some petrol stations don't even know he has a car, because he only ever turns up with a jerry can.

[Pillock]

Modern VAG-based stuff don't 'arf "bong" loud when the range gets down to 50 miles. My wife's Fabia used to scare me witless in this respect.

Not as loud however as the oil pressure warning buzzer on 'quicker' Mk3 Polos - the G40 and GT. If the oil lamp is on and the revs are over 2000rpm you get an ear-splitting klaxon going off. I had this taking a fast sliproad from a motorway, one of those increasing curves. Oil surge halfway around and I thought the world had ended.

B5 series A4 1.8T Sport for daily

Slightly O/T here but what was it about A4s that was a 'design fault' on the interior?

Thought that was the A2, not the A4?It was you can't pull the handbrake up with the armrest down.

[chester drawers]

B5 series A4 1.8T Sport for daily

Slightly O/T here but what was it about A4s that was a 'design fault' on the interior?

Slightly uneven shut lines around my glove box at the moment; will that do? Less design issue and more due to me replacing the blower motor brushes when it was -8 though.I might get around to putting the rest of the screws back now things have started to warm up a little