lland

17.9 gallons.

LL

visuelz

You drive too much.

PortlandRL

While we're on this subject, I need to vent. OREGON GAS STATION ATTENDANTS ARE MORONS!!!!

How difficult is the request, "Fill it premium." What part of that do they not comprehend? The last two fill-ups we've specified premium and what have they given us? Regular. And thing now knocks and pings like crazy. What are we paying these slackers $7.80 an hour to do? Something our lawmakers think is too dangerous for us to figure out! Good lord...I'm gonna smack the head off the next one that does it wrong.

Sorry...rant mode off.

neuronbob

Is Oregon like New Jersey, where they require fillups by station attendants instead of by the consumer? If so, that really sucks.

lland, against most peoples' advice, I always top off. I have found that once the automatic shutoff clicks, I can add as much as another three gallons . I understand the argument about the expansion of gas, especially in hot weather, but I drive so much that the tank is never completely full, especially in this gas hog.

lland

I hate getting gas in NJ (although it's the cheapest around...especially South Jersey). The (mandatory) attendants usually won't fill it beyond the first "click" (some will if you ask) and I also like to top it off. I figure by the time I get where I'm going, I've burned enough that if there's any expansion, there's enough room to absob it. Never had a problem.

LL

TampaRLX-SH

It must have been the Taco Bell. Oh, and you need to get fuel buddy!

SpicyMikey

Funny, I grew up in North Jersey but have been living in FLA for 18 years now. Forgot about that little fact. However, it sure was a nice thing when it was 15 degress outside. Crack the window just enough to give them the money and sit in comfort while some 16 year old teenager pumps your gas. I wish they did it here!

Also, I always went to the same station for gas every time and new the owner and workers (back when gas stations used to be service stations too). If I was in a hurry (and they were backed up pumping other cars) I would just start the fillup myself. They never minded. So, it was kind of the best of both worlds, especially since the price was never any higher then any other state where you pumped it yourself! Hey, now that I'm reminiscing....it sounds like a pretty good deal. Not sure what we're complaining about.

By the way, I was one of those teenagers pumping gas at the local Shell station when I was 16. I had my favorite customers who would always tell me to "keep the change". They got "special" treatment. Of course, that was when change would buy something. Not anymore

fish008

So you bought 17.9 gallons or are you amazed that your range was at zero?

TampaRLX-SH

What was your AVG MPH for that tank? I am guessing below 2OMPH? I get an AVG 23.5 MPG / Tank with 30 MPH AVG on the MID. That usually offers me about 440 miles per tank (about 18.5 fill up).

Eithr you are lead footing or a lot of stop and go traffic?

Touge

I'm also confused why you let it get to empty. Generally at the very bottom of the gas tank floor lies dirt and other debris. If you let it go to empty the fuel pump will suck in that dirt and clog up your filter overtime.

I don't like the attendants in NJ, but yesterday filled up for $2.99 a gallon

kenny5

I stopped by New Jersey (Holland Tunnel) on my trip back from Virginia. I pulled up by the "full service" island expecting the whole 9 yards, such as cleaning windshield, checking fluids and tire pressure etc. Much to my disappointment, the attendant only filled up the car with gas, and did nothing else, and it was not even busy. Gone are the good old days when we could get a cup of fresh squeezed OJ with every fillup.

SpicyMikey

LOL, man I didn't do that even back in the 70's! Not sure where you got your gas. I grew up about 12 miles west of Holland tunnel. I did check the oil and tires for my "good" customers who I liked and tipped me. However, that was about it.

Orange Juice? Man, I think you need to go back further then me for that one. Maybe the "Texaco Man" in the 50's

TampaRLX-SH

*raising hand*

Exit 9 here. Woodbridge. Had my share of green stamps and HESS trucks.

When I moved to Florida in the early 80s, I did not know how to pump fuel.

kenny5

Well, in the 80s or even in the 90s, when you pulled up by a full service island in NY, you got the "9 yards" treatment because you would have to pay 15 cents more a gallon. Now, I rarely see full service islands in NY anymore. I remember driving in Florida in the 80s, and I got OJ and even a free Mobil map with fillups at Mobil stations.

fish008

I bet that you were not all that close to empty. Just because the MID says 0 miles left doesnt mean youre empty. When my MID says zero miles remaining I have somewhere around 3 gallons left.

TampaRLX-SH

Agree. I went 'Kramer' and drove 60 miles longer when the MID had already said 0 miles left. The THRILL!

But I would not run it that low anymore. I was a WILD man.

PortlandRL

Yep. And I'm probably one of the few people who hates this law with every bone in my body. Then each time the state tries to repeal it (last attempt was in 2004), everybody raises a stink because they're lazy and don't want to get out of their cars for two minutes. It's not like it gets that cold here in the winter. Not only that but the service is generally terrible. Average wait for me is about two to three minutes just to be served on. I might just get an account at Pacific Pride which is a west coast commercial fueling station where, regardless of state law, you get to do it yourself.

kenny5

Maybe the law has something to do with the American Disabilities Act, who knows. I could see handicapped people benefit from the law, but I guess they may have to pay a bit more for gas because the station needs to hire an attendant to pump gas. As for me personally, I'd rather pump my gas or at least I can get my teenage son to do it.

Trackruner228

iTrader: (1)

I was in NJ and while someone had told me that law one point in time I had forgot about it. So I got to a station and I dont think there is a station in all of NC where you get your gas pumped for you. So I get out and start doing it myself use the credit card and everything so I didnt go inside. Well I was now done filling it up and starting to put the pump back and this guy comes over and is like "What did you do!?!?" I replyed with "I filled up the car." So basically they got the owner or someone and I got this huge lecture about how I could have killed everyone. I figured since it was illegal I shouldnt say anything but I really wanted to say "well maybe if someone had gotten out here faster."

PortlandRL

You could have killed everybody....PFFT!!! They get so caught up in the little power they have they suddenly think they crap gold. If I had a dollar every time I wanted to punch one of those twits, I could buy my own RL!

I'm sorry if I coming off a bit rude. Usually I'm pretty amicable but as I'm sure you've noticed, these guys and this law really get under my skin. It's one of the few things I hate about Oregon.

neuronbob

LOL at the idea that I would kill everybody at a gas station by pumping gas by myself. How dumb is that?

I don't get the reasoning behind these laws at all. I've filled up my tank probably a couple thousand times over my driving life safely.

Trackruner228

iTrader: (1)

I know it was the dumbest thing I ever heard. I mean granted I was 17 at the time but I mean its not like I was playing with fire or anything. I guess everyone there things people are too stupid to safely pump gas. I didnt really want to agure however because I was doing something illegal and I didnt want them to call the cops and have them right me a ticket or something. However they defiantly overacted.

PortlandRL

Oh yeah...forgot to mention. One time, I filled up and the guy who pumped my gas was smoking a cigarette.

jftjr

Yeah, here in NJ it's "illegal" to pump your own gasoline. Diesel and kerosene, though, it's OK to do it yourself.

Plus, we have really low gas taxes, and a lot of refineries here.

Filled my RL today and paid $2.89 a gallon. Yes, that's Premium. Didn't have to get out of the car.

Gotta love the Wawa gas....

Rob L

I like full serve stations and wish there were some close to where I live but there's only one that I know of in the city I work and it is good.

I could see how if all are mandatory full serve how the service oculd get crappy but if they are optional then you get good service...IMO.

I have never in my 13 years of driving pumped gas. I usually get my passenger to do it. heh.

Oh and yes, the range in the RL goes to 0 even with reserve left. I have found that the range basically gets calculated to when the low fuel light comes on.

Mike_TX

I've been told Oregon requires the attendant to pump the gas because of the potential environmental hazard of spilling gas. (As if I really believed that.)

I figure it's a product of lobbying the government - by unions, maybe - to require it. After all, since 48 of the 50 states allow "civilians" to handle this terribly complex and dangerous operation, and do it safely, there's no compelling or logical argument for it.

.
.

scottj

I don't think we'll ever have a straight answer as to why it is so much more dangerous here in Oregon to do it yourself. I don't think it is a union thing since I doubt the attendants are organized. Maybe we're all morons here and really can't be trusted? I watched one woman with her head down just let her car roll slowly away from the pump. Those quick disconnects and auto cutoffs really do work great, I'm happy to say, since I was tethered to the next pump over.

It gets really old when the station is busy and you have to wait 3-4 minutes for the attendant to show up then another similar interval once it clicks off.

Oh, and PortlandRL, I ALWAYS watch to see which pump our highly-trained attendants grab so they don't go and fill it with regular on me.

Chas2

I think NJ is the same way with attendants.

RL06tech

I got gas too but immodium took care of it LOL!

lausy

I'm not sure how much I can trust Pat Goss on Motor Week, but he covered this topic one time. The pick up point inside the tank is at the lowest part of the tank. Rather the tank is full or empty it wouldn't matter if there is debris down there, it will pick it up in either case. It kinda makes sense to me. Maybe he explained it better than me.

AsianTL

Here are some comments from people who think bad idea running on empty gas tank.

#1) I actually tried this with a spare gallon of gas. My engine shut off after about 35 miles after the low gas light came on.

I wont recommend anyone trying this though because my truck started to run rougher after this stunt. It must have been the sediments sucked up from the bottom of the gas tank. I don't know the validity of this, but can any mechanics out there verify this.


#2) never allow my tanks to drop below a 1/4 tank, due to the pumps on most vehicles use the fuel as a cooling solution.
I learned the hard way by burning up a pump on my
old '84 Buick regal by testing the low fuel light.
Made it 10 miles before the pump ceased operations.


#3) However when you empty the tank that far you end up sucking all the crud from the bottom of the tank into your fuel injection system, and that can be a very expensive fix. If you happened to get a bad tank of gas with some water in it the water sits at the bottom of the tank and your submerged pump in the tank burns up due to the water having less lubrication than gas. The average price of a new pump/sending unit starts at $500 just for the pump.

#4) You guys really shouldn't let your car get below 1/4 a tank. I would not try this experiment. It's extremely bad for the fuel pump and they are expensive to replace. Good luck replacing one on a full tank of gas. Dealerships charge $100+ per hour and won't give the gas back.

lland

Gee, I didn't mean to start a debate over the gas pumping policies of some states or the dangers of emptying a tank before filling up. I usually fill up well before empty but jsut didn't have the opportunity to do so this time.

LL

RL06tech

The problem with empty tanks is fuel contamination either from the pump or condensation. In a new car it should not be a problem, moreover, its actually beneficial to regularly use all the fuel in the tank, specifically, to avoid contamination problems. If you regularly "empty" the tank, it avoids contaminants (usually water) to accumulate at the bottom of the tank in the first place.

neuronbob

I run all my cars until there are fumes, then I refill, in part because of the logic in the post above. Why give contaminants a chance to build up in the tank in the first place? I always thought the "fill with 1/4 tank left" stuff was an old wives' tale.

(speaking of which, my range is only 24 miles as we speak, I'll have to fill up tonight.)

gavine

The reason the full serve stations don't do all of those extras anymore is because consumers still go to the cheapest gas stations and if a station decided to offer all of those services again and included it in the price (higher price), no one would come. So, we did it to ourselves.

The same thing happened in the computer industry. Dell started outsourcing tech support from India which allowed them to lower prices and they started gaining market share so everyone else had to follow. No we all suffer from the language barrier because we followed the lower price.

I live in NJ and would like the option to pump my own gas. My wife has been driving for 21 years and has NEVER once pumped gas. She wouldn't even know how to do it.

gal

there is honestly nothing wrong with smoking around gasoline in general. The movies where they throw a cigarette into a path of gas which goes down the line and like blows up a station or car or whatever is like a one in a million chance. Normally the cigarette would be extinguished when thrown into gasoline. The only way would be a perfect hot cherry (active drag off of it making it sufficiently hot) and near the vapor, not the gas itself. But even that is incredibly unlikely. You need a fully hot cherry and being near a lot of vapor of gas but not the liquid. Thrown into the liquid gasoline and it might as well be water.