[JimsGarageToys]

I'm also of the camp that you should fill up at 1/4 remaining due to it keeping the fuel pump submerged in gas, which helps cool the pump.

I know some people thinks it's an old wives' tale but my personal, anecdotal evidence is that I've had it happen and don't want to risk it.

I feel the same way. I don't ever like it to flash the low level indication even knowing there are a couple gallons left.

 

[JimsGarageToys]

I'm honestly surprised to hear about all these fuel pump failures. I've been a "run it on fumes" guy for my entire adult life, and have never had to replace a fuel pump in any of my vehicles. I'll keep driving to the point where passengers in my car start complaining about not wanting to walk, never been an issue. Toyota fuel gauges have been notoriously pessimistic for as long as I can remember. When we were driving my wife's Rav home from my daughter's house, we went at least 20 mi past the refuel now warning. She was concerned, I was not. I wanted to get back to the Costco near our house before refueling. I haven't run out of gas in about 45 years. I did once with my first car when I first got my driver's license. It sucked.

I just don’t see the point in running on empty. Toyota fuel gauges are very accurate as when the range hits zero you are on the reserve tank. The amount of fuel left will depend on the vehicle but you are normally good for 50 miles if you want to push it. But what is the benefit to doing that?

 

[JimsGarageToys]

Sometimes it's just more convenient for me. Toyota fuel gauges are pessimistic. I accept that.

Actually they are optimistic to me as they always have more gas than they show. Not sure how running on a very short range is more convenient as it takes literally minutes to fill up the tank, but to each their own!

 

[JimsGarageToys]

Because the Costco that's a half mile from my house is commonly $0.25 a gallon cheaper than all the other stations around us. Or here's a very different example. When we go to visit my wife's mother in Florida, it's almost exactly 900 mi from my front door to hers. We do the drive in one day. So if we can make it 450 mi on one tank of gas, that means that we only have to make one fuel stop along the way. I know that's doable regardless of what the fuel gauge says, so that's what I do. We've done it in the wife's Avalon, Camry, and Rav4 as well. Every one of them would go 450 miles on a tank of gas regardless of what the fuel gauge said. We never ran out of gas on that trip ever. On a 14 hour drive, one less time getting off the highway is a big plus to me. I don't always run my tank down to the bottom, but I'm not afraid to do so either.

I do road trips all the time and I normally think of filling up every 350 miles or so. Many times the price of fuel is cheaper in one spot so I may fill up sooner. I'll never sweat the 10 minute stop to fill the car and empty my own tank as I drink a lot of water when driving. I always like to get out and stretch too. I'll be driving from my home in WA State to Long Beach, CA for Toyotafest next month. It's a little more than 1k miles but I'll be in my 89 Supercharged MR2 5MT. I normally drive around 250 miles before filling up in that car as it only has a small tank. I have been able to get 300+ miles on a tank though if getting decent MPG. I like to enjoy the drive when I'm on the road too.

 

[JimsGarageToys]

As you said brother, to each his own. But when I'm driving down I-75 for more than 800 miles, I'm not enjoying the drive, I just want to get there and call it a night.

I hear you.I generally avoid the interstates and take back roads. The journey is the fun part to me. I actually highlight roads that I’ve driven so I can drive roads that I haven’t before to see new things.