When do you fill up your car?

[kakeya97]

Total wrong timing for this post I know. Putting the whole panic buying fuel thing aside. Before all this did you fill up when low or like to keep topped? The whole fuel thing has sparked this conversation with Dp though.

I have major anxiety about my diesel level getting too low. If it starts getting under half a tank I'll fill up, likely before it hits half a tank though. I can't relax until it's done. I just like the comfort on having it. I live rurally. Closest station is 8 miles away and shuts at 6pm!! Longer opening and 24 hours stations are much further afield. There aren't many stations on my most widely used routes so tend to have to make a special journey for it. I like to be prepared at all times. I have two disabled children and I like to fill up so I don't have to stop with them to get it.

Dp will literally run his work vehicle on fumes for a few days before topping up - even though he works right by a station - he often takes my (family) car to work to fill up if I'm stuck too. Most of my friends are the same - they let it get really low first.

I'm all good for now and I can assure you I am not panic buying fuel. I put some in middle of last week before it all kicked off and still got 3/4 of a tank full which should last a while. I think it will really bother me when it gets under a 1/4 a tank but it rarely gets that low.

Do you let it get right down or do you keep on top of it?

Genuinely curious that's all 😅

Although I will not be filling up at this point when I hit 1/2 full unless the fuel supply is better cause I don't need fuel to get by. My car is used for shopping trips only. No point taking some fuel when someone else has more use for it.

Usually with around a quarter tank left, then fill right up. I live in the sticks, so not passing petrol stations often.

I usually top up when I have between a quarter and a third of a tank left - depending on when I'm passing the supermarket

If I’m just doing local trips it’s usually around a 1/4 of a tank. Sometimes less but the light isn’t usually on because I feel a bit panicked if I let it get that low. I filled up today when I did my weekly food shop as I usually would - had just under a 1/4 of a tank left. Only put in £25 so didn’t fill it (usually would) but it’ll last until next week.

When the car says its down to the last 50 I think about it. Then probably actually do it when it says 20 left. Unless I'm driving a distance and know I won't have enough to get me there and back so I fill up earlier.

I never have more than 200 miles in the tank, unless going on a long journey.

It never occurs to me to fill it up to full.

My car beeps at me to fill up, I forget to do it unless I know I'm going on a long journey but I have 3 local garages so never that fussed.
My DP thankfully filled up Thursday morning as it beeped at me on Wednesday night after I'd done the weekly shop and I couldn't be bothered to do it as I had frozen stuff. Luckily we got it before all this silliness started.

I run my car on supermarket fuel, so I run it from full to empty three times and then put £20 of super branded fuel with all the detergents in. Once that has gone I start the cycle again with the cheap stuff.
Coincidentally I filled my tank on Friday after not bothering on the way home on Thursday as there was (unusually) a queue.
That would usually see me through about 10 days but I'm going to work from home more to save on fuel until everyone calms down a bit and hope to last until next weekend.

I suffer from huge Anxiety, however, I live within walking distance of shops and schools. Was worse when I was working pre covid. I now fill up when on red, pre covid and working I filled up when 1 quarter left.

When the light comes on normally, I fill it to the top

About once a month if I'm on my way to the supermarket, say, if it goes on red or I notice it is low. Always buy a full tank.

1. when it gets to

At half a tank. I don’t like it lower than that.

Before now when the light comes on. I also I've rurally and this has made me think that I shouldn't risk it like that. No car, no going anywhere really for us as the bus service is woeful.

I get worries about filling my car too much.
I think it isnt good for fuel efficiency, will it use less petrol with less fuel because the car weight less?
Anyway also if it's full I feel like I'm driving a bomb. If someone smashes into me my car is more likely to explode with a bigger explosion if it is full of petrol compared to less than a quarter?
Anyway not sure how true the above is, so I generally only fill up just before or after the fuel light comes on, and then even just up to max half the tank.

Depends what my plans for the up coming week are. If I have no plans, I'll wait till the light comes on, or very nearly on, if I know I've got places to go or things to do I'll make sure too top up to half a tank. I live in a bad area of town and people have been known to syphon gas out of peoples cars over night so I never do a full tank.

We live rurally. I hate the tank going below 1/4 full. When the dc were tiny there was the fuel strike and it was a nightmare, we didn't have much food in the house, it was before internet shoping and food deliveries were a thing, and ever since I've ensured that I have at least 2 gallons in the tank and enough food to last 2 weeks in an emergency.

DS sometimes borrow my car and then when I get in it, the fuel light is on. I have no idea if it's just come on or been on for several days. It stresses me hugely. I don't top up if the car is more than 1/4 full though.

At the moment the fuel light is on and so I can't drove it until I can be sure of getting fuel somewhere.

I normally fill up when the light comes on and fill up to about half a tank... I've got anxiety in the opposite direction, I've driven so many old bangers that have crapped out with 3/4 - full tanks that just gets wasted so I refuse to fill up more than half now.

Present circumstances might convince me to do a full tank the next time I'm low though.

As soon as my car beeps at me. Even though I still have 40 odd miles left it will beep intermittently until I fill up, it’s bloody annoying so do it as soon as possible once the light comes on.

@WatchWait

When it gets to half. And then, if there's an episode like now, and I haven't filled up yet, I don't need to sit in a queue or 'panic buy' because I can manage on my half tank for a week. I don't see the logic of letting it get very low.

This.^ My father used to say "Half full is half empty so fill it up" and I do.

I usually fill up when I do a big shop, regardless of how much is still in the tank (because I prefer to get the supermarket loyalty points than buy from a non-affiliated garage). But if it's under around 1/3 tank I do start to get anxious. On occasion I've accidentally left it till the light comes on, but I get very very nervous doing that after I once broke down with no petrol driving a replacement car with an electronic gauge which told me I had 25 miles left.

1/4 tank

1/4 tank.
DH when it's under 10 miles...

I usually do mine when it's 1/3-1/4 full. Or when I have a big journey to do.

I find filling with petrol quite a chore so do it as little as possible - ie fill to the brim (only to the "click", not beyond) and hope it will last a few weeks.

When it’s nearing quarter of a tank I start thinking about filling up. If on a long journey I like to fill up before.
My husband is more relaxed, but that puts me on edge as I worry we will run out!