Car Talk

JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
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Hyrule
Have you guys ever run out of gas?

I'm watching one of my very masculine TV shows right now (Love After Lockup) and a guy ran out on the way to his wedding.

It's never happened to me. When I was deep into really serious substances there were plenty of scares but it never happened. More recently, when I started going to Disney all the time I had a scare on the highway on the way home cause the exits are so far apart. But it didn't happen that time either.

With the RAV I'm pretty sure I've only seen the gas light 1 time, the Disney one I just mentioned. It has to get REALLY low for it to come on. Well lower than any other car I've had.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
13,832
168
Toronto, ON
Have you guys ever run out of gas?

I'm watching one of my very masculine TV shows right now (Love After Lockup) and a guy ran out on the way to his wedding.

It's never happened to me. When I was deep into really serious substances there were plenty of scares but it never happened. More recently, when I started going to Disney all the time I had a scare on the highway on the way home cause the exits are so far apart. But it didn't happen that time either.

With the RAV I'm pretty sure I've only seen the gas light 1 time, the Disney one I just mentioned. It has to get REALLY low for it to come on. Well lower than any other car I've had.

Came close once. In 1999 I decided it would be great if I took my fiancee and her two daughters to meet my parents for Christmas via a road trip in a 1984 Toyota Camry. And since we had 3 drivers, why should we waste time stopping? Well, about 2am west of Minneapolis the daughter with her learners took the wheel. I was the supervising driver but sound asleep in the passenger seat. She had instructions, when she came to I-29 around fargo, go north. Which she did. I woke up about 5:30 or 6 and she said, since you are up I want to ask you what this yellow light is. It of course was the out of fuel light. We were about 10 minutes from Grand Forks, ND in -20c weather with nobody on the road. So I had her slow to 55 MPH, turned off the heat and we coasted into a gas station. That is the closest I have ever come.

And my fiancee still married me after that adventure.
 
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HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
49,827
17,480
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Toledo, Ohio
I actually coasted into a gas station once when I was 18 or 19.
The engine sputtered a couple of times and conked out as I rolled onto the property. I think I had to push it 5 or 6 feet (almost 2 meters) to get the hose to reach the tank.

I usually run my car till the low fuel light comes on if I'm not traveling out of the city limits. It's supposed to have 2 gallons (7.57 liters) left when the light comes on. That should give me more than 60 miles before I run out.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
13,832
168
Toronto, ON
This doesn't count as an out of fuel story but in 1986 I went to Vancouver for a couple of weeks with my friends (for Expo 86). We all flew in except for one guy who drove. We decided to do a day in Seattle. So we are heading south on the expressway in his car and he says 'by the way, I am having some issues with the radiator but only if we idle for too long'. Of course we come to the US border and there was a huge line. Needless to say the radiator blew and us 3 passengers had to push the car across the border. It was a funny stop as the border guy checked our id and said where are you heading? We said Seattle and he said 'Good Luck'. Fortunatly there was a gas station just across the border where we got some antifreeze. But one of the funniest border crossings I have ever done.
 

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
23,405
18,654
168
Vacationland
On one of the first dates I had with my (now) wife, I was driving to her house in the first of my BMWs - a rapidly decaying used car. They all have an on-board computer that gives you miles to empty. Apparently, mine developed a glitch, so that it got to 50 miles left, and just kept reading 50. I think the fuel level sensor froze or something. Anyway, I ran out of gas in front of the library in her town, and I had to call her to come get me with a can of gas from a local station.

I ran out of gas once or twice on my motorcycles, but they had the petcock (hehe) with a reserve. As long as you remember that it's there.
 
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IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
13,832
168
Toronto, ON
On one of the first dates I had with my (now) wife, I was driving to her house in the first of my BMWs - a rapidly decaying used car. They all have an on-board computer that gives you miles to empty. Apparently, mine developed a glitch, so that it got to 50 miles left, and just kept reading 50. I think the fuel level sensor froze or something. Anyway, I ran out of gas in front of the library in her town, and I had to call her to come get me with a can of gas from a local station.

I ran out of gas once or twice on my motorcycles, but they had the petcock (hehe) with a reserve. As long as you remember that it's there.
I think the idea is you are supposed to run out of gas with her in the car.
 

geosync

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2008
2,471
500
118
Portland, Or
Oh man, -20 degrees and stuck. I've never had an out of gas experience. This new old buick is pretty nice, I do miss some of the old school lexus design features, but that old rattle can is down the rode now. This car eats up gas because it's so heavy and has a 300 horse 6 cylinder.
 

JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
28,630
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Hyrule
It's almost time to reup my AAA membership. For the first year I can remember, I didn't use it once in 2020. I usually at least lock myself out once or twice throughout the year but not this time. And I got the more expensive one for the first time ever, the one where they will tow you 100 miles. Now even though I didn't use it, I'm happy I had it. With all my Disney trips it's nice to know if something happens I have 100 miles to play with. That's like half the distance there so hopefully if I ever break down I'll be able to get towed all the way back to my local mechanic at no extra cost.

Also I get a kick out of how the card says how long you've been a member. I've had it since 06 so 2021 will be my 15th year. My dad's card was crazy. His said something like "loyal member for 52 years". I want to beat him and get to 53 years. That would put me at 75 years old so I should be able to make it.

EDIT: Hold on, nevermind. I just checked my card and it says good until 12.15.2022. I guess I paid a bunch in advance. That sounds like something I would do cause I do it with everything else but I have no memory of it. I'm going to call them to be sure.

EDIT 2: Ok, I called them. Apparently the card is good until that date but my membership runs out in March. And it's only $94 to reup so that's not so bad.
 
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IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
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Toronto, ON
I have the basic a-la-carte membership since my car has 7 years of roadside coverage from Toyota. Once done, I will go back to CAA Plus.
 
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JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
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Hyrule
Once again, I love my mechanic.

Got an oil change this morning and I tell him that I drive to and from Orlando about 3 times per month and please make sure the RAV is up to the task. He could come back with anything and I'd likely pay it...like the last asshole mechanic I went to always did. I mean it's a 2005 RAV with 118k on it, of course it will have issues eventually. Yet once again he came back telling me everything looks good. So it was only a $43 visit and I'm safe for all my trips. I've been going to him for 2 years now and only 1 time he told me I needed something other than just the oil change. And having built up all this good faith, now whenever he tells me anything I believe it.
 
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JHDK

Release Robin's Bra
Oct 11, 2008
28,630
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Hyrule
This might be a fun topic...what is the gas price in your area right now?

I filled up today and went to the cheapest place in town. I paid $2.39/gallon. Most all the other places around here are about $2.44-49.
 
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IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,227
13,832
168
Toronto, ON
CA$1.12/l

Going up 8 cents/l @ midnight. Thanx Texas.

For you metrically challenged, 3.8 l = 1 US gallon. 1 CA$ = US$0.78.

My trusty iPhone calendar says it is US$3.32/gal which seems pretty low.
 

goreds2

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2008
6,163
1,017
118
OH H.....EYE OH
$2.49 here. I hope I am incorrect but with the XL pipeline shutdown, I can see gas prices hitting 3 bucks a gallon sometime in spring then 3.50 or so by winter. This is not including the possible federal gas tax increase being talked about off and on by the current administration.
 
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