I don't know why everyone keeps asking how far can you go after the light goes on before I run out of gas. This is bad practice to run any car with low fuel for a number of reasons.
1st you suck up any impurities and crap from the bottom of the tank and ruin your motor.

2nd your fuel pump on most cars (not sure of the 8s) is inside the tank and is cooled by the fuel and could burn itself out and need replaced earlier than necessary.

3rd it cost the same for 8 gallons of gas at half a tank as 8 gallons when your on E

4th you could run out of gas and look like a dumb *** on the side of the road.

Just my 2 cents worth so take it or leave it.

 

glad to have you, please come again

 

Ummmmm Okay?

 

If you consistently run it low you will clean out the junk better so it doesn't accumulate to cause trouble. 2nd, the fuel pump may be inside the gas tank, but the electric motor is not and isn't cooled by the fuel. The pump itself should be fine as long as it is pumping . . . which it would not only when you run out of gas. I drive about 30 miles after the light comes on - I've done this pretty much consistently since the car was new and I now have 48.6K miles with no problems. 40-45 miles you'll run out (don't ask me how I know this either). Plus, I always fill up so the "8 gallon" rule is pretty much a wash for me.

 

i've driven up to 40 miles with the fuel light on and when I went to fill it up it took 14.9 gallons.. so I had exactly 1 gallon left. but anyway...

 

I should have qualified that the 40-45 miles depends a little bit on your driving environment (i.e. city, highway, or mix). Your mileage may vary. I drive a mix, but probably more toward the city driving situation. I usually get at least 14.5 gallon fillups with my 30 mile rule and have seen less in highway driving mode.

 

what is the "8gallon" rule ?? First time hearing it

 

Just the OP's 3rd point.

 

I agree with Mr. floyd (though not with his choice of 'boat' color!)

Silly to go around with the light on, even to check the mileage, for ALL the above reasons.


S

 

Yep. I always fill up right as the light comes on also. Bothers me when it goes below "E".

 

There is no 8 gallon rule. I was just saying a gallon of gas cost the same at half a tank or when its empty, so why wait to fill up when your driving on fumes?

 

Not necessarily. It's hard to fill up the 8 completely. I've managed to get more than a gallon more into the tank even after the pump automatically shuts off, but it's a slow process.

 

not always true...depends on what the price of gas is at half a tank vs Empty :-P

 

bleh, i drive with the light on to the gas station i know tats a good 4 cent cheaper each gallon.

 

Ooh! Ooh!! I think I know why… the further you go on a tank; the less often you have to stop for gas.

 

The electric motor is in the tank, and it is cooled by fuel

 

It takes 15.33 gallons to fill up! This I know from running out of gas just as I turned into the station and coasted to the pump. Filled straight to the top after that and that is what the pump read.

 

Who the heck has time to fill this car up every 8 gallons? That would have me at the gas station every week.

 

I sit corrected, but still wholy unconivinced about the "cooling" problem considering several factors: the motor is sealed from the gas, the tank is never truely dry (and only "low" for a short period), and how hot do you think it is designed to get in a tank of flamable liquid? Certainly we would have heard of this by now if it were an issue.

 

I find it spitting gas back at me when I try to fill it up anymore

 

Well aren't you lucky! I for one have found myself frequenting the gas station every week for a FULL tank of gas, sometimes when I go to NJ/CT up to 2 times a week...

Doesn't change a thing though.. though you'll find the people that complain about gas mileage are the city people who have the 8 as their DD.

 

Sometimes I like being silly.
Then I drive around with the light on!

 

Interesting... I get light at about 225 miles, drive another 20 and then fill it up which takes 13.5-14 gallons. The manual says 60 liters or ~15.85 gals so I figured I always have 1.5-2 gals at fillup, and around 3 gals (45-60 miles to go) when the light comes on. I drive about 70-30 hwy/city mix.

Now, b-Eight says it took him 15.33 gals from bone dry to Full, so we gotta figure a 0.5 gals variance. Then, when one gets a light it's about 2.5 gals left or 35-50 miles, depending on driving style and environment.

That confirms Demon's obervation of 40-45 miles max. I guess we should err on the side of caution and never run on faith... these are good hard numbers to know.

 

regarding the impurities off the bottom of the tank... doesn't the pump always draw from the bottom even when full? I find it kinda hard to believe the inlet that draws the fuel in somehow floats happily off the bottom until the tank gets low, although please correct me if i'm wrong

 

lucky you. i fill up twice a week with 12-13 gallons.