How far on a tank?

[KBrian]

Just came back from a road trip to the top of Vancouver Island. 600km/375 mi return, which took me just over 5 hours. Got me wondering how far others have travelled on one fill-up. My trip burned up 52 L/13.8 gals of regular fuel at about 120km/75 mph. I'm no mileage miser, and have only had one trip that got me farther on a tank (687km/56L).

Who is the single-tank mileage champ? As long as you logged the distance from a single fillup (no jerry can hidden in the back), I do not care how quickly or slowly you go, or how much or little time it takes. Just tell us how far you made it.

As we are all family here, we should be comfortable within the arms of the honour system. Report your mileage/kmage to the nearest mile/km and the fuel you managed to squeeze into the tank after filling up. I do not want to know how much fuel you put in before the record attempt. As well, no support system. Run as far as you can with the yellow, low-fuel light blazing. Some claim to have gotten more than 60 miles/100km after the light illuminates.

Ladies and gentlemen, START YOUR ENGINES!

 

[hty67]

Well I think I might be the winner for pumping the most gas into it at any single fillup. Last time I filled up I put 16.844 gallons into it. Well, actually I put about 12 in it and 4.844 on the ground. The automatic cutoff didn't automatically cutoff. Good thing I was just cleaning the windshield and not inside the store but it took me a while to realize what that dumping buckets sound was. First time that's EVER happened to me.

The best in terms of range that I (or my wife) have done was 371 miles using 13.566 gallons (27.35 mpg).

The best single-tank mileage was 29.82mpg.

The best 3-tank average mileage was 28.26mpg.

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

I'll be able to test this out later this week. Round trip from Kelowna to Kamloops and back (340km total), and then another later this month which will take me from Kelowna to Quesnel and back (1186km total). I'll be sure to report!

 

[ljmattox]

I may give this a run as well. My ScanGauge routinely tells me I have 400+ miles on my tank shortly after fillup. And why not? At close to 30 mpg, almost 16 gallons, the math is there. So far though, my low fuel light comes on at 350-375 or so, about 13 gallons. Anyone actually fill their 5 with 15+ US gallons at a gas stop? Said another way: are there really 3 gallons left after the low fuel light comes on?

 

[Saluki]

I have put 14.9 gallons in. It will run quite a distance after the light comes on.

Longest trip on one tank so far was 410 miles. I dont recall how much gas I added after that trip, but if I recall correctly, the mileage came in around 29 mpg.

 

[njaremka]

i guess ours is about average, too. we average about 300 miles of around-town driving per tank. i never let it get to where the light turns on, either. longest tank was just over 400miles. but, also, i dont remember the galons for that fill-up - milage was about 30mpg.

 

[WhiteStar III]

I may give this a run as well. My ScanGauge routinely tells me I have 400+ miles on my tank shortly after fillup. And why not? At close to 30 mpg, almost 16 gallons, the math is there. So far though, my low fuel light comes on at 350-375 or so, about 13 gallons. Anyone actually fill their 5 with 15+ US gallons at a gas stop? Said another way: are there really 3 gallons left after the low fuel light comes on?

10/26/2007 - 504.8 miles - 16.298 gal - 30.97mpg

& if my calcs are right still had around a gallon of gas to go.

By my calcs 2.5 gal at low fuel warning.

 

[njaremka]

500 miles! holy crap! hypermiling?

 

[KBrian]

Well done, Whitestar. 505 miles on a single fillup is a very high-water mark, indeed.

Alright, you pikers. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Who is willing to risk running out by picking it up?

BTW, a secondary challange could involve distance driven after the yellow light begins to glow (ala Kramer and the test drive episode).

 

[WhiteStar III]

500 miles! holy crap! hypermiling?

Not quite; (don't have that much patience)! I just have a looooooong commute that mostly highway.

I just keep it at 60mph, where my 4AT spins at a tick over 2500 rpm and in early spring or late fall (no AC or heat) for best mpg and pile on the miles.

 

[njaremka]

Not quite; (don't have that much patience)! I just have a looooooong commute that mostly highway.

I just keep it at 60mph, where my 4AT spins at a tick over 2500 rpm and in early spring or late fall (no AC or heat) for best mpg and pile on the miles.

yeah, i got the 400 mile mark by running the cruise at an indicated 70mph. most of the time, i drive faster than that and it kills the milage.

 

[ljmattox]

Yowsa, 505 is indeed a high mark to top...sheesh!

16.2 something gallons, so it looks like it holds a bit more than the 15.9 US gallons you see posted everywhere? Good to know.

My light just came on today, on the way home from a routine errand -- about 345 on that tank, gas gauge needle just above "E". I'll put the gas can in the car and see if it will really stretch out to 450+ as it should with 30'sh mpg and about 16 gals on board. Mostly highway driving for us around here.

 

[WhiteStar III]

Yowsa, 505 is indeed a high mark to top...sheesh!

16.2 something gallons, so it looks like it holds a bit more than the 15.9 US gallons you see posted everywhere? Good to know.

My light just came on today, on the way home from a routine errand -- about 345 on that tank, gas gauge needle just above "E". I'll put the gas can in the car and see if it will really stretch out to 450+ as it should with 30'sh mpg and about 16 gals on board. Mostly highway driving for us around here.

Due to my long commute, range is important, so I'm very concious of my fuel input and have to work at getting the most fuel I can in the car.

If I stop for fuel in NJ (~ .20 cheaper than PA), where an attendant is required to pump, I have to factor in that I will never get more than ~ 14.5 gal in the tank (& @ 345mi to engage low fuel warning your probably at that mark).

Granted I've never actually run out of fuel just as I get to a gas station, but the most I've been able to pump in is 16.996 gal and I estimate the max fuel load is around 17.25 gal.

 

[Tsuru]

I find that I need to be very careful when filling my 5. If I fill with the valve wide open I find that I get significantly less gas into the tank compared to when I slow down filling towards the 50L mark. It's almost as if the fuel is foaming up the fill tube and triggering the nozzle to shut off.
Sadly, I've only managed to do a fill of ~14.5 gallons. My job forces me to do all sorts of stupid bumper-to-bumper traffic driving (Mobile IT technician) so I'll never get the mileage that I know this car is capable of. At least with the temps going back up I'm getting back into the 25MPG range.

 

[DKaz]

^^^ You mean slow down from the 50L mark as you approach 60L?

 

[Tsuru]

I generally have to slow down around 45L and hold that until it's full. That last ~12L takes about the same amount of time as the rest of the tank to fill.

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

Well, I made it back from Kamloops with no issues. Hardly any traffic and it was a sunny day for a change. Driving is mainly highway and only stopped for 6 lights there and 9 lights on the way back, so Zoom-Zoom happened for the majority of the trip.

Didn't use up a full tank, but I topped up the tank to the first click before and after the trip, and I used 41.25L on a trip that ate up 436km. That works out to 9.46/100km 24.86mpg (US) and 29.86mpg (Imp). Average speed was 109kph based on total time traveled. Not too shabby, nearly broke 30mpg!

The Quesnel trip may not happen, but if it does, I'll post my results!

 

[KBrian]

How many km on your 5?

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

It is just about ready to turn over to 75,000 km. Wife is out in the car, or I would give you a more accurate number.

 

[KBrian]

We are just hitting 29000km and still averaging 26mpg imperial