Ever owned a car you didn't fill the tank in?

Have you ever owned a car that you didn't fill the gas tank because you weren't sure it would live through the entire tank?

I'm there now. Driving a 2007 Chevy HHR with 211,000 miles that my dad gave me. Runs great, but the transmission is starting to go.

Pulled up to the gas station yesterday and usually fill it to the top and can commute almost an entire month on a tank. But with gas at $3.71 a gallon locally, wasn't sure if I wanted to gamble that much money, lol.

I found it funny to be considering it, and remember another car I never filled the tank in. It was a `65 Plymouth Barracuda. Not because it was on it's last legs, but because it had a bad fuel tank filler neck gasket and if you filled it more than 3/4 full, gas would spill out when you turned right too sharply. Good times.

Anyone else ever had to consider that filling the tank might not be a wise financial decision?

Oh, and obligatory pic of the old Barracuda...

 

I hear what you're saying, however, I have always filled up.
If I was that uncertain whether a vehicle would last through a tank of gas or not, I wouldn't be driving it anymore.
Unless you have AAA, I would think a tow would cost more than the gas. JMO!

 

Good point. Except I make sure all of my vehicles on my insurance policy have towing coverage. It's usually just a couple of bucks a month. I even have it on my 4Runner, just in case.

I was running ethanol-free premium in the old HHR to help clean out the fuel system and get max gas mileage, but at nearly $1 more a gallon, I quit doing that. I went from 30.5 mpg average to 30.9 mpg average using premium. Math didn't add up so back to the cheap stuff, and only half tank at a time since the transmission started shifting funny. At least I won't have to buy new tires for it this winter.

 

This guy had a had a rear tank that didn't work and an after market front tank that leaked when over half full. 20 bucks when it was on E usually wouldn't leak.

 

I had that truck! 1978 F-150 Lariet. Dual tanks. Mine got stolen in 1980.

 

They're awesome! I miss mine it was an F-250. I'm sorry to hear it got stolen they're getting hard to find.

 

I’m in the Houston area and back then they were very popular in Mexico. Came out of my favorite bar and it was gone. Never saw it again. It was champagne and brown. Chrome wagon wheels and some sort of big tires. They were very easy to steal. Had to ride my motorcycle for like 6 months until I could afford another truck.

 

That sucks. I've been looking at getting another one to restore but I a don't wanna pay what people what for them now.

 

Been there. My 1st car, a '69 Camaro that I paid $500 for. In those days, it was rare that I could afford to put more than a 1/4 tank of gas in it. Check out those sexy studded snow tires.

 

I remember me and my buddies in high school during the late 1960's putting just a couple dollars at a time. Of course the gas was around 24-cents a gallon back then. LOL

A quirk with the 1960's Mustangs: When the gas gauge got anywhere close to Empty, you need to get to the nearest gas station ASAP. Because when it did read "E" you didn't even have a half-gallon or so left. It was bone dry. Don't have to ask me how I know. LOL