Running on empty.
There are two types of people in this world—those who panic and fill up their cars with gas when the needle hits 25% or so, and people like me who wait until the gas light comes on, then check the odometer so you can drive the entire 30 miles to absolute empty before coasting into a gas station on fumes.
I mean…it's not empty until it's empty, right?
But just how far can you drive your car once that gas light comes on? Should you trust your manual?
Now, thanks to a post from industry leader in automobile repair Your Mechanic, you can know exactly how far you can go on empty. Of course, as people who care a lot about the health of your car, we've gotta note that Your Mechanic does warn that driving on a low fuel level or running out of gas can really damage your car.
Proceed at your own risk.
How far you can go on empty.
Graph from Your Mechanic.
Here's a link to a larger version of the chart.
These are, of course, approximations that depend on several factors, including how you drive, your car's condition, etc. So don't automatically blame Your Mechanic if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road.
This article originally appeared four years ago.