[vlad_a]

I was running really low on fuel this morning, so I stopped at a Sunoco gas station. Selected 94 and had to wait 10 min for the pump to fill my tank (they must've been running low on 94.) Was I surprised when the counter showed 18 Galons exactly?

The tank's capacity is only 17.5.

I feel I was "ripped off."

Is the tank's capacity exactly 17.5 galons, or is there a "reserve?"

I did let the "lady" inside know about it, but she was clueless.

No way am I going to that gas station again.

 

[RadarB8]

I ran out of gas pulling into the gas station 07/25/01. I filled it slowly and the pump registered 17.2 gallons. I would suggest calling the Better Business Beareau.

 

[IS300GTE]

i'm pretty sure the gas tank has the same capacity as the supra, which is 18.5 gallons. have you checked your owners manual under specifications, it will tell for sure under there, i wish i had my stick shift already, i would check for you, let us know.

 

[vlad_a]

Yes, my memory served me correctly.
The specs are 17.5 galons for 2001 and 2002 models.

 

[habibnazir]

hey once you've called the "better business bureau" and registered your complaint, and gone through all that crap and get your $0.60 back, let us know!! just kidding around!! hehe..i dunno that's kinda odd, i usually only get 16 gallons, ive never really let my engine run outta gas...94 octane? how does that run? i use 93. 1.73 in south jersey..goodluck

 

[IS300GTE]

as confirmed by the owners manual? if so, then i would call the owner and threaten suit and to contact whatever coorporations name they use to sell gas (be it exxon or mobil etc) and see what they have to say. it isn't worth the dollar, but it is worth the principle of it, and of them screwing/cheating people. let us know what they say.

Originally posted by vlad_a:
Yes, my memory served me correctly.
The specs are 17.5 galons for 2001 and 2002 models.

 

[IS300HOPEFUL]

Think of the grander scale.....That gas station is getting approximately $1 extra from just about everyone that gets gas there. That is one helluva scam, then need to be reported.

 

[pf1111]

Usually a tanks capacity does not include the amount of gas that is in the lines, u might not think so but this adds up and brings u closer to 18 gallons, that or got ripped off, w/e the case u got really lucky u made it to the gas station so be thankful for that and dont worry about the rest

 

[Zor Prime]

It does say in the manual there is a reserve of approximately 1.7 gallons...You may have been REAL low...I have driven maybe 10 miles past the Empty light....too nervous to go any farther

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: Zor Prime ]

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: Zor Prime ]

 

[sacremon]

Do you folks like to ignore the warning light? The most I've gotten into my tank is 15.5 gallons, and that was after running about 15 miles with the warning light going.

 

[Kel3]

I think it is more than 17.5 I filled it up to the end of the tank pipe once, a little more and it would have spewed over to the floor I think thats 18 gallons but if they did not do that you got beat.

 

[vlad_a]

Putting 94 doesn't affect the performace that much. If it does, it's not really noticeable.

The pump was barely pumping, so that might've screwed up its precision, if it was set right in the first place.

I drove 318 miles on that tank, which amounts to 17.66 MPG, a bit lower than I used to get.

I did notice that when I used that same gas station previously, my MPG went down. I never ran that low on fuel before, so I had no way to know for sure if it their system was precise or not.

I did send a short e-mail to a local TV station. Who knows, they might do an investigation. It's always fun watching those people sweat on TV.

 

[lisnup65]

The measurments for the fuel capacity of the tank is for the tank itself. The number does not represent the fuel lines, but that is not a factor in your quest as the line was already primed with fuel as you did not run out. The 1 factor that you do need to consider is the fuel neck leading to the gas tank. The IS fuel tank is not located behind the rear axle, but rather in front of it which means that the fuel neck is some what long. I would suspect that if you really filled the vehicle all the way up and introduced the neck into the holding capacity then you could fit 18 plus gallons as the nech is at least a 2" diameter that is at least 18" long. Just another observation as I filled up with 18 gallons before and questioned the valitity of the pumps accuracy. The pump was tested and was with in .01 of what was actually pumped.

P.S.
The only reserve that our cars have is when the light comes on you have in the neighborhood of 2(1.7) gallons left. If you get 19MPG then you need to find a fuel station with in the next 32.3 miles. The (Pardon this poor term)reserve is part of the 17.5 gallon tank and it is not an extra capacity.

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: lisnup65 ]

 

[SeattleSheila]

That's something to report to the State Bureau of Weights and Measures (at least that's the department here). They're the ones who check the pumps for accuracy.

 

[vlad_a]

Originally posted by lisnup65:
Just another observation as I filled up with 18 gallons before and questioned the valitity of the pumps accuracy. The pump was tested and was with in .01 of what was actually pumped.

If the same thing applies in my case, then I'm trully lucky I stopped to get gas when I did. A couple more miles, and I'd be waiting for someone to bring some gas for me.

 

[Hunt NXS]

SS is correct. Call the dept. of Weights and Measures. They take this kinda crap very seriously. I worked in a Scuba Shop in Costa Mesa Cali. when I was in college, they came in and weighed our weights because someone told them they were short changed on lead. Not true.

The guy was real cool, weighed my racing bike for me. Like 17.6 pounds