How much gas is too much?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(satsuke @ Jun 20 2006, 02:26 PM) [snapback]274272[/snapback]</div>

*Every* car I have owned over the last 10 years has never gotten the EPA estimates. There's always been a 15 to 20 percent difference in milleage. Our 2004 Sienna is rated at 26 MPG on the highway. We typically get between 19 and 21 MPG. My 1996 RAV4 was rated at 30 MPG Highway, I usually averaged 24 to 25 MPG for a tank. My 2005 Prius should have a combined city/highway rating of 55 MPG, instead I get 42 to 44. This is a fact of car ownership that I accept. And it's an acknowledged fact by the EPA themselves that their estimates don't necessarily translate to what people actually get.

Would I like to get better gas milleage? Sure. Am I willing to significantly alter my driving style to achieve that? For the most part, no. I do try to take advantage of EV mode where possible, coast when I can, and be a bit more gently on the accelerator pedal. But I'm not likely to give up the use of A/C, and if I were to try to go the speed limit around here, I'd get run off of the road by angry motorists. I'm very pleased with the milleage I'm getting. I know I could do better.

As to the rated tank capacity being more than what I typically pump in (9.5 gallons) when the gas gauge starts blinking, this is also typical of most cars I've owned. My RAV4 was rated at 15.3 gallons, and I would pump in 12.8 to 13.3. The Sienna typically takes 19 to 20 gallons in it's 21 gallon tank when the low fuel light goes on. Our 1998 Grand Caravan would take 17 to 18 gallons for it's 20 gallon tank when it would ding that it was low. Again, this is a fact of car ownership that I accept. Personally, I don't like pushing my luck and trying to get every drop of gas out of the tank before filling up. I have managed to run out of gas *once* in every car I've ever owned, but I quickly learned my lesson and never again would try to push my luck that far afterwards.