Car fuel gauges.

[mickd1961]

Impossible to trust them isn’t it?

Back in the 70’s and 80’s you’d be on empty and seem to be able to drive forever.

Nowadays you blip the accelerator a millimetre and your range drops by 5 miles!

Today I left Harrogate showing a range of 360 available miles for my hybrid and I had zero electrical charge, this was all petrol range.

Journey distance was 165 miles and simple maths tells you I should’ve arrived home with 195 left in the tank, give or take.

I arrived back with 263 miles left available.

So I’d covered 165 miles and only used 97 miles of range AND I’d had the air con, sat nav and radio all in use.

Modern technology eh…….no better than my 1972 Austin Marina when it comes to the fuel readings.

[soulman101]

Impossible to trust them isn’t it?

Back in the 70’s and 80’s you’d be on empty and seem to be able to drive forever.

Nowadays you blip the accelerator a millimetre and your range drops by 5 miles!

Today I left Harrogate showing a range of 360 available miles for my hybrid and I had zero electrical charge, this was all petrol range.

Journey distance was 165 miles and simple maths tells you I should’ve arrived home with 195 left in the tank, give or take.

I arrived back with 263 miles left available.

So I’d covered 165 miles and only used 97 miles of range AND I’d had the air con, sat nav and radio all in use.

Modern technology eh…….no better than my 1972 Austin Marina when it comes to the fuel readings.

High Mick ,I drove my MGB for a year with no working fuel gauge, relying on the trip ommitor.
Every time I petrol in the tank I estimated 25mpg per gallon , every 6 weeks I ended up with a full tank.

[Stevil81]

High Mick ,I drove my MGB for a year with no working fuel gauge, relying on the trip ommitor.
Every time I petrol in the tank I estimated 25mpg per gallon , every 6 weeks I ended up with a full tank.

Mine is terrible, it does 2/3 of what the range is, but most of my mileage is round town I guess.

That is impressive using the fuel guage as a marker though, did the hotter weather make it more efficient?

[mickd1961]

I actually once had the petrol tank of a Ford Capri drop off the bottom of the car as I drove through Lye in 1982 😳

The tank was situated underneath the boot and secured by two metal straps.

Lethal design.

[Albionic68]

Impossible to trust them isn’t it?

Back in the 70’s and 80’s you’d be on empty and seem to be able to drive forever.

Nowadays you blip the accelerator a millimetre and your range drops by 5 miles!

Today I left Harrogate showing a range of 360 available miles for my hybrid and I had zero electrical charge, this was all petrol range.

Journey distance was 165 miles and simple maths tells you I should’ve arrived home with 195 left in the tank, give or take.

I arrived back with 263 miles left available.

So I’d covered 165 miles and only used 97 miles of range AND I’d had the air con, sat nav and radio all in use.

Modern technology eh…….no better than my 1972 Austin Marina when it comes to the fuel readings.

First thing which springs to mind is how on earth did you need to use the sat nav to get back to Chaddesley Corbett from your nan's old house?

I know you've moved from where you lived when you were a kid but fuggin' 'ell, how many times have you been up and down from there? Wait until Al' reads this thread 😊 .

[mickd1961]

First thing which springs to mind is how on earth did you need to use the sat nav to get back to Chaddesley Corbett from your nan's old house?

I know you've moved from where you lived when you were a kid but fuggin' 'ell, how many times have you been up and down from there? Wait until Al' reads this thread 😊 .

I’ve started using a new route for me.

I always used the M5-M6- M62- M621 route that brings me into Leeds over the moors……I know the route with my eyes shut, I’ve done it hundreds of times and I don’t need a sat nav.

I’ve just recently started using the M42-M1-A1M route and in 44 years of driving had only used that route once before many years ago so to avoid any errors I’ve used sat nav to help me.

That said, I now find the RTI ( Real Time Information) on the sat nav really useful because of the early warnings about trouble ahead and the diversion options.

On all long journeys I now use sat nav on silent even if I know where I’m going just for this facility in the main but also because with sat nav on and “adaptive” option chosen for the power on my hybrid the engine computer calculates the most efficient use of any electrical power stored.

Even on short journeys that adaptive system in conjunction with sat nav is really useful.

Truth is 68, I was a rep and on the road with my own business for donkeys years, the many towns and cities I’ve travelled to for years I can still navigate to without any help but at my age now, it takes a while for a new route to stick on my brain.

[SwedishBaggie]

I’ve started using a new route for me.

I always used the M5-M6- M62- M621 route that brings me into Leeds over the moors……I know the route with my eyes shut, I’ve done it hundreds of times and I don’t need a sat nav.

I’ve just recently started using the M42-M1-A1M route and in 44 years of driving had only used that route once before many years ago so to avoid any errors I’ve used sat nav to help me.

That said, I now find the RTI ( Real Time Information) on the sat nav really useful because of the early warnings about trouble ahead and the diversion options.

On all long journeys I now use sat nav on silent even if I know where I’m going just for this facility in the main but also because with sat nav on and “adaptive” option chosen for the power on my hybrid the engine computer calculates the most efficient use of any electrical power stored.

Even on short journeys that adaptive system in conjunction with sat nav is really useful.

Truth is 68, I was a rep and on the road with my own business for donkeys years, the many towns and cities I’ve travelled to for years I can still navigate to without any help but at my age now, it takes a while for a new route to stick on my brain.

The RTI is really helpful, Mick, very good invention! Esp out and about in foreign countries with my car.