What about the one guy that claims that his fuel light didn't come on and he still fit in 11.5 gallons? It's just not happening.

Ah, but what you need to check is the odometer, not the speedometer. I checked mine by a 100-mile Google maps trip. My speedo is dead accurate too via roadside radar signs I've found.

What I need is one of these magical Fits that are getting 46 mpg and 12.5 gallons to a tank so I can drive 575 miles between fill-ups instead of 290 miles.

 

I get consistent mileage that is closer to the city rating when I do almost all highway. I get about 280mi before the light comes on and fill about 9.xx gallons.
I was reading this thread and tried to fill it up as much as I could and when it clicked at 9.6gal I put in another 2.6 for 12.2gal total.
I figure I will get another 60mi and maybe not have to fill again until 360mi.

 

I get a kick out of Bay area California drivers with automatics calling an eastern Virginia stick driver a liar. Seems most of the variance in fuel mileage is a function of the type of transmissions, driving style, and possibly California blends of gasoline.

In most cars the relationship between speedometer and odometer is direct. (Doesn't necessarily have to be, but I'd bet it applies in the Fit.) If the speedometer was reading 60 mph when your true "radar" ground speed is 50 mph, your odometer would still increase by 60 miles in an hour. But you would only be traveling a real 50 miles on the BTU input of your fuel. Figuring your mileage in this scenario would result in appreciably higher MPG number than true MPG.

That is why I mentioned the fact that my speedometer seemed dead accurate when checked by radar trailers.

2317 miles/65.03 gallons = 35.63 mpg --- $185.27/2317 = $ .08 per mile

(Thanks fellow fitfreak Squid for the custom Fit Excel SS)

 

Nono please don't put words in my mouth -- I didn't call anyone a liar. I am just not believing it presently. I have been wrong many times before though...

I've just never seen reported highway mileage on a vehicle range from 23 to 46 mpg. Isn't that incredible?

When I try to put more fuel in the vehicle after it stops, I get like 0.1 more gallons? I dunno...

 

Uh, that would be me. That was right after a non-stop (except for a few traffic lights) drive of 446 miles in a little over 7 hours. (odometer 640 -> 1086) Next tank 425 miles, next tank 423 miles. Never a low fuel light.

Believe it, or don't. Call me a troll, or don't.

 

Hey check this out:

Don't Top Off Your Gas Tank! | Mid-Atlantic Air Protection

 

I have put 12.1 gal in my tank before. On average i put in 11.6 - 11.9. I have over 35000 mi on my fit so its pretty consistant.

 

Remember many people are just getting their Fit now, so old questions, will come back.

 

How can you say every question has been answered? You dont know that, there might be something new.

 

Please research the fuel volume differences @ cold temperatures. There was some recent news regarding the volume of gas dispersed by the pump in the morning (cooler) vs afternoon (hotter). I believe the gas stations try to calibrate, but I was told there is a difference. This difference would account to cost savings as you would get more (real) volume with the cooler morning temperatures. I believe there is some truth to this as liquids do expand @ elevated temperatures.
Any comments...?
I typically fill up shortly after the low fuel light comes on. I fill up @ the same station (costco - no ethanol added) and haye put in just about 10 gallons each time (3 so far) and have gotten 31, 33 & 34.8 mpg so far
I am trying to be a conservative driver to assess the benefits of this style of driving. I do about 60/40 hwy/city and try not to rabbit start / stop.
I have just over 1k miles and have yet to see another Fit in my neck of the woods. I plan to have this car for a long, long time...

 

The difference is less than 0.6mpg for fuel temp at the pump, iirc for ~30mpg range.

 

The gasoline from the pump (usually) comes from underground storage tanks. It's temperature and volume does not vary much from day to night. It will be warmer if a delivery has just been recieved though. The gas put into the cars tank will expand as it warms up (this is why car and gasoline manufacturers say not to top off the tank, to allow room for this expansion). I remember in the early 70s (on cars built before modern emission controls) when I would top off my tank on a hot day, it would sometimes overflow out of the cap as it warmed up and expanded. So on a hot day it will take less to fill the tank due to the gas already in the tank taking up more space. This will be of less effect as the fuel level in the tank gets toward empty as there will be less fuel to expand.

 

As far as in the US, you will pretty much NEVER encounter a poorly regulated gas pump. They have to pass stringent testing yearly. I interned back in the day with an inspector and a pump was off by .02 gallons on a 20 gallon test and it failed the inspection. So, the reason you can fit more in than the 10.8 gallon capacity listed is simply conservative. Just remember dont EVER fill past the first click as it damages the system and kills mpg. Dont argue with me, simply visit the EPA website for tips on improving the milage.

 

Due to the stricter EPA emissions in CA the pumps here also will not generally allow you to top off a tank. When I have driven back east I have been able to add an extra gallon or two after the first click off. They don't have the tight vacuum seal the CA pumps have. In CA I can usually get about .1 gallon after the first click.


BTW, Sport auto, 70% highway, slightly aggressive driver, currently averaging 29mpg at 2500 miles. I was averaging 27mpg until I hit 2000 miles. They do seem to loosen up a bit.

 

OK, I've read all the stuff, including the EPA's on why not to top off your tank. Doesn't seem like anything that makes much sense to me. When I top off, I am holding the nozzle, and watching the gas go in. I stop it when I see the gas coming up the neck, wait a couple of seconds, and repeat until it fills up.

I have put 13.0 gallons in mine before. I have filled my tank 77 times now. My "average" of all of these is 11.9 gallons, which is about what I put in when the low fuel light comes on. You can do the math, I'm over 30,000 miles...

When I fill up, I am usually headed to/from work, which is 30 miles each way, so I am using 30 miles worth of gasoline before I stop. I don't see anything which says anything about it affecting your mileage.

My last 5 tanks I averaged 36.2 mpg. My best tank ever was 39.5 mpg. Before anyone asks, I record every fuel stop: date, mileage, trip mileage (I always reset trip A at fill-up,) gallons, and cost. Every so often I update my info in an Excel sheet that I have.

 

Is there any possiblity of expanding the size of the stock tank or adding an aux. tank somewhere under the vehicle? Disclaimer: I have never personally looked under the Fit!

 

Wow, are we reviving the dead!

This thread hasn't been touched in a year!

I would guess that a lit M-80 in the gas tank would expand it.
Disclaimer: I have never personally tried it, but I do endorse the idea if anyone wants to try it.

 

The tank is nominally 10.8 gal but you can also add an additional gal in the filler tube and neck. Not advisable tho as it introduces liguid gas to you vapor collectuion system.

 

Short answer= NO.

 

Lol, I guess this is what happens when a newbie uses the search function.