# 2018 BMW X5 with old gas **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** x5, bmw\ **Created:** [October 30, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762 "2019-10-30T05:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pete48](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Pete48](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pete48)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/1 "2019-10-30T05:23:50Z")
I have a brand new car that has been sitting around for one year with about less than a quarter tank of gas. What should I do, should I put some fuel cleaner in and then start it and then go fill up with some new gas. I’m not sure what to do ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 9:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/2 "2019-10-30T09:58:00Z")
Tough question. Yes your gas is stale but additives won’t change that. If I were in this situation I would just drive it to the closest station that has TopTier certified gasoline and fill it. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/3 "2019-10-31T20:46:36Z")
Or better yet… get a 5 gallon gas can and have someone drive you over to the nearest station with Top Tier gas. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I’d want all the fresh gas I could get in the tank before starting it. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/4 "2019-10-31T20:49:20Z")
Take off the gas cap and take a sniff, if it smells like gas add a little seafome or techron and drive on my thought. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/5 "2019-10-31T20:52:38Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > If I were in this situation I would just drive it to the closest station that has TopTier certified gasoline and fill it. +1, but I would add that, after filling it with _Top Tier_ gas the OP should QUICKLY drive the vehicle for sufficient time to bring the tank down to around 1/4, and then refill it again with Top Tier gas. That being said, I am fascinated by the tale of a late-model luxury vehicle that has been sitting around for 12 months w/o being driven. Did the previous owner die? Why did somebody lay out the big bucks for this vehicle, only to let it sit? Can the OP clarify this for us? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/6 "2019-11-01T03:18:23Z")
I’d drain the old gas out of the tank and fill w/fresh. It’s an expense and bother, true, but not nearly as much as dealing with a contaminated fuel system. If it was 3 months, or even 6 months maybe, but an entire year? Drain as much of the old gas out & refill before starting the engine. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 4:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-bmw-x5-with-old-gas/151762/7 "2019-11-01T04:38:04Z")
With less than 1/4 tank after two days of driving the tank will need to be refilled, problem solved. The dealer is not going to pay to have the tank drained, it is not necessary, one to two year old vehicles are sold all the time without fuel problems.