If you’re that worried about failure of your fuel gauge, you could also use your odometer at the same time. I will use the word “idiot” to say that the one time I ran out of fuel, it was because I was behaving like an idiot.
Thanks for the response. While only one may have used the word, many implied it. “relying on a fuel gauge to be accurate to within what you think is 50 miles on the gauge is not a good move” Sounds like more of the same to me. There is much speculation, conjecture and opinion in this thread. I actually tried it before I would trust it to her safety or make any comments. I am a mechanical engineer and I need to see results of scientific experiment before I trust something like this. It works.
Perhaps it was not the gauge at fault, perhaps it was something with the fuel injection that caused it to consume extra fuel on that trip?
It seems that nearly all of the comments and opinions here are based upon everything except… First hand experience. From what I can see I am the only one posting, that has actually tried the product. I am posting my personal results. IT WORKS.
I do not expect everyone to buy the product. Most will never need it and I hope we do not either. In this part of the country it is simply insurance, just in case something happens again.
Thanks
Joe
Did you want us to praise your fiance for her brilliance and foresight for starting a long trip through the Oregon wilderness with what she believed was only 50 miles to spare? This forum’s regulars tend to call things as they see them. Starting a long trip with long distances between gas stations with only your guess that you have a range of distance+50 is not smart. That our expression of rational thinking offends you is neither our fault nor our concern.
Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps the fuel injection did consume extra fuel on that trip. That’s why we don’t start long trips through the wilderness with only a theoretical 50 mile margin.
Your experiments with the spare fuel are valuable and appreciated. Now we can say that someone told us it worked (because we certainly aren’t going to go and spend $20 on a product and dump it into our engines just to test whether or not it works - we don’t tend to be overly eager to put substances with unknown effects into cars we actually want to continue working). Had you simply posted the results instead of spending an entire paragraph haranguing us for having the audacity to think that running out of gas is a dumb move, we wouldn’t be having this little tiff right now.
Please post this for me.
The Fiance
Hello - Since I am the fiance in question here that many of the posters seem compelled to comment on, how about I say something.
Yes - I felt like a moron for nearly running out of gas. I made a mistake. It is the first time I’ve ever had that happen and I too, have been driving for over 30 years. But, I made a mistake. When I left it said I had 3/4 of a tank of gas - which has been more than enough in the past. I thought it was enough. I was wrong. My finace was testing a product that had a lot of commentary on it (none of which seems to be from any real experts I might add). He is a mechanical engineer and decided to give it a real-world try rather than rely on untested opinions posted and company propaganda. We are satisfied with the results. It will work for us living in a state where gas stations are not on every corner and are not self service. (In Oregon you are not allowed to pump your own gas and therefore are bound by the rediculous hours stations decide to keep). No one else here has to agree, or even care, for that matter.
As for tone of many of the postings, there was an overall theme of “why not just avoid the whole issue and fill up?” And you are right - that is what is best. But that is equivalent to saying, “why buy auto insurance? Just drive safely.” While I plan to NEVER leave without a full tank of gas, I don’t mind having that small bit of insurance just in case I make another mistake.
Perhaps shadowfax speaks for everyone here?
Thank you for all of the comments, responses and the feedback. We will do our best to always fill up before leaving town.
I actually tried the product before making any comment. It works and for me it is worth the price.
Travel safe
You don’ get a gallon, you get a 1/2 gallon…How far will THAT get you??? Read the fine print…
I bought a gallon. (2 half gallons) I tested 1/2 gallon, traveled about 8 miles and then filled up. It worked perfectly and exactly as advertised.
Joe
So would a gallon of gasoline in a proper container…
Try carrying a gallon of gas inside your Subaru, Wagoneer, or crossover SUV for 2 weeks or even 1/2 hour.
I’m not saying it is for everyone but it works and is safe to carry inside any of the above mentioned vehicles… for an emergency. The life you save may not be your own, it may be charity for someone else. At least enough to get a vehicle to a safe pullout.
If you don’t like the product or the idea… don’t buy it.
Speaking personally, I don’t have a problem with the concept of this particular product, but I’m suspicious of it. Sure, it might keep your car running for a few miles when you run out of gas, but what’s it doing to your engine in the meantime? What’s the equivalent-octane rating of this stuff? Your car can run on kerosene if you put that in the tank. . .But it won’t run very long on it before you start having major problems. The product’s website makes a very big deal out of the fact that this stuff is made from petroleum, and so it’s just as good as gas in an emergency. By that logic, shoving plastic or Vaseline in the fuel tank will work too.
I’d also want to know what this stuff is going to do to your powertrain warranty. I can’t imagine that auto manufacturers are going to be OK with repairing your engine for free when they find out you’ve subjected it to anything other than pump gas.
In short, whether or not this product will make your car run for 12 miles is only one of many questions that should be asked before we plunk down our money for it. Until we know that it not only makes your car run, but also doesn’t damage either the car or your chances of filing warranty claims, it’s still a bad idea to fool with it. This is not saying that it is not a good product. It’s saying that it’s an unknown product, and so far all we have to go on as to its effectiveness and safety are claims from the people who are trying to sell it, and one guy on the internet who has tested only one area of concern.
Car insurance is supposed to be for unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances. People who file insurance claims for things that could have been foreseen and prevented tend to pay higher insurance rates than the rest of us. This product, on the other hand, is for a circumstance that is completely foreseeable and avoidable.
What a bunch of hooey. Some of you guys are shootin at a guy for giving you a first hand evaluation of a product and all you can do is belittle and grumble about a FEW dollars and how you would never ever run short on gas. Do you have anything constructive to say - like “hey Joe - thanks for the insight and for testing it.” ? This blog is supposed to be for us to help one another but it seems like all some of you can do is talk all bad. Its like you think you are a gift to mankind because you’ve never had to experience an over sight or an equipment failure in your life. My question for those who have had little but negative comments; Have you actually ever done anything of value for anyone else? Again, this is not addressing the rest of the folks who shared reasonable input, but for those few selected souls who have only pooped on this valuable and informative conversation. With your help, you select few, most of this thread was a waste of our time. What you’ve shared is a bunch of hooey. I liked the moose piss comment - I thought it was an appropriate response to address the neg attitudes and comments. Put that in your tank -
I have been driving for over 50 years…I have run out of gas ONCE. This product is not worth the risk it claims to eliminate…
Whitey "I will use the word “idiot” to say that the one time I ran out of fuel, it was because I was behaving like an idiot. "
Same here.
billm. . A brand new account created seconds before that post. -sniff sniff- I smell a troll alt. Nice try, though. Next time create the accounts in advance and use them later. For bonus troll points, use the alt accounts to answer a few questions so we think you’re a regular.
I think that I will apply for a government grant to test Spare Fuel in my lawnmower. I want a grant that will cover the cost of 5 gallons of Spare Fuel and a new lawnmower if it damages the engine on my present mower.
Like billm I did not register until I had something to say. I viewed this thread when I first started researching Spare Fuel. I remember one post saying that maybe someone would test the product and report on it. After I bought and tested the product, I decided to post my results. By the way the truck is still running great. I actually think it is running a little smoother but I could never expect the skeptics to believe that one. I can see no harm or damage to the fuel system or the engine.
I spent the money and the time to test a product that will give me greater peace of mind when the love of my life is on the road. I would not trust her safety to anything I was not sure would work properly. It was a very worthwhile test. I have shared my results and that will hopefully help someone else make up their mind.
I completely agree that the best medicine is to never run out of fuel, things happen, stuff breaks and in the part of the country where there is not a gas station every three blocks and perhaps no cell reception for 20 or more miles, it makes sense to have a little insurance. No cell reception = no AAA and no help.
I tested the product and posted the results. Take it or leave it, please use the information to make your own decision.
Thank you all for the comments, speculation and opinion.
From the Fiance:
I’ve tried to stay out of this debate but I just don’t understand why so many of the posters took Joe’s decision to test a product that left many wondering “what would happen” as a personal attack on their opinions. I thought this was supposed to be an open forum that according to Click and Clack was supposed to be handled in a respectful manner. The fact remains that I made a stupid mistake and he didn’t get my text until much later in the day and it worried him enough that he started doing some research and found THIS forum. He weighed all of the opinions and decided to see what would happen. I am grateful that he put his own vehicle up for a test and then posted the results so that other people could benefit from it. But that seems to have inflamed the passions of some people and for that I can only apologize that MY STUPID MISTAKE caused so much distress for you.
Frankly, I’d bet at this point that jcunclejoe and billm are the same person, and they’re both trolling us. We’ve explained to them many times that when jcunclejoe decides to spend an entire paragraph writing sarcasm that I now think is quite likely to have been flamebait, we’re not going to be overly impressed. I don’t think there’s much else to say here, and so this’ll be my last post in the thread.
Okay, jcunclejoe. Thank you for testing the product and giving us your opinion. I am glad you are satisfied with this product.
As for me, I don’t consider the cost of the product worth the reward of peace of mind, because I can find the same peace of mind with just a little diligence, and can achieve the same peace of mind without spending any extra money, so as for the usefulness of this product, we will simply have to agree to disagree.
Please enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.
OK, here we go. For the holier than thous, YES I did just sign up. For the boisterous skeptics, NO I’m not Joe or his fiance. What I am is fed up…wasted a bunch of time reading entries and massive bloviating about what one should do or not do, why, why not, when, how far, never do this, never do that, how could this happen, why it will never happen to me, BLAH BLAH BLAH.
The guy tried it, it worked for him, unless you got something constructive to add go back under the bridge (trolling…never even knew there was a phrase for such a thing).
How about some useful information, like where else can someone go and buy this product over a counter? Instead of harping on the what if’s, maybe help a brother (sister) out to avoid the shipping expence on an already overpriced product we all know so well you’ll never use for whatever ever reasen ever and ever amen!
Cause I’m pushin 60 and I believe Mr. Murphy exists, I’M GOING TO TRY IT and all the fluff here isn’t helping me experience it myself one bit.
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