# Topping off the tank **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 22, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170 "2008-04-22T20:51:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170/21 "2008-04-23T22:28:38Z")
Most newer cell phones have a calculator built into them, I know mine does. I usually fill up till it stops, then come home and calculate the mileage so I’m not holding anyone up at the pump, and not using my phone on the road. ---
**Author:** ![miguel8730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@miguel8730](https://community.cartalk.com/u/miguel8730)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170/22 "2008-06-10T01:24:53Z")
Yep NJ sucks they love to overfill you’re tank ans spill gas all over the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170/23 "2008-06-10T11:21:23Z")
If you keep a running total on the mileage, any difference from one fillup to the next will cancel out. ---
**Author:** ![popof9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5fc32e/32.png) [@popof9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/popof9)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 12:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170/24 "2008-06-10T12:01:59Z")
_Don’t_ top off your tank. I have learned the hard way that this is a bad and expensive thing to do. I fill to the first click and keep track of how many miles I get on each tank. There is some variance between measurements (and there is going to be even if you do top off becuase of different driving conditions, etc.), but I have a very good fix on my gas mileage. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170/25 "2008-06-10T13:12:27Z")
Only if you’re too lazy to get out of the car! If the attendant is nowhere to be found when the pump clicks off, I will remove the pump handle, put my gas cap back on, take my credit card receipt, and be on my way. If the attendant is present when the pump clicks off, a simple “That’s enough–no more”, or “Bastante” is sufficient. All you have to do is to get out of your car in order to prevent the tank from being overfilled. Somehow, I don’t think that this is very difficult. ---
**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 4:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170/26 "2008-06-12T04:37:34Z")
That one poster is right. There is no way to fill a tank that accurately to get exact gas mileage. If you are that determined to get exact mileage, get a car with a digital mileage meter. It won’t be any more accurate, probably, but you will think it is which is all that matters. All you can do is find long-term average mileage. And, that takes several tanks to figure. One tank can provide rough estimate, but not that accurate. For that, you would need special systems to get exact fills. On the other hand, why not toss your money into the economy for this phobia? Beats using it on booze or porn or something disgusting. My 1989 Dodge Caravan sometimes smelled like gas. My mechanic, found in the mechanic files here, told me I had been overfilling, and that model would clean the canister if I stopped overfilling. sure enough after while the smell went away. I have no idea why some will self-clean and some won’t. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/topping-off-the-tank/13170.md?page=1)