How much gas in tank at buy back time?

[scooperhsd]

A quarter tank of diesel, three quarters tank of gas. Topped it off at the service station right next to the dealer, I'm sure VW will appreciate that. That's just the kind of guy I am, pay it forward.

You ass !!!

I hope that if you actually did that - that VW comes after you for repairs. Better- deduct it from your buyback funds !!!

 

[Trade Wind]

Gotcha! Just a joke. Actually I am keeping my car, hope there is a fix for it.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

Just enough.

 

[scooperhsd]

Gotcha! Just a joke.

That is NOT a "funny joke" ... I'd put the actual commision of that as akin to "deliberate damage " (see stripping cars) for the purposes of the buyback. And without "smilies" , etc. how were we to know ?

 

[PacCoastFwy923]

That is NOT a "funny joke" ... I'd put the actual commision of that as akin to "deliberate damage " (see stripping cars) for the purposes of the buyback. And without "smilies" , etc. how were we to know ?

Oh, I presumed he meant "gas" as in "air."

Man oh man, I ended up with about a gallon of gasoline mixed in my previous Jetta, and it was a friggin mess. I was able to cycle it all out of the system after approximately two fill ups, but it was crazy. It ran ok, but after shutting off the engine, I was committed to the car sitting for a couple of hours before it would start again. Being a manual, I couldn't afford a stall, because I'd be stuck waiting awhile. The car ran fine after that, no problems presented themselves probably due to the low ratio of gasoline to diesel, and it's with a friend now approaching 200,000 miles.

 

[edge130]

When I drove it into the dealer, the low fuel warning light was on.
Showed 20 miles to empty

 

[03fan]

Turned mine in about 10 miles past zero on the fuel gauge.

 

[CruisingWagon]

LMAO!

Loved reading this thread!

 

[Rmohd]

30 mile till empty......

 

[Jimbo70]

I am sure some cheapskate ran out of fuel on his way to his appointment, and missed it.

But don't you think there'd be a post titled "Volkswagen refused buyback because the tank was empty" or some such nonsense?

 

[Fourplay]

We had 4 buybacks on the same day. To give you an idea of how much fuel was left in the tank of each of the cars, we had a 2 gallon can of diesel that we transferred from trunk to trunk of each as it was returned, because we were afraid of running out on the way over to the dealership (about 3 miles from our storage lot).

Every car was returned with the fuel light on 0 mi of range showing.

Yes, we were those people.

 

[jhawklver]

We had 4 buybacks on the same day. To give you an idea of how much fuel was left in the tank of each of the cars, we had a 2 gallon can of diesel that we transferred from trunk to trunk of each as it was returned, because we were afraid of running out on the way over to the dealership (about 3 miles from our storage lot).

Every car was returned with the fuel light on 0 mi of range showing.

Yes, we were those people.

If it can work out, why not? I put new tires on mine and the bulk of the life of them will be someone else's if the cars are fixed/sold or wasted if not. I have a bit more than a week to go. My car is about 60 miles from my house (at my sis's, getting it tomorrow). My warning light just went on, so I'll likely have to fill a bit but I'm certainly not going to fill it more than what will guarantee me getting to the dealer (which is less than 2 miles from my house).

I'm doing nothing to damage my car, not stripping, etc... but I'm not wasting money on excess gas or washing the car...

 

[TDILeo]

No gas, but less than one eighth of a tank of diesel IIRC. I wonder, where is she tonight?

 

[TDIforDays]

Why would amount of fuel affect your buyback in any way? Are people going to ask if having 20 PSI tire pressure will affect the buyback...

 

[Rico567]

As one post has alluded, I find this thread fascinating, if only to observe how much time and rationalization some people will devote to something trivial....

 

[PacCoastFwy923]

Why would amount of fuel affect your buyback in any way? Are people going to ask if having 20 PSI tire pressure will affect the buyback...

Then you may want to check my poll that's about to fall of the bottom of the first page of this sub-forum.

 

[TDIforDays]

then you may want to check my poll that's about to fall of the bottom of the first page of this sub-forum. :d

lol!!!!

 

[S2000_guy]

This is fascinating reading. Especially that someone whose car (each of 4) was so low on fuel that they carried a two-gallon can of diesel in case it ran dry. Personally, I'd have spent the 60-75 cents to put 1/2 gallon in the tank to ensure that I didn't have to bleed injectors, etc. (if it ran dry) on the side of the street to get to the appointment. But apparently I'm a spendthrift.

 

[k1xv]

TDi cars have a certain appeal to the morbidly thrifty.

 

[Drnknmnky13]

TDi cars have a certain appeal to the morbidly thrifty.

Agreed. There is definitely a different mindset on this page versus any of the other car pages I'm on.


As to the original question. I turned it in with 30 miles left on the meter, and 200 on the def (although I think that was an error, as I never got the 1500 mile warning)

Honestly, someone is going to get a nice car. If they rip out the emissions system that was giving me intermittent CELs.

 

[kjclow]

My wife was worried that she would run out of fuel on the way to the turn in. I think we left the house with DTE at about 20 miles and it's a 25 mile drive to the dealer. Made it there with no problem. Not sure what the computer said when she parked it.

 

[Fourplay]

This is fascinating reading. Especially that someone whose car (each of 4) was so low on fuel that they carried a two-gallon can of diesel in case it ran dry. Personally, I'd have spent the 60-75 cents to put 1/2 gallon in the tank to ensure that I didn't have to bleed injectors, etc. (if it ran dry) on the side of the street to get to the appointment. But apparently I'm a spendthrift.

It wasn't out of thriftiness (perhaps pettiness though), just ended up happening that way.

We bought these cars from dealers with a full tank and drove them until they were almost out of fuel, then parked them for 3 months until the buyback date.

No sense in putting fuel in cars that were being returned, so just took the red fuel jug from the lawnmower and filled it with diesel, just in case. Ended up just dumping it in one of our 3.0Ls since we didn't use it.

Why would amount of fuel affect your buyback in any way? Are people going to ask if having 20 PSI tire pressure will affect the buyback...

Funny you mention that. One of the cars had a screw in the tire and custom wheel locks, but no key. I wanted to patch it or throw the spare on, but no tire shop could get the wheel off, so I just filled it to 40 psi and drove it in that way. Held mostly okay (was at about 30 psi once we dropped it off). That car was a piece of junk (every single warning light on the dash was illuminated and it only started every third time), but was my highest return - over 300%.

 

[kjclow]

I have seen people say they will give a final wash before buyback. One of the dumbest things I've ever read.

My wife kept wanting to take the car to the car wash to optimize the buyback value. On Thursday night I finally got through to her. I asked her if it ran and she said yes. I said then we have optimized the buyback value. I thought she would be a little more upset about turning in HER car but so far, nothing.

 

[bushido]

^ lol... my buyback ambassador didn't even start the car. didn't see me drive in either... and I hadn't washed the car since September 2015. Gas light was on when I dropped it off, check engine light too, and tire air pressure light, and burnt out lightbulb light too... good riddance

 

[chief poncho]

Just dropped mine off yesterday. Pulled off the freeway with about 7 miles to drive on surface streets with the trip computer telling me I had 5 miles left to go on the tank of diesel. It had been reading 1/16 of a tank on the freeway for at least 20 miles. I didn't want to get stranded 2 miles from the dealership so I stopped and put an extra gallon of diesel in her before giving it back. So it probably had about a gallon and a half in it at turn in.

 

[PacCoastFwy923]

I'm not suggesting any spiteful or harmful actions, but a whole entire gallon is very, very gregarious in a TDI.

 

[chief poncho]

Funny thing is I never ran it that low before. I had no idea if I was really sitting on an extra gallon of fuel or a tenth of a gallon! It did seem to sputter a little bit on the freeway offramp right before gas station, but that might have been my imagination. Anyone ever run their fuel gauge to where the indicator was showing completely empty? If so, how far could you drive?

And you're right. A gallon of diesel should be plenty to get that car up and down a dozen car carriers.

 

[k1xv]

I think I once got mine to show 5 miles left. Swore, never again.

If the car is to be crushed, they must drain the tank first. So, if you want to "get even with VW", return it with a full tank.

 

[PacCoastFwy923]

Funny thing is I never ran it that low before. ... Anyone ever run their fuel gauge to where the indicator was showing completely empty? If so, how far could you drive?

Not the TDIs, but funny think my Flex was sitting out front with "0 miles to empty" on the display. I've run it close to 10 miles past zero many years ago just doing some "fact finding" in relation to a thread topic on the Flex forum. I haven't made it a habit, but it's a comfort knowing what "zero" really means as far as what's in reserve.

Need to go back now at watch that episode of Seinfeld.

 

[kjclow]

Funny thing is I never ran it that low before. I had no idea if I was really sitting on an extra gallon of fuel or a tenth of a gallon! It did seem to sputter a little bit on the freeway offramp right before gas station, but that might have been my imagination. Anyone ever run their fuel gauge to where the indicator was showing completely empty? If so, how far could you drive?

And you're right. A gallon of diesel should be plenty to get that car up and down a dozen car carriers.

I've run it a good ten to fifteen miles after the computer gave me 0 DTE. That was usually on the wife's car when she got home and said, "Oh, I'm out of fuel but I'm not going back out. Can you take care of it for me?"