£5 of petrol

[backwoodsman]

Why do people put £5 of petrol or diesel in cars?

At the most, you will do what, 40 miles.

I know petrol is expensive, I know you don't always need a lot, but I would never put in less than £10.

All you will do is drive to the petrol station far more often.

I also thought there was a 1 gallon minimum dispense, I know there was when I was younger.

[ChrisRS6]

Maybe because they are skint!!

[marsred]

Because that's all the petrol they need to get to the food bank and back?

[blearyeyedboy]

As a rule of thumb, no.

But if I'm at a service station on an M Way and I know I only need a splash to get me to somewhere I can get cheaper petrol, then I certainly would.

[Matt UK]

Some people are on a weekly budget and 40 miles could be a weeks worth of driving for them.

Also, min is 2 ltrs.

[WaferThinHam]

I hate filling up. Hence the maximum amount goes in, so I don't have to go back.

[ZOLLAR]

Usually minimum of £15, but I'm in a hire car at them moment with no idea of when it goes back so have dropped that to £10 in case it has to be returned quickly

[J4CKO]

Part of living hand to mouth, most don't have an option.

[marsred]

Also, reminds me of a girlfriend I had a loooong time ago who's dad told her never to put in more than £10 of fuel in case your car gets nicked. They did live in a ropey area though. And they were pretty rough. Bullet dodged there.

[berlintaxi]

Why does it bother you?

[Toaster Pilot]

Always dribble as little as I can into full-to-empty or empty-to-empty hire/courtesy cars!

[skyrover]

£5 in the jerry can for the lawnmower

[The Moose]

A mate of mine used to do this. Even if we were going a couple of hundred miles, he'd only put a fiver in and then fill up 30-40 miles down the road. I never did understand it.

[Turtle head]

If people are living hand to mouth why would you have capital tied up in fuel if it can spent on food or heating.

Some people do live that close to the line.

[mike9009]

When I first started driving I would fill up with only £5. It would last me a week and I was skint too. Mind you it was 1995, 46.9p/litre and prior to global warming.....

Mike

[David87]

ChrisRS6 said:

Maybe because they are skint!!

I guess it must be this, but you sometimes see people putting £5 or £10 in cars that aren't cheap. I can never work out if they've overstretched to buy the S-Line or if they just can't stand not having a full tank.

Edited by David87 on Saturday 23 November 10:31

[Efbe]

easy.

1) rental car - don't want to give it back with more than you have to.

2) family car - kids don't want to spend money when the parents can!

3) shared car (with husband/wife) same deal, but they're a bit thick.

4) people just don't have enough money to put the needed amount of fuel in. Look at pay day lenders for people in dire straights.

[billzeebub]

if I only had a fiver I would put that in. Once whilst at Uni I put 38pence in

[g3org3y]

The Moose said:

A mate of mine used to do this. Even if we were going a couple of hundred miles, he'd only put a fiver in and then fill up 30-40 miles down the road. I never did understand it.

Was the second place he'd do the 'proper' fill substantially cheaper?

[londonbabe]

Turtle head said:

If people are living hand to mouth why would you have capital tied up in fuel if it can spent on food or heating.

Some people do live that close to the line.

Which surely means they cannot afford to run a car at all.
What else are they skimping on? Insurance?

If you're really that broke, sell your car and buy something cheaper.