Gas station help!

[Bryanpark2]

We recently purchased a 30' TT. After only camping seasonally we are planning on traveling extensively around the country. I was curious how you experienced RVers plan ahead on gas purchases so you don't get caught low on gas or at a station where you don't fit. We use gas not diesel so just truck stops won't work. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[RavensFan24]

bobndot wrote:
Inconsiderate people who leave vehicles unattended at the pump while they wonder off for a visit inside the station is more of a problem than a tight fit to get in/out. Its especially bad when a D Donut or Subway is attached. Then you will wait while they eat . It just blows my mind that people do that.

Unfortunately, it's a "Me first" world we live in and people don't respect their fellow humans.

[bobndot]

Inconsiderate people who leave vehicles unattended at the pump while they wonder off for a visit inside the station is more of a problem than a tight fit to get in/out. Its especially bad when a D Donut or Subway is attached. Then you will wait while they eat . It just blows my mind that people do that.

[wrenchbender]

I will try to plan ahead and hit truck stops.

[John_Betty]

At ½ a tank, I keep an eye out for a convenient place to fill. As mentioned by others, saving a few bucks isn’t nearly as important as finding a place that’s easy to get in and out. On long trips, I usually carry 2 Jerry cans for those ‘just in case times’ and always top up the tank before hooking up and heading out.

[fireman41]

I'm used to long vehicles that bend . I drive a truck for a living, so gas stations well towing my tt don't really bug me.
But sometimes your going to have to wait till someone moves or block people in.

[Bryanpark2]

Thanks for everyone's responses. I appreciate all the experiences and suggestions. I have downloaded several of the apps and feel much better prepared for my coming adventures.

[FLGup]

Stopping for gas usually coincides with wanting to P. So I look for a shopping center with a McDonalds or Wendy's etc that is within walking distance of this big shopping center lot. After a drink and P, I sit in the shopping center lot and use google maps to eye a easy in/out gas station or distance to the next town.

[Heavy_Metal_Doc]

25 gallon tank getting 8 or 9 MPG -- I also start watching the signs looking for a likely station when I get to 1/4 tank.
We took our first 4k mile trip this summer and even with stopping roughly every 200 miles, I only got forced into a tight spot once when I could not make it through a heavily built up suburban area.

I look at it this way -- 99% of the goods / products we use / consume everyday get delivered buy tractor trailers averaging about 70 feet in length. If they can get in there to deliver the fuel, Coke and Doritos, then I can drag 35 feet of TT in to do what I need to do....you just need to practice and get comfortable handling your trailer, and then watch out for the cars / pedestrians.

[Scooter86]

I like to start looking when I get a little under a half tank. I have learned not to pass up an easy access station just because we have a half tank or the price is a little higher than we have been seeing either. The GasBuddy app has saved some headaches as well. It is nice having some pics of a few nearby stations to plan things out.

[jmcgsd]

Our old F350 has 2 tanks so when we switch tanks we start looking. It kind of like all those that start at 1/2 tank.

Also, if we have camped somewhere and unhooked at the campsite I always fill the truck up before hooking back up if there's a station anywhere near. Since we are retired and try our best not to do mega mileage days sometimes this insures we won't need another stop until we're camped again.

[Coolerman]

Never gave it a thought in the pop-up we towed but with this new camper, I will start to pay a bit more attention. I downloaded the iExit app just now and pinned the findfuelstops.com site to use on our trip to Colorado next month.

Funny story about running out of fuel. We were going out to Colorado several years ago in the pop-up. This was before the age of "cell phone apps" but I had planned the trip on our home computer. We were in eastern Colorado headed west and the winds were coming out of the west at about 30 mph. I was not prepared for how much it affected our fuel mileage. I was busy just keeping us in the road and was not really watching the gas gauge. We had a planned fuel stop about 16 miles ahead of us, but going up a long grade I was horrified when the truck started sputtering! I coasted to the side of the road and that was when I noticed the BIG YELLOW FLASHING gas light on the dash. DOH! We had cell phones but of course no service. I also had no gas can. Or did I?
What I did have was a gallon can of Coleman Fuel for our lantern! I dumped it in the tank and away we went! 16 miles later and there was a small gas station where I filled up the tank AND the Coleman can!

[Major_Dad]

I don't start looking for fuel at 1/2 or 1/4 tank. I plan where to stop before I even crank up the engine in the morning, and backup possibilities in case of increased fuel consumption. Since we travel out west where gas stations can be few and far between, planning is crucial. When we have cell coverage, we then use Gas Buddy to choose the specific station based on location and ease of entry and egress. No worry involved when you plan ahead...must be the military ethos ingrained in me!

[Vet_Man]

When I find an easy in and out gas station, I save it on my GPS. I almost always travel that way again sometime.

[danimal53]

after a few trips from Chicago to the east coast, I've found a lot of rest areas/service plazas that accommodate truck parking also have gas pumps near the truck diesel pumps. obviously pretty easy to pull through if the big boys can do it. They're usually clearly marked so you can see which pumps have gas before you pull thru and get cant go back.