Avoiding the pump is also landing more drivers stranded on the side of the road.
“What it does is it exposes the pump to high temperatures because it’s not submerged so if you chronically run your car low, let’s say under a quarter of a tank, it definitely reduces the life of the pump because the pump is constantly overheating,” said Nelson.Waiting to the last minute to fill up at the gas station could actually cost you more money than filling up in the first place.
“To replace a pump on a lot of these cars, you could spend $600, $800 sometimes $1,000 to replace a pump,” said Nelson.Marquis said paying for a full tank of gas is not common anymore. “I’m only getting $15 today and I have plenty of money to get more, but I have to use it for food and other bills,” said Marquis.AAA said high gas prices aren’t the only blame for more stranded drivers. Experts said it can also be a sign that current traffic volumes have returned to pre-pandemic levels.