Modern Buddy

Not too serious a matter, but now that I have over 50 miles on my new Buddy (and love him), it occurred to me that it might be better to obtain a portable plastic gas container and fill the tank myself at home.

How do you all fill? At the station or at home?

I would just love pulling up to the station next to an SUV, put $3.60 on my debit card, smile and take off

I thought about a gas can too, then I realized I have to drive my gas guzzling SUV to the station to fill it. Instead I just pull in, grab a paper towel, fill up, pay and go.

I fill at the station, somehow my bill is always 2.00 dollars flat. I guess I fill it at 1/3 tank left which always lets me pay the same at the window.

at the gas station because its so much easier with the nozzle and you wouldnt have to worry about spilling with the container.

There is an issue with gas going "stale". Depending on how often you fill up, it might be better to get gas at a gas station where it is relatively fresh.

I siphon off of a co-worker's Hummer H2.

jmazza wrote:I siphon off of a co-worker's Hummer H2.

Careful. They might not be able to leave the parking lot.

For better or worse, the gas station is one of the places I most frequently get approached by curious people with scooter questions. I'm usually quite happy to indulge them, unless I'm running late for something.

I love pulling up to the pump, filling the tank and getting on my way in 1/10 the time it takes a mid-sized car and for under $7. (Regular has topped $4/gal. a couple times recently. Ugh!)

Since we have 2 Buddies, I'm planning on getting a 5 gallon can, and then 2 smaller 2.5 gallon cans. The plan is to fill the 5 gal, then use that to fill the 2 -2.5 gal. The 2.5 gal cans will be much easier to lift and control to refill. The thinking is that we have a garage and it's big and the Buddies have their own nook, so it'll just be easy to top off every time we go out. It'll save on having to hit the gas station right after we leave the house or right before we get home. Since we're in the break-in period, I though it may be bad for the engine to go 1 mile to the gas station and then switch off, then back on again 3 minutes later, or visa versa for filling up on the way home. Also, I can toss the 5 gal can in the truck when I go out with that and I know I'll be stopping for gas.

Any one see any holes in my plan??

Short trips should be alright, but restarting it up again isnt that good. It takes a while to start back up after just shutting off.

I have a 30 gal. fuel cell on my toyhauler trailer and when I have extra fuel from my dune trips I fill up off of it's nozzle. I emptied it last week so yesterday I pull into the 76 station and was followed by a contractor in a Chevy Duramax Diesel. I put in $3.76 at $3.99 a gal. I seen the contractor looking in my direction and I said I can't believe these prices. It cost me $3.76 to fill this darned thing. I played it like I was completed fed up with the gas prices as I pulled a mild wheelie out of the gas station onto the side street and off onto my way to work. God I love my scooter.

I have a 2 gallon gas container I use to refill, but I do pull in and fill up at the station too.

I top off the Buddy from the 2 gallon when I get back from riding so it's full the next time before I ride.

If I'm riding and only have half tank, I pull into the gas station. Got caught once going for a longer ride than anticipated so now I keep it topped off. Riding in the country/rural area it can be a long ride to the next gas station.

Main concern to use the 2 gal in the garage within two weeks so it doesn't go bad and gumm up the Buddy.

p72 of the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog has a 14 gallon no spill portable gas pump. Price -- $170 the also have a smaller version six gallon without wheels for $70

hammacher.com

Might take you a few more miles to justify yet another expense. I'm still working off the Milk Crate I lifted when I was a teenager



kaz

gas station no point in smelling up the car or pet carrier hauling around a gas can.

Penguinboy wrote:Since we have 2 Buddies, I'm planning on getting a 5 gallon can, and then 2 smaller 2.5 gallon cans. The plan is to fill the 5 gal, then use that to fill the 2 -2.5 gal. The 2.5 gal cans will be much easier to lift and control to refill. The thinking is that we have a garage and it's big and the Buddies have their own nook, so it'll just be easy to top off every time we go out. It'll save on having to hit the gas station right after we leave the house or right before we get home. Since we're in the break-in period, I though it may be bad for the engine to go 1 mile to the gas station and then switch off, then back on again 3 minutes later, or visa versa for filling up on the way home. Also, I can toss the 5 gal can in the truck when I go out with that and I know I'll be stopping for gas.

Any one see any holes in my plan??

Seems like a lot of extra effort: Buy the cans, fill the 5 gal can (and remember to bring it when you're getting gas for the car), split the 5 gal can between the two 2 gal cans, as well as topping off every time. I'm tired just thinking about it!!

Why not just pop by the gas station when you're out and in need of gas? You should be able to get over a 100 miles to a tank so you won't likely get stuck. And as for the break-in, while yes you are supposed to let the engine fully cool before re-starting it while in break-in period, getting gas is one place I never worried about that. I only get gas once every 7-10 days or so. If you break in the Buddy for 1000 miles even, that's just under 10 fill-ups.

Your plan would work fine (except for possibly letting the gas sit in either of your cans for too long and going bad), I just don't think you need to make it that hard. The scoot will be fine if you gas up 1 mile out, even in the break-in period.

Good points one and all.

This works for us.... maybe not others who don't have as much space or other toys that take fossil fuel...but here's how it already works at our house. We have a 5 gal gas can that I fill then divide into 2- 2.5 cans 'cuz the Mrs has a hard time lifting that when it's full to fill up the riding mower, the weed whacker, the rototiller, the chain saw, the push mower we use for the woody areas, and the leaf blower we use to clean off the deck. Let me correct that- she can lift it (almost 40 lbs) but has a hard time aiming to get it in the device without spilling it everywhere. Plus some of the gear takes oil/gas mix, so in the summer I'm already taking a 5 gal can with me in the truck every few weeks anyways, so what's one more.... Plus I like the idea of keeping the buddies topped off- just get on and scoot! Gas cans are cheap,seal well, and we fill them in the driveway,so the smell disapates pretty fast.

-D

I like filling at the station just give the man a $5 bill, fil up and get change back. That's entertaining.
I am wonderig about getting a quart or half-gallon container of gas to carry on my scoot. Even at 85mpg that's less than 100mile range. Out here in AZ, it's too easy to find that it's 100 miles to the next town. I don't know if I will be taking the buddy on longer trips, but it seems like good insurance against running out of fuel whilst in the middle of nowhere.

Howard

The smell is the best part.

i don't even see the point of filling up a gas can so you can then fill up your scooter? at any rate..i've filled up one time so far and it was at the station...

the fella at the register was like " soooo you wanna throw $40 bucks into that thing to top it off?"

i was all.. " nahhh how's 2.70 for you?" CHA-CHING!