Anybody feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but the estimated distance to empty is a projected average based on current driving conditions, i.e. while starting your car this morning. Any number of factors could have changed what it really was over the course of the next 165 miles, such as AC usage, acceleration/deceleration, cruise control usage, etc. Yeah the gas gauge kind of sucks, but you should also be aware enough to keep an eye on your trip computer and have a pretty good idea of a ballpark cruising range for a tank. Another point I've seen raised in other threads, and have experienced myself, is the vast majority of cars sold in America, when saying that they are empty, actually do have in fact about 20 miles or so to being bone dry.
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