my preivous cars were never had a digital fuel meter, always relied on the fuel gauge, (could also work out how much petrol it would cost to fill etc (half tank £25 etc)

but now on my focus i have both a fuel gauge and digital read out, which gauges do you use? which 1 is best to use?

I prefer digital one as it tells you how long you can stil drive...

I tend to rely on the miles to go, but only after checking with the analogue readout... I dont tend to trust the digital implicitely, but the combination of the two, I will drive it to sub 10 miles to go confident that I will actually get there!

does anyone know how acurrate the digital read out is? i.e if showing zero miles the car will cut out

Well...I have been at that stage many a time, and have driven at least 7 miles past 0 miles to get to the petrol station ( was in the middle of nowhere). But it was a butt clenching 7 miles :)

agreed, one day I ticked to 0 miles and within half a mile, the engine gasped and almost cut out and I rolled onto the forecourt, other times I travelled a few miles beyond.

Most I've done was 28miles after 0... And I believe I put in about 0.5l less than What the manual says is full capacity lol!!

haha and theres me worrying and making a b-liine for the petrol station at 23 miles

I think its more dangerous with diesels as you cant let the pump run dry ( I think).

yeh its not wise to let a diesel run dry,luckily i dont have a diesel so wont have that problem :)

Also by running the car with fuel that low you will end up sucking all the crap that's swishing around in the bottom of the tank and clog up your fuel filter....As soon as the light comes on I fill up...

yeh i found out it comes on with 50 miles left, (digital reading) bit naff when working 27 miles away, return trip being 54 miles

I tend to try and get it as low as humanly possible when its due a service. the fuel filter is replaced anyway and I would rather have the cack in the filter, to be replaced, and not slushing around the tank to stuff up the next one!

You shouldnt let a diesel run dry as its much more difficult to prime the pump when its empty!

I dont normally trust the digital gauge, do a brim to brim test and find out approx how much I have left when the needle hits the quarter point, I generally refill once it hits a quarter as I dont want sludge ruining my car ;)