Need "Initial Fill" or Start Mileage

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by OliverGT

Because of the way we measure fuel usage and mileage there is an inherent problem with the fuel that is left in the tank, which hasen't been used yet.

I'm not sure I follow the logic here. MPG calculation is a "trailing indicator" of sorts. We can't calculate the future, only the past. And, we can't calculate what we did from the last fill up until this one (and from the first fill up until this one) until "this one" happens.

While it is true that we aren't tracking the fuel still left in the tank, we also aren't tracking the miles driven since the last fill up. Once a fill up occurs, BOTH are taken into account together.

[Draigflag]

I think he means when you fill up, and then add the fuel up, that fuel up calculates the fuel you've just used rather than the fuel you've just put in.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by Draigflag

I think he means when you fill up, and then add the fuel up, that fuel up calculates the fuel you've just used rather than the fuel you've just put in.

Makes sense, but since we're talking about going from full to full, it's conceptually the same measurement.

[n2it]

Originally Posted by freddie

This is something we plan to take a look at it but the current focus is on getting the mobile apps updates done. I handle all of the data coming in from the webs and the apps so I just don't have the bandwidth to dig into this one right now.

Thanks! I look forward to this feature when it comes out. Right now I have a bogus initial fuel-up.

[OliverGT]

ember1205,

Your comment that it is a "trailing indicator" is exactly the problem. There is always going to be some Fuel in the tank that is not used.

When you buy a car and fill it up at 0 miles with 10 gallons, although you have bought 10 gallons, you haven't used 10 gallons.

As long as you keep filling the car up everytime you will always have those 10 gallons that are not used. Over time, as a percentage of fule used, this will become insignificant.

Having said that, if I bought a car with 0 miles on it, I would like to register MPG from that point on.

Simplest way, would be for Fuelly to allow an initial 0,0,0, fill up, so 0 miles, 0 price, 0 quantity.

You can then start recording MPG from your second fill, remember that you can't record the quantity for you first fill, as this will effectively become your last fill, when you drive the car to the grave or you pass it on. Remember if you pass the car on to the next owner with a full tank, then that is effectively your first fill as well, and you have lost it, as you didn't do any miles on it.

Oliver.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by OliverGT

ember1205,

Your comment that it is a "trailing indicator" is exactly the problem. There is always going to be some Fuel in the tank that is not used.

When you buy a car and fill it up at 0 miles with 10 gallons, although you have bought 10 gallons, you haven't used 10 gallons.

As long as you keep filling the car up everytime you will always have those 10 gallons that are not used. Over time, as a percentage of fule used, this will become insignificant.

Having said that, if I bought a car with 0 miles on it, I would like to register MPG from that point on.

Simplest way, would be for Fuelly to allow an initial 0,0,0, fill up, so 0 miles, 0 price, 0 quantity.

You can then start recording MPG from your second fill, remember that you can't record the quantity for you first fill, as this will effectively become your last fill, when you drive the car to the grave or you pass it on. Remember if you pass the car on to the next owner with a full tank, then that is effectively your first fill as well, and you have lost it, as you didn't do any miles on it.

Oliver.

I understand what you're saying, but your point is misplaced. I realize that there is fuel left in the tank. The object of Fuelly is not to see how far I was able to drive based on the total amount of fuel ever put into the vehicle. It's to track my average use of fuel over miles driven. That's DRIVEN. As in past tense.

Fuel left in the tank is for miles not yet driven. It isn't relevant except that there was a cost associated with putting it in there.

[LDB]

Nobody gets a car with zero miles unless maybe it's a higher dollar car bought through a factory delivery program. Even those likely have a small amount of miles as they likely test each one prior to delivery. In any event, one would expect the car to be delivered full of fuel. Drive to the nearest station and fill it. All ninety-seven cents worth. Reset the trip odometer(s) to zero. Then drive until you next fuel. Put it in fuelly, your tablet program, your paper expense book and anywhere else you want. However many gallons you used, that's your new gas tank capacity for that specific fueling. Next time it will be a different amount and every time after that. It doesn't matter what the ultimate capacity of the tank is, only what was actually used for miles that were actually driven. When you are getting rid of the car you can either fill it and calculate that last trip mpg or give it away empty and save the money since what difference does it make what the mpg was at that point.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by LDB

Nobody gets a car with zero miles unless maybe it's a higher dollar car bought through a factory delivery program. Even those likely have a small amount of miles as they likely test each one prior to delivery. In any event, one would expect the car to be delivered full of fuel. Drive to the nearest station and fill it. All ninety-seven cents worth. Reset the trip odometer(s) to zero. Then drive until you next fuel. Put it in fuelly, your tablet program, your paper expense book and anywhere else you want. However many gallons you used, that's your new gas tank capacity for that specific fueling. Next time it will be a different amount and every time after that. It doesn't matter what the ultimate capacity of the tank is, only what was actually used for miles that were actually driven. When you are getting rid of the car you can either fill it and calculate that last trip mpg or give it away empty and save the money since what difference does it make what the mpg was at that point.

And no car logs any distance without fuel (which is already in the tank). In the US, it is customary to get your vehicle with a full tank, and miles is 4 or less (unless you do a dealer locate).

I understand the reasoning that people are giving for why it hasn't been developed in yet, but that isn't going to stop me from wanting the ability to create an initial setting WITHOUT having to fudge the first entry.

[Draigflag]

Sorry to bump this discussion again, been flicking through people's dashboards and noticed nearly everyone adds a fuel up with "fuel only" and no miles. I have been telling people adding a fuel up is miles just driven, and fuel just used, so am I wrong or is everyone else? Will this not disrupt future fuel ups and average data figures?

[LDB]

I just fill the car immediately on getting it, around a half gallon or so if the dealer truly filled it. Then I reset the trip odometers and away we go. It isn't quite purist enough for a few folks but over the course of 6 digits of miles it's plenty close enough.