Evora 400 fuel warning light

[Simon Bateman]

I just wondered what the concensous was regarding MPG accuracy on the trip computer and remaining fuel when the warning light comes on.

I was running at just over 27 mpg yesterday and calculated that the 60 litre (13.2 gallon) tank would get me to around 356 miles to fully empty.

I actually got to around 270 miles when the light pinged on.

My best guess is that the low fuel level light comes on with around a quarter of the tank or just over 3 gallons left.

I brimmed up this morning after reaching 315 miles still at the same MPG and managed to squeeze in just under 54 litres (11.8 gallons)

I know it's not wise to run the tank down too far but that does seem a but on the cautious side .......

That said, our Civic Type R has an 11 gallon tank and the warning light comes on after it's used approximately 8 gallons.  As a result I'm now on first name terms with the lady at our local Tesco petrol station🤩

 

[bosshog]

So having a just returned from a 5 day driving trip where we couldn't fill up until the end of each day, The light comes on when you have 10 litres left (out of 60).

 

 

[Simon Bateman]

Based on the extra miles I did and the amount I managed to squeeze in, it seemed closer to 3 than 2 gallons.

I'll have another go at the numbers when I get through this current tank of fuel.

I'm also taking it on a driving holiday to Italy later this year and it's always good to know what you have in reserve, so you can factor that in with the scheduled fuel stops.

 

[DJW]

In my 380 Exige, with a 48L tank, when the fuel light comes on it only takes 32L to fill it back up 🙄

After running out of fuel less than 20 miles after fuel light came on in my V6S , I’m nervous to test how far I can go 🙁

[Simon Bateman]

Not sure I'd be able to get by with a tank as small as that and low 20's MPG.

Horses for courses and all that I suppose........

We did a driving holiday a few years back in a Cayman with fuel stops were between 150 to 200 miles.  I was managing to sometimes miss one out and go on to the next one, whereas another couple in a Mustang with an 11 gallon tank were barely getting to double figure MPG and were having to squeeze in additional stops.

They spent 3 times as much as we did on petrol......

[C8RKH]

But then they also did not have to skulk about the petrol station not owning up to being in the Cayman!

[au-yt]

Interesting comment made by the dealer when I picked up my 400 that filling up if your patience you can get another 5 litres in the tank when filling up, I mave only once had the light come on to find I had about 10 litres left.

[Simon Bateman]

21 hours ago, C8RKH said:

But then they also did not have to skulk about the petrol station not owning up to being in the Cayman!

Oh dear.....really!! 😩

I ordered my very lightly optioned base Cayman in 2014 with a list price of less than 40k.  With some nicer wheels, cruise control and sports tailpipe, plus a discount from the OPC, it was still only just over 40k.  That's not a million miles away from half the cost of my 400 and a lot of car for the money and also one that was faultless for the 24k miles and just under 3 years ownership.

Flat 6, 1310kg kerb weight with 275ps was enough for most situations and the handling and balance were excellent.  

I think the Cayman gets under the skin of some Lotus owners because it's often incorrectly used by Journo's in a comparison with the Evora and the numbers never really match up.  I've always seen the Evora as a 911 alternative and on that basis it compares favourably in price and spec.

In truth, the Cayman is a bloody good car and if sensibly optioned, it's also at a good price point..  Better than a 911 in some guises and as much as I love my Evora, you won't catch me dissing ze Germans.

 

[C8RKH]

HAHAHA, yes, so sorry @Simon Bateman but my loathing of the Cayman (I have never liked it since it was first released - just think it looks shite, but that is MY personal opinion) is very well documented so would not have been a surprise to many on here!  You can justify it all you want, but I will never agree and nothing to do with Journo's. I just have an intense dislike for the car.  I was the same with the Boxster. Had never liked it until the Spyder came out and the latest styling and now have to admit it is a grower. But not the earlier cars. Just ignore me. ;)

I'd buy a stripped out old Boxster with just the chassis, body (no roof and f/r bonnets) and wheels as I am sure it would make a good trailer for taking the garden rubbish to the tip!  

 

[Simon Bateman]

Well everyone is entitled to an opinion.........although I'm starting to wonder if you had a bad experience with Porsche as a child 😃. 

Did you have a Porsche pedal car that broke down or something🤩

Ironically my first matchbox car was a Lotus Europa.........which I think is still in a box at my Mum's house........ebay anyone!!

[C8RKH]

No bad experience as a child. 

There are some Porsche cars I am very happy to be seen in. To watch. To savour. To get in. Etc. 

The Cayman is not one of them, that is all.

As I said I just think it looks totally shite. It even looks shite when the usual owner ( a hairdresser or finance manager) is driving it.

Not rational I agree. Just MY opinion only.  It is OK to not like something. Even when it has a Porsche badge on its nose.  I feel exactly the same about the Audi TT.

 

To get back on topic. The fuel light on my 410sport seems to come on with around 15 litres left in the tank.  Rather annoying.

[Simon Bateman]

2 hours ago, C8RKH said:

To get back on topic. The fuel light on my 410sport seems to come on with around 15 litres left in the tank.  Rather annoying.

That's nearly exactly the same as mine was last week........the computer also seems to start to fudge the remaining miles as you get closer to the reserve and 70 odd miles just seems to go from the range to make the numbers work.

I just need to ignore it when it comes on initially.........

 

[trcm]

Reminds me of the 54l tank I had in my Elise 220, light came on with about 20l to go and I never did get around to fixing it before I px'd for the Evora.

A quick check of fuelly.com shows I normally fill up my Evora S with just over 50l, and I do fill up shortly after the light comes on, so guessing 10-15 litres for the light, same as your 400.

[Bruss]

Not run out with either Evora yet, but due to previous Lotus fuel tank optimism I now always carry a 5 litre can (plastic?) in the boot just in case of parking on a slope.

 

[Steffen_Leitgeb-LSWGmbh]

On ‎03‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 10:20, C8RKH said:

HAHAHA, yes, so sorry @Simon Bateman but my loathing of the Cayman (I have never liked it since it was first released - just think it looks shite, but that is MY personal opinion) is very well documented so would not have been a surprise to many on here!  You can justify it all you want, but I will never agree and nothing to do with Journo's. I just have an intense dislike for the car.  I was the same with the Boxster. Had never liked it until the Spyder came out and the latest styling and now have to admit it is a grower. But not the earlier cars. Just ignore me.

I'd buy a stripped out old Boxster with just the chassis, body (no roof and f/r bonnets) and wheels as I am sure it would make a good trailer for taking the garden rubbish to the tip!  

 

Honestly I tried to buy a Cayman because I am German and live near the Porsche Factory and Porsche is one of my customers in racing and many of my customers drive them ... but then I remembered the day I drove the Evora in Hethel ... and instantly forgot about the Porsches ... luckily 🙂

 

[JayEmm]

I find myself filling the Evora up with 48 litres of fuel nearly every single time.

There is one important exception. During VERY hard use (eg. track), the fuel counter goes from being pessimistic to optimistic - I was out driving on track and the car still said it had a bar of fuel left. I turned it off after a session and was going to do a few more laps, but when I turned it on the light was on and it said refuel.

I got it to a station about three miles away, and filled it with 59 litres!

[Simon Bateman]

Interesting regarding heavy track use.........

I've come to the conclusion over recent years that the petrol warning lights on cars tend to come on quite early, but that the only way they are reliable or consistent is when you do a similar type of driving over the entire use of a given tank of fuel.

I've had a warning light come on in my old 911 in the past, regarding emissions/cat converter, when going up or down hill with only a gallon or so remaining.  I know it's not good for modern cars to run out or low on fuel, so maybe the apparent over cautious approach to fuel warning lights is for that reason. 

[JayEmm]

It's probably much harder than we appreciate to measure fuel as the tanks are odd sizes, and full of liquid which sloshes around.

I know why 996 era 911s are wildly pessimistic with their fuel gauges. A number of them were made with overly optimistic gauges. I recall being in one with my father when I was very young. He was not impressed at coming to a halt on the dual carriageway in a brand new car with a quarter of a tank still showing on the gauge!

[EGTE]

The 996 thing was because of RHD: the steering column placement meant the tank was sort of saddle-shaped. They measurement was done on one side and the other side an estimate.

[C8RKH]

World class engineering that. Not.