CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Everyone wants to save money on gas and with prices always fluctuating, we'll try just about anything to get more back for your buck at the pump.
Everything from topping off your tank, filling up with "off-brand" gas and filling up at a certain time of day have been floated as ways to save money on gas, but how effective are they, if at all?
WCNC Charlotte's Verify team is taking a hard look at these claims and putting them to the test. Do they really work? If so, what is the best method for saving money on gas?
OUR SOURCES
CLAIM
You should top off your gas tank after the pump shuts off.
ANSWER
False. You don't need to top off your tank after the pump shuts off. It could even cause car problems in the long run, according to De Haan.
"Usually when the pump turns off, your vehicle is 98 or 99% full," he said. "Full and topping off really isn't something that people have to do."
Damage to the evaporative emission system can hurt your car’s performance and make your check engine light turn on. Replacing the damaged part can cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500, GasBuddy says.
Normally, the evaporative emission system will last for the lifetime of your car, AAA says. But topping off your gas tank even once runs the risk of filling the tank to the point that you ruin the delicate filters in the system, according to AAA.
CLAIM
Pumping your gas on a certain day of the week will save you money.
ANSWER
False, gassing up on certain days of the week will not save you money.
"Filling up on a day of the week is probably not going to cause you to pay a whole lot more or less," De Haan said. "There are a lot more things that consumers can do to save themselves, like shopping around before you fill your tank."
De Haan said gas prices can be affected by the time of year. For example, gasoline tends to be more expensive during summer.
CLAIM
Off-brand gas is bad for your vehicle.
ANSWER
False, off-brand gas is not bad for your vehicle. De Haan says it's more about individual stations and protective measures they take to keep fuel clean for their customers.
"At the end of the day, all gasoline is going to run just fine in your vehicle," De Haan said. "It's really about the station that sells it, whether or not some of those stations may not invest as much in making sure that their gasoline is not contaminated or things of that nature, but 99.9% of stations are selling gasoline that's going to run just fine in your car."
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make a difference in the Carolinas by making sure the community has the correct information. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.