Bay Area to LA just on I-5!

[skierrob]

Went back from the Bay Area home to Los Angeles via I-5 yesterday in my 06 Civic GX. Filled up in Los Banos and then again in Santa Clarita (234 mile distance) after I realized I had enough gas to not have to drive the extra distance to cut over to the 99 for a fill-up in Bakersfield.

Had 3 bars of gas left when I arrived at Santa Clarita's Clean Energy Station. I was NOT driving conservatively at all on I-5, so I'm sure I could have arrived in Santa Clarita with even more fuel had I kept my speed lower.

Robert

[Curtis]

Re: Bay Area to LA just on I-5!

Robert, any figures on your fuel mileage?

[skierrob]

Re: Bay Area to LA just on I-5!

My scangauge II told me I got 39.6 mpg for the tank trip between Los Banos and Santa Clarita. That translates to right about 6 gallons for the distance.

When I got to Santa Clarita, I got 5.7 GGE from the pump.

I felt much better trying going from the Bay Area to Los Angeles vs. the other way around because I was able to make the decision not to go to Bakersfield when I had about 90 miles left to drive. So it was easy for me to look at the fuel gauge, decide "yup, still have plenty of bars showing" and then continue on to Santa Clarita over the Grapevine.

Coming from Los Angeles going up to the Bay Area, you would have to make the call to not go to Bakersfield much earlier in the drive. I think I would decide to motor on to Los Banos only if I had seen very few bar drops during the climb over the Grapevine and had similar MPG usage recorded on the Scangauge.

Robert

[alan]

Re: Bay Area to LA just on I-5!

I have been thinking about using my GX when I travel to Lincoln Calif. Lincoln is north east of Sacramento. It is about 420 miles from Santa Clarita. My concern is what stations to use on the 99 or the 5. I just want stations that take regular credit cards. Anyone with experience?
I had to drive my Dodge Ram 1500 5.9 liter truck two weeks ago and the fuel cost was ridiculous. Delivering some furniture so no choice this time but maybe next time I can drive the GX. Alan

[skierrob]

Re: Bay Area to LA just on I-5!

Alan,
You need to get a PG&E fueling card. There aren't any stations that I know of between Bakersfield and Sacramento that take regular credit cards.

Also, the Sacramento PG&E card is only open certain hours and the two other stations in Sacramento require different "proprietary cards" as well. The nearest PG&E station that is open 24 x7 is in Davis.

[Curtis]

Re: Bay Area to LA just on I-5!

Alan, I have the PG&E card application posted in Curt's Corned. Rob is right, everything North of Bakersfield is PG&E country. Also get the Haycock Card in the event you ever want to go to Vegas.