Don't burn the last ounce of gasoline

With gasoline climbing toward $3.60 or above, it's tempting to get the most out of each and every tank of gasoline.

We've heard the drill before: Combine your trips, keep your vehicle tuned up and the tires correctly inflated, don't haul around unnecessary weight.

But don't push it too far.

According to AAA Nebraska, during the months of June, July and August, AAA's national network of road service providers expect to dispatch fuel to more than 120,000 motorists whose cars and trucks have empty tanks.

Running your vehicle's fuel tank dry is not only inconvenient and unsafe, it could lead to costly mechanical repairs, AAA points out.

For one thing, sediment that settles on the bottom of the tank can clog the fuel pump pickup, the fuel filter, or, in the case of today's modern engines, the fuel injectors.

Plus, modern cars have electric fuel pumps inside the tank, and if they're not surrounded by a reasonable minimum level of fuel, it can cause the pump to overheat and fail.

That item alone can cost $500 or more in parts and labor, AAA says, so keep your tank at least a quarter full.