Here's why I ask.

When we lived in The Netherlands, we bought a new 2012 Toyota Verso. Loved the car, but with European specs we could not bring it back to the US. When we bought the car I was bragging about how great it was to my boss (an American.) He asked me if I was going to test the gas mileage and I said, "of course." He said, "No, I mean really test the gas mileage."

He said to fill the tank to the top and note the mileage on the odometer (or zero out the trip meter.) Drive the car until the needle was on empty and note the mileage on the odometer. Then drive the car until it runs out of gas and dies. Again, note the numbers on the odometer. The difference between these last two readings is important because it tells you how far you can go on "empty." 

My boss thought this was common practice that everybody did when they got a new car. I said I never heard of it and that it was a crock of shit. I told him I was afraid possibly damaging the engine / electronics / or whatever doing this stunt. To me, when you get down to about a half tank, it's time to fill it back up. He just shook his head like I was crazy for not doing this.

So, 11Wers, is my former boss a nut case, or am I sadly misinformed? I've already decided that he's a couple sandwiches short of a picnic, but I'd love to get your spin.