It’s been nearly a year since I rented a car which actually came with a full tank of gas. Seemingly every time, the needle is hovering somewhere near 3/4 tank.
This always bugs me, because you’re supposed to return the fuel at the same level, and it’s quite hard to fill the tank to precisely 5/8 or 3/4 tank. Go below that point, and they’ll charge you extortionary fuel prices. Go above that line, and you’re giving a gift of gasoline to the company. Over time, I’m sure the company makes out quite well with this, charging penalties to some and pocketing free gas from the others. Win-win for them.
So now Budget and Avis have come up with a new way to annoy and exploit the renter, and they have the chutzpah to say that this is a convenience. Keith Alexander in the Washington Post reports:
To help offset gasoline prices, Budget Rent a Car is imposing an additional $9.50 charge on all vehicles driven fewer than 75 miles.
[...]
The new charge is aimed at renters who drive short distances and don’t fill up their tanks before they return because the gas gauge still reads “full,” even though the tank is a few gallons short. In the past, Budget filled the tank and billed the customer the highest rate. But now, Budget will impose the $9.50 charge even if the renter tops off the tank before returning the car. The charge will be removed only if customers show their gas receipt to a Budget agent, one traveler has already reported, slowing travelers often rushing to catch flights.
…and I’m sure they’ll be asking every customer for their gas receipt and happily volunteering to take that charge off. Sure. What a convenience!
Keep that gas receipt, show it to the attendant when you return the car, and watch the bill.
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February 14th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
I’m appalled! I’ve been duped into returning it full when I didn’t even get it on full – I thought it was MY fault for not checking before I left the lot. Thanks, I’ve now seen the light!
February 25th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
[...] Yesterday, I posted about a new fee to look out for when renting a car. But when I posted, I had missed this NYT article that points to another recent change in terms that potentially affects renters: Among the most noteworthy changes are these: Hertz is holding its customers responsible for “any and all” loss or damage to a rental car resulting from natural disasters, from hailstones to hurricanes. If you return a rental car after hours, Hertz may continue charging you for the car until the rental office reopens (it used to consider the vehicle returned when you brought it back). And it abbreviated the grace period for returns to 30 minutes, from one hour. [...]
February 27th, 2007 at 12:31 am
[...] As I’ve said before, it’s nearly impossible to approximate the proper gas level if it’s not full when you start. If you’re trying to be a good citizen, and trying to avoid the gouging fees of $5.99/gallon gas, you’ll always end up over-filling, thereby giving the company a gift of a gallon or two. And that’s not acceptable. I want a car with a full fuel tank, so I can return it full, without pulling out a calculator. [...]
April 5th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
[...] First time here? Check out the site’s “greatest hits,” ask a question, or subscribe to the latest posts via RSS or e-mail. Thanks for visiting!I know that car rental companies are getting more onerous in their restrictions on rentals. (Like low-mileage charges…) [...]
April 5th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
[...] – More changes to car rental terms and conditions – Low mileage, high surcharges – Car rental rates at Enterprise are negotiable – The death of the grace period? Or just the last [...]
April 22nd, 2007 at 7:44 pm
[...] too little? That’s a fee. Live in the Bronx? Enjoy your surcharge. Bring the car back undamaged? More and more, that may be [...]
November 29th, 2007 at 8:59 am
[...] more being charged extra fees for returning your car with a full tank Consumer victory! One of the very first posts on this blog — in its first week of inception, in fact — railed against Budget [...]
December 13th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
The most insulting experiance was with an in-town van rental from Discount (a Canadian company) the agreement showed the tank as full and the guage in the van read empty. I brought this discrepancy to teh agents attention and he said then return it it empty. I needed the van for work and I was heading to a destination I had never been. I estimated what I though I needed for the day and when there was still gas in the van that night when I retunred it, I idled in the lot for a while to run it dry to spite them.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 am
[...] – Low mileage, high surcharges – Car rental companies find new and innovative ways to screw good drivers – Car rental companies [...]