Rental car add-on fees are already out of hand. But leave it to a Dollar Rent A Car franchisee in New Hampshire to kick it up a notch:
Some rental car locations are charging an extra fee to consumers who return their cars with a full tank. This “top-off fee” is being charged even if consumers present evidence they have that the tank is full.
Wow. Just… wow. Charging extra for a full tank??! Every time you think they’ve tapped out the possibilities for new fees, they come up with a new one.
And it was in the fine print of the e-mail confirmation that was e-mailed to the customer:
“Gasoline Policy: Vehicle must be returned with full tank or local refueling charge applies. If car is returned full a $2.00 top off fee will be applied.”
Topping off what, exactly? It’s full!
This isn’t a standard policy across any and all Dollar locations. Rather, “the fee was being test-marketed by Dollar at select locations in New England.” Well, great, then.
Note to Dollar Rent-a-Car: Customers don’t care if it’s a franchisee or a corporate-owned site. They just care that they’re getting screwed. If it’s the Dollar name on the door, customers will blame you.
If you want to charge a higher rate, fine, but don’t BS the customer with charges for fuel they aren’t using.
Related:
- Low mileage, high surcharges
- Car rental companies find new and innovative ways to screw good drivers
- Car rental companies hate New Yorkers — unless they live in Manhattan or Staten Island
- Wanted: Kinder, gentler gouging?
- Reader mail: What happened to car rental late-return grace periods?
- Rental car agent blows smoke up my backside, redux
(via Consumerist)
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January 21st, 2008 at 2:50 am
I won’t be using them anytime soon.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:21 am
Crooks
January 21st, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Now, while I don’t agree with the way Dollar went about this, I do understand why they did it.
Flashback to my days working rental car returns and you would be surprised to know how many gallons of fuel a day is used to top off the cars once they have been cleaned. Even after you fill up you are burning gas to get the vehicle to the return yard. Further, you would be amazed at the number of people that stop refueling when the pump shuts off. I was always amazed that you can get another 2-4 gallons in a 06-07 Trailblazer after the pump shut off.
While I understand their motivation to charge this fee, I do agree that this should be handled another way. Just hike the rate by $2, or hide it in that catch-all “concession recover fee” that every rental car company uses (and abuses).
January 21st, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Aren’t you supposed to stop then?
FYI, the EPA advises that topping off your tank is bad for the environment, for your car, for the gas station’s systems, and for your wallet:
http://www.epa.gov/donttopoff/
January 21st, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Actually, most gas stations have clearly stated on their gas pumps that you should stop once the pump does (and I’ve traveled pretty extensively through several NE states to see it).
I’ve never used dollar, and apparently, never will…
January 21st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Instead of Dollar, the franchisee might consider changing the name on the door to Two More Dollars.
And I concur with the previous comments about the negative effects of topping off any car — not just a rental vehicle.
Claire @ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
Outrageous! I guess they’re just test-marketing it to see if they can get away with it. A good reason not to choose Dollar. Penny-wise and pound-foolish, they’ll discover this is no way to attract customers.
January 24th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Jason H, I sense a pattern…
November 24th, 2008 at 9:38 am
If they charge a top off fee then the customer should get an out of the rental yard credit for fuel that is used by the company to bring the car to its parking space. It’s only fair. The real problem is deeper. The American public has been tricked in to the often false belief that you need a car when you arrive somewhere and this belief is pushed by travel agencies, the airlines, and others as they get a commission. In many cities there is available transit which they conveniently don’t tell you about. Avoid renting a car unless going in to an area away from a city. You will be amazed at the savings!