Petrol charge

[Isafari]

Just paid the balance off our car hire. We are going through Dollar and our paperwork says that we will be charged for a tank of petrol when we pick up the car.
Any idea of how much Dollar charge for this?

[Tink]

I don't know how much they charge, but do check. They need to give you an itemized list. If they are going to charge you for a full tank on the release of the car, do they expect a full tank on the return? If so, I'd raise a question about that.

I rent cars with the refuel option, that means THEY refill it when I return it (and I pay the standard charge per gallon). They tell me what the cost will be up front.

Does that help at all or make things more confusing?

[Isafari]

If they are going to charge you for a full tank on the release of the car, do they expect a full tank on the return? If so, I'd raise a question about that.


Not sure about that either Tink :unsure:

I need to email them.

EDIT: looks like I send it back empty

[Johnie]

Hmmm that sounds odd.

The cars I rent almost always have a full tank when I pick it up. I then have the options of:

1. returning it full
2. Prepaying for a full tank and they fill it when I get back
3. If I do neither of the above, they refill it for me and charge my credit card like $8 a gallon!

What size car are you getting?

[Isafari]

It's an intermediate car Johnie.
This is a passage in the terms and conditions from the voucher....


What's NOT included;

Fuel. If you have purchased the Fully Inclusive rate this will NOT include the first tank of fuel. Fuel options vary from supplier to supplier so please check the fuel conditions when you collect the car. Most suppliers will charge you for a tank of fuel on collection of the vehicle in this case return the vehicle empty as possible.

[Tink]

If you are returning it empty then they will charge you to refill it. That's the purpose of the presenting charge.

Do email them though for clarification. I don't want to tell you something and have it be totally wrong. I've learned that things vary between UK and US rentals/use. Why, I'm not sure, but they do.

[ukwdwnut]

they charge a lot more than just what it costs at the pumps thats one thing i know, so i always take an ugrade to have a full tank and return it full diane

[Tink]

Unless they do something different for UK folks, the gas per gallon charge isn't always higher than what is on the street. Sometimes it's actually less.

Right now we are paying anywhere from 2.73-99 per gallon...

[premier travel]

I have had many heated discussions about fuel charges and they say someone has to fill it up!!!. Well I would not mind being given around $4 a gallon for filling it up. Nice profit.Normally I give people the option and telling them the cost of prepaying the tank of fuel.

[uscwest]

When I rent a car I am always given the option of prepaying for a tank of gas. This tank normally costs about the same price, sometimes a bit less and sometimes a bit more, than what you would pay if you pumped it yourself. You can then return the car to the hire place with NO additional fuel cost due at the return, so yes you can return it empty. If I plan on doing a LOT of driving then I usually choose this option and try to return it as empty as possible. If I don't plan on doing a lot of driving I will find a gas station relatively close to the airport and fill it up myself, so that the gauge will still read FULL when I turn it in. If you do not fill it up when you return then you will pay RIDICULOUS prices per gallon to have them fill it for you.

[Slowhand]

Diane I`ve just dug out my paperwork from our recent trip.
Like you I rented a car from Dollar on the basis of taking it back empty of gas on its return.

The tank was full on collection for which I was charged $66.42 which was calculated at a rate of $3.69 per gallon.
This was for a Dodge Charger [apparently 18 gallons tank capacity], so a smaller car is likely to have a smaller tank so the cost will be proportionately less.

[Isafari]

Thanks Terry, that's a great help. :thumbsup:

[Tink]

Holy COW!!!! That's an outrageous price per gallon! :eek:

[Slowhand]

Holy COW!!!! That's an outrageous price per gallon! :eek:
Compared with the regular price at the pumps over there it is Tink, however compared with UK gas prices it`s a bargain! :lol:

[Tink]

Oh yes, I know your prices are prohibitive, it's just that a price per gallon like that here, is a total rip off. :(

What if you refuse to pay it, and say give me the car on "empty?" There are gas stations right near the airport for you to be able to fill up.

I just think that's terrible. :(

[Slowhand]

What if you refuse to pay it, and say give me the car on "empty?" There are gas stations right near the airport for you to be able to fill up.


Strangely enough, when I booked the car through Virgin, they told me that this would be the case..i.e. the tank would be on empty on collection and that I should also return it empty.
Presumably the car rental companies automatically tank the cars up before they are rented again? :unsure:

[Tink]

Depending on the contract scenario. If you pick it up empty and return it empty, then no. If you pick it up full, then the car rental place will fill it up. They have tanks on their site (or used to anyway). Maybe that is part of the matter? With all the changes to the laws and the new EPA regulations, maybe rental car sites can't have their own pumps any longer.

That would cause them to have to invest more time (at least) into filling the cars and thereby justify a bit of an increase in charge. :unsure:

I'd insist on it empty. There is a station directly across the street from the airport.

[uscwest]

Even if you pick the car up with a full tank, which I almost always do, they have to give you the option to refill it yourself before you return it. They are NOT supposed to charge you for that first tank of gas unless you request the no fill on return option.