My receipt from the GRR Hertz agent's handheld printer was $9 less than what showed up on my credit card bill. Hertz customer service said I was billed for the fuel purchase option. Evidently this was done after I left the premises. Although Hertz credited me, it pays to reconcile your receipts.

Okay let me get this straight you returned the rental and was met by a return agent and you were given the printed reciept showing the amount and show it was chargd to the CC.
Then later on u get anothr bill for $9 on the CC statement.. Someone had to go back into the contract and reopen it and readjust it and close it. a small case of fraud.
Unreal!

I recently rented an SUV in Calgary and had a similar problem. I stopped to fill the truck up about 1 mile from the airport. Returned the truck and was given my printed receipt. I then get a letter in the mail yesterday saying that an additional $33 is being charged to my credit card for fuel purchase. I'm calling Hertz today to see if I can rectify the situation. Needless to say, I'm a little pissed and it sounds like a scam to me. I wouldn't be suprised if they pull this quite often, as most people wouldn't bother, or know where to complain.

I had similar experiences at two rentals in the same week. At OAK and San Jose, I was charged for fuel refilling. In one case, I was charged even though I had filled up gas just 2 miles away. In the other case, I returned the car less than full, but was charged a vastly incorrect number of gallons. The car was a Ford Focus and unless it got something like 5 mpg, then I was overcharged. In both cases, a call or two to the manager of the location was enough to settle the problem.

The fact that this happened two times in a row when it had never happened before made me wonder if perhaps Hertz was pressuring their locations to squeeze a few more bucks out of the customers.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by outoftown:
Although Hertz credited me, it pays to reconcile your receipts.</font>

This problem is not limited to Hertz. As I posted (3/23/02) in this National (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum80/HTML/000117.html) thread, I was charge for the first time for refueling - even though I just filled up the tank.

As stated in the post above, paying attention to details is everything.

When I returned an SUV at LAX two weeks ago, the receipt was higher than I expected. I noticed that the FPO was charged. I went back to the agent and had him remove it. I never use the FPO and don't know how it got on my rental. I just filled it up before returning to the lot.

In general, which is better to order
fuel purchase option or not?

It was pretty hard as the difference in
tank size, but I supposed the option seems
expensive. When I asked at the counter,
they said they would provide less expensive
than stations nearby based on own research.

I felt that the rate it was $.05 -
$.10 higher than big marketer like chevron.
In addition, I have no idea how much of
the gas they charged me other than total price..

Does anyone justify to choose the option?
Otherwise, why do they insist such a obvious lie that they are less expensive.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cozysuite:
Does anyone justify to choose the option?
Otherwise, why do they insist such a obvious lie that they are less expensive.
</font>

I've found that the FPO is often a lower price than available gas. The few times I've chosen it is when I know I'm going to use pretty close to the whole tank, then I'll do it ...

In particular it's convenient when you're not staying near the airport and have an early morning flight (like my recent trip to YHZ where I was staying downtown, which is a good hike to YHZ, I had an SUV (so I knew I couldn't fill it up the night before and drive it to the airport and still be full), I had an early morning flight, and I knew I would use the full tank (I actually had to refill it, which is an adventure too trying to guess how much you should put in so you don't return it with too much). In that case the convenience of the FPO was pretty obvious to me.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cozysuite:

In general, which is better to order
fuel purchase option or not?

Does anyone justify to choose the option?
Otherwise, why do they insist such a obvious lie that they are less expensive.

</font>

Unless I plan to return the car on empty or close to it, I do not use the FPO. On each trip out of the Hertz lot, I look for a gas station to fill up on the return. Most of the time, I'm at half a tank or more when I start to head back to the lot. With pay at the pump at most stations, it only takes a few minutes to refuel the vehicle. The FPO would be a waste of money for me.

I didn't have a problem with Hertz but with Dollar. Of all car rental companies online, when you get to the end, they show total price for the rental period. Dollar show total for daily. Of course, I didn't know that and rented a full size for $56 a day. Rented the car and clerk asks if I wanted upgrade for only $6 more per day. Of course, I did. But less did I know, when I return the car, I was charged almost $200 for the three days. Wrote to Dollar and explained, they didn't budged. Well, that was the last I ever rented from Dollar (Summer 2000).

Haven't check their website lately so does anyone knows they still show daily rental price or total rental period price?

By the way, I always return the car with full tank of gas so they can't charge me for refill.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cozysuite:

In general, which is better to order
fuel purchase option or not?

It was pretty hard as the difference in
tank size, but I supposed the option seems
expensive. When I asked at the counter,
they said they would provide less expensive
than stations nearby based on own research.

I felt that the rate it was $.05 -
$.10 higher than big marketer like chevron.
In addition, I have no idea how much of
the gas they charged me other than total price..

Does anyone justify to choose the option?
Otherwise, why do they insist such a obvious lie that they are less expensive.

</font>

If you chose for them to refill, they charge you for a full tank of gas regardless if it's only 1/4 emptied.

It's always better to return full even though the stations is a little more.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lrickets:
If you chose for them to refill, they charge you for a full tank of gas regardless if it's only 1/4 emptied.

It's always better to return full even though the stations is a little more.</font>

No they don't. If no petrol/diesel has been purchased then they charge the per mile charge based on miles driven. If you have purchased fuel during the rental then they will charge the price for filling the part of the tank that has no petrol/diesel in it at their rate.

They do not charge for a full tank of fuel regardless

Dave

My last receipts @ IAD & DCA seem to add up fine. I will keep an eye out on future rentals, as until now it never crossed my mind to cross check receipts & statements.
Thanks for posting outoftown-
BT

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Dave Noble:
No they don't. If no petrol/diesel has been purchased then they charge the per mile charge based on miles driven. If you have purchased fuel during the rental then they will charge the price for filling the part of the tank that has no petrol/diesel in it at their rate.

They do not charge for a full tank of fuel regardless

Dave</font>

Dave, maybe because you're in the UKs? Here in the US, they charged a whole tank of fuel regardless if you chose to return car empty.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lrickets:
Dave, maybe because you're in the UKs? Here in the US, they charged a whole tank of fuel regardless if you chose to return car empty.

</font>

Even renting in the US. The refuelling charge is listed on the rental agreement and is $n.nn per gallon/ n cents per mile. I have returned part filled tanks and they have only ever charged miles driven * n cents

Dave

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:

(like my recent trip to YHZ where I was staying downtown, which is a good hike to YHZ, I had an SUV (so I knew I couldn't fill it up the night before and drive it to the airport and still be full) </font>

You never know. Not to long ago I picked up a Jeep Grand Cherokee at EWR, drove 50 miles to Princeton, NJ and returned it "full."

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lrickets:
I didn't have a problem with Hertz but with Dollar. Of all car rental companies online, when you get to the end, they show total price for the rental period. Dollar show total for daily.</font>

I rented from them a week ago and the web site now shows total (not daily) rate.

You know it seems lately I must be getting the cars that people drive 50 miles or fill up the night before an hour away and return and say it is full. I go 20 miles and I have to put 6 gallons in the car. They need to have a better way.

After returning a mini van at Hertz SLC last Friday, already at the departure gate, I noticed a $35.00 fuel charge on the receipt.

So, with no time to waste, most probably with 'URGE TO KILL' written on my forehead, I rushed out of the airport, (fortunately the rental office was just across the street), went to Hertz counter, had them take the charge off, got back in to the airport, went through the security....etc. etc. What an inconvenience!
(Yes, I did too specifically tell the rental agent "NO, I do not want the fuel option!" TWICE.)

You bet that from now on, am going to check the final statement ON THE SPOT every time I return a rental car.

I was charged approx $30 for the fuel purchase option on a rental I returned full. I just dropped a note to frequent_travelers@hertz.com and pointed out that in my last 30 or so rentals, I'd yet to select this option, and if necessary would provide a copy of the receipt from the day I returned the rental showing that I purchased fuel within an hour of the return. They refunded the charge without further ado.

Hertz's policy at EWR is to charge a flat rate per mile driven for gas--something that would equate to about $4 per gallon--if you drive less than 50 miles (about what it takes to make the needle go below the Full line) so that people don't rent the car, drive to Manhattan and back, and claim that they filled the car up.