Hertz - Full to Full? I don't think so...

Latest from Hertz seems to be supplying cars with a "full tank" that is far from it... I had noticed with most recent rentals that the needle is regularly a little way off the 10/10 mark and decided this morning to check.

Collected a car from Stansted airport, went straight to the petrol station (less than a mile away) and put in 8 litres! Doesn't sound much but that was £9 of petrol I shouldn't have to pay for (I always return full unless there's a life/connection threatening delay)...

Car, of course, was the usual non-upgrade upgrade we all expect from Hertz and parked in the furthest possible bay from their little Gold Counter shed...

Latest from Hertz seems to be supplying cars with a "full tank" that is far from it... I had noticed with most recent rentals that the needle is regularly a little way off the 10/10 mark and decided this morning to check.


If you notice that the tank is a little low or the needle is below the mark, you can ask for them to not 7/8ths on your receipt. That is still not the "correct" answer because when you refill it before turning it in, I am nver quick enough to stop it at 7/8ths, I'd just assume get ten bucks off. But they will note this.

I've turned in the car with 15/16ths and gotten credit for full, plus a lot of cars have an extra 16th or more past the full line, so there can be up to about an 1/8th of wiggle room.

I seem to get a lot of cars where the fuel gauge needle is below the "F" mark. I fill up before I turn the car in and the needle is always well above the Full mark on the gauge. I figure I'm putting in about $10 worth of gas more than it had when I picked up the car. I mentioned this to one of the people who was working the return aisle and he went and got me a $25 voucher towards future rental costs. I gave him a $5 tip for hustling to the counter to get the voucher for me. As this continues to happen, I don't expect those staffing the returns to be so generous in the future. I suppose I should drop the car off with the gas at or below the 'F' mark, but I never know when the gas is getting close to full as opposed to shutting off automatically when the gas hits the sensor on the nozzle. I think we just have to accept that this is something that goes along with the territory of being a frequent traveler.

There really isn't any excuse for a car not being full at airport locations. There is a fuel pump right next to every vacuum station and they should be topping off the car to make sure it is full.

Shame on the return agent for accepting a tip. I always refused tips and I would have dragged any employee of mine right into my office if I caught them taking one. Being offered a tip was always a very nice gesture by a customer but totally unnecessary and against policy with good reason.

It's binary - the car is either full or it isn't.

I really don't see why it should be accepted that cars are "not as advertised". We pay a premium price for Hertz and should receive a premium product/service - premium products don't cost the customer extra for what is contractually included.

Words will be had at Stansted when I take it back tomorrow! Not that Hertz ever give a **** about customers - especially PC ones they see as tied to them and therefore open to abuse.

I'll run to the end of the year mainly with Hertz - I use other rental companies when Hertz charges are ludicrous - to get PC again, then switch to another company and start building status with them. I have complete flexibility on car hire. Probably Europcar who seem to have embraced what Avis just used to say - "we try harder"

It depends whether the car company works on 'needle' full or 'click' full - they are different things. I'm happy to work to either, but I like to know where I stand.

If I suspect the car isn't full, I top it off as soon as I see a petrol station. Any more than a couple of litres and I mention it on return. I am particularly harsh on Europcar, who have routinely charged me for two litres when the shoe is on the other foot.

I have a much better relationship with my local (non-airport) Hertz. There's give and take, and there's never been an issue over fuel. Once or twice I've mentioned (on return) that it wasn't full and they've happily credited me with 1/8. Other times I top the tank off despite knowing it wasn't quite full when I took it. It all evens out in the end.

In fairness to Hertz, I've had leeway on this. On one occasion, I completely forgot to refuel. Rather than charge me half a tank at the inflated refuel rates, they charged me for quarter of a tank - bringing an amount fairly close to what I'd have paid at the pump.

But it is usually something I check on getting into the car - and if it isn't full, take the two minutes to go back and notify them, rather than facing the inevitable fight at the end of the rental.