Other Car Rental Programs/Partners (ie. Alamo, Enterprise, Sixt) - Enterprise and Fuel

I've done a handful of rentals at Enterprise and I can't ever recall getting a car with a full tank. It's always at 7/8, 3/4, or sometimes half a tank. Do they charge customers who don't refuel and then just not bother to fill it? Every other rental agency I've gone to gives me a full tank and tops up the car (for a fee) if it's not full. I'm not mad about it, more just curious...although it can be frustrating trying to return a car at precisely the right mark rather than just brimming it a few blocks away.

I've had some Enterprise rentals with the needle at E and the gas light on and dinging.

This has been my experience with Enterprise, too. It's sloppy and unprofessional, IMHO, but they do seem to cater more towards casual renters who don't know any better.

If you think about it, Enterprise nearly ALWAYS comes out ahead. Let's say the first time they rent a car, it goes out with a full tank. If a customer returns it with a full tank, then no harm/no foul. If a customer returns with less than a full tank, Enterprise makes money by charging that customer for the difference (at an inflated rate), but doesn't actually fill the tank.

The next customer is told to bring it back with 5/8th's of a tank (or whatever), but human nature is that people are afraid to get dinged for fuel at inflated rates, so most people add more fuel than needed. So a car that went out with a 5/8th's tank is returned with a 3/4's tank. So in that case Enterprise is on the receiving end of a free 1/8'th tank of gas. Over time it must surely add up to some big money.

During my tenure working there, at least in Phoenix, these were the procedures.

Airport: Cars are filled until the needle clicks and NEVER topped off.

Home City: Cars are rented as is unless it's an important corporate account. If the car is on E no more than $10-$15 are put in the tank.