Fuel surcharge on a 9 mile rental?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: Premier, Marriott Gold, Alamo Race Car tester
Posts: 66
Fuel surcharge on a 9 mile rental?
I rented today from Avis like I always do in SoCal. Ended up only driving 9 miles, tank was still full on a car that gets 20+ MPG. I didnt have a receipt for "filling" up the car upon return.. I kept saying.. I went NINE miles... "well, you still need to replace the gas" I kept saying.. what gas did I use in NINE miles... ended up charging my $13.95 fuel surcharge. They never stated this when I rented in the morning. I know Avis has this at some facilities, but not all. Normally when DO have the fuel surcharge on less than 75 miles, they tell you before you leave or there is a sign, etc. No sign, no warning, nothing.
.......s... anyone else seen this practice?
.......s... anyone else seen this practice?
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between EWR & PHL
Programs: UA MileagePlus dirt (former hard-way Silver); AS Mileage Plan MVP; Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 1,586
I rented today from Avis like I always do in SoCal. Ended up only driving 9 miles, tank was still full on a car that gets 20+ MPG. I didnt have a receipt for "filling" up the car upon return.. I kept saying.. I went NINE miles... "well, you still need to replace the gas" I kept saying.. what gas did I use in NINE miles... ended up charging my $13.95 fuel surcharge. They never stated this when I rented in the morning. I know Avis has this at some facilities, but not all. Normally when DO have the fuel surcharge on less than 75 miles, they tell you before you leave or there is a sign, etc. No sign, no warning, nothing.
.......s... anyone else seen this practice?
.......s... anyone else seen this practice?
Originally Posted by http://redirect.avis.com/services/fso/index.html
EZFuelTM and Fuel Service Charge
If you don't choose the Fuel Service Option and you bring the car back less than full, you'll pay a fuel service charge. If you drive 75 miles or more, depending on whether you bought fuel during your rental, this charge will be a per-mile or per-gallon rate and will be stated on your rental agreement.
At most locations, if you drive less than 75 miles, we will add a flat EZFuel service charge to the rental. This can be avoided if you've purchased fuel and provide us with a receipt.
If you don't choose the Fuel Service Option and you bring the car back less than full, you'll pay a fuel service charge. If you drive 75 miles or more, depending on whether you bought fuel during your rental, this charge will be a per-mile or per-gallon rate and will be stated on your rental agreement.
At most locations, if you drive less than 75 miles, we will add a flat EZFuel service charge to the rental. This can be avoided if you've purchased fuel and provide us with a receipt.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: Premier, Marriott Gold, Alamo Race Car tester
Posts: 66
If you don't produce a receipt when you return the car, you're going to be charged for refueling. It's automatic for any return showing < 75 mi driven. The policy is usually posted on a sign at the desk (which, if you're Preferred, you probably wouldn't see because you've bypassed the desk) and sometimes provided via a sticky-note on the Preferred contract card (or possibly on the tear-off portion of the contract card). It's also posted on the website:
Maybe its just a crappy Avis airport office?
#4
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Gold, AA Lifetime Gold, United Silver, BA Gold
Posts: 864
Fuel surcharge on a 9 mile rental?
First of all you have 15 grace miles to fill gas. For 9 miles they should not have charged you anything.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,600
I rented today from Avis like I always do in SoCal. Ended up only driving 9 miles, tank was still full on a car that gets 20+ MPG. I didnt have a receipt for "filling" up the car upon return.. I kept saying.. I went NINE miles... "well, you still need to replace the gas" I kept saying.. what gas did I use in NINE miles... ended up charging my $13.95 fuel surcharge. They never stated this when I rented in the morning. I know Avis has this at some facilities, but not all. Normally when DO have the fuel surcharge on less than 75 miles, they tell you before you leave or there is a sign, etc. No sign, no warning, nothing.
.......s... anyone else seen this practice?
.......s... anyone else seen this practice?
In many markets, Avis used to include a preprinted post-it type note about the 75 miles/$13.95 charge on the back of the contract printout. I noticed that they stopped including the note at SJC earlier this year
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: Premier, Marriott Gold, Alamo Race Car tester
Posts: 66
#9
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,032
1. Fill yourself AND produce a receipt upon return. Avis doesn't add any fees.
2. Don't produce a receipt (whether or not you refilled) and you'll pay the EZ Fuel fee.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: CDG
Programs: More shiny with hotels than airlines.
Posts: 184
Had a polite argument with the guy who wanted the receipt but he finally admitted that he couldn't at the same time confirm the 8/8 on return AND charge for gas.
#13
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between EWR & PHL
Programs: UA MileagePlus dirt (former hard-way Silver); AS Mileage Plan MVP; Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 1,586
At SNA, there is no preferred desk. Walk up, say your name, ID, give you the keys, off you go. No sign for EZ Fuel, does not say EZfuel or under 75 miles on my cardstock they gave me.. only the cost per mile .58$ or 9.82 per gallon or something ?
Maybe its just a crappy Avis airport office?
Maybe its just a crappy Avis airport office?
#14
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
Yeah, I've seen it almost everywhere too. Drive less than 75 miles, get the surcharge added on unless you produce receipt of fillup.
Still better than Hertz, where they would charge me for a full tank of gas even though I drove more than 75 miles and produced a receipt...
Still better than Hertz, where they would charge me for a full tank of gas even though I drove more than 75 miles and produced a receipt...
#15
Moderator: GLBT Travelers & Hyatt Gold Passport
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: CVG
Posts: 15,300
Ok - here's a twist on the situation. Normally I rent from National, but I made a mistake and booked one day too early and couldn't switch because the location PHL was sold out (as were other agencies). Avis had some specialty cars available so I booked one without any other options available. Booked a Prius for $140 for 1 day - of course when I arrived, there wasn't one so they gave me a Kia Optima and adjusted the rate down $20 (fair enough). During the rental I drove 76 miles, did fill up the tank ($12.00 or 3+ gallons), turned the car in the agent asked if I had a chance to get gas (which was yes) but didn't show the receipt since I wasn't aware of the policy and the pump wouldn't print the receipt right there anyways, got the receipt - and it said drove 76 miles, Fuel tank was full, but was charged $9.30 for fuel - called corporate service and it was adjusted off.
In the end it was fine, but there obviously was a hassle factor.
In the end it was fine, but there obviously was a hassle factor.