scm53

Ok, new one today at BWI. Filled the car at the nearer station - about 1.5 mi away. Topped it off - drive straight there. Gauge read full, receipt said full. But there was a $2.03 "fuel charge" on the receipt.

Called from the a/p while awaiting my flight. Was told there was a "sensor" that measured the actual fuel level and assigns the correct charge for the missing fuel. Asked how that could be since I drove straight there. "That is for the fuel you used in the drive". Half a gallon to go a mile and a half? "If that is what the sensor says, then yes."

Manager got on the phone and took it off. Anyone else ever hear of such a thing?

djk7

The only sensor is the one that drives the fuel gauge.

IAHtraveler

They must be topping it off and charging you for the amount used. Or just scamming. With a receipt from nearby, I'd fight it. It's only a few bucks, but it's the principle.

oldgoldflyer

Avis in NYC used to have a rule, if they could top off the tank with more than a gallon, then it wasn't really full. I sometimes brought cars back to them with the gauge over the F mark and they still tried to charge me for topping off.

Just be firm and don't accept it.

falawa

Same rule should apply on checkout

sdsearch

What car was this exactly? If there is such a sensor, it cannot possibly be in all cars. But maybe one brand / model of car???

Also, how far did you drive? Less than 75 miles? Did you show them the receipt of having fillled up? Often they'll charge you for gas if you drive less than 75 miles if you don't show your receipt. (They're suppossed to ask in such cases, but all too often they neglect to. OTOH, this does sound lower than the typical "under 75 miles" rate, unless it's by how many miles total you drove???)

hec13

Avis is trying out a new system that automatically reads the mileage and the gas on the cars to the tenth of a gallon. It's not a sensor on the gas tank, but an actual device that is plugged into the car's electronics and that communicates with the handhelds used for check-ins wirelessly when on an avis lot.

IAHtraveler

Great info, thanks for the update. However, Avis needs to publicize this. They say you need to return with a "full tank of gas". As long as the console display shows "F", that constitutes full in my book and will fight if they try to charge for anything.

dayone

USirritated

Important note: For the rentals of less than 75 miles, they have a flat gas charge, it was originally $12.50, but they raised it to $13.99 (unless they raised it again since I last rented, which would not surprise me), so it can't be the 75 mile charge if it is less than that flat charge. Also, even with the 75 mile rule, if you produce a gas receipt, their posted rule is that they will not charge you the flat amount.

Timberguy

I just brought back a car to Avis in Ontario, CA and the attendant told me the tank was not full...after I had gone out of my way to fill it up at an ARCO less than two miles away from the return center. Not wanting to argue how a hand-held device can plug in to the car and tell how full the tank is (10th of a gallon?), I think that when the pump clicks off that is pretty much as full as the manufacturer recommends the tank to be. Because Avis can force in another gallon of gas does not mean they get to charge me another gallon of gas at $10 per gallon. Really don't want to bother doing that on another Avis rental...can you imagine overfilling and having the gas overflow all over you. I really doubt they even force another gallon in there. If the gas gauge says full to next customer, no one would be the wiser, and they can just charge every customer for the small amount of tank space left after the gas pump clicks off. What a bunch of numnuts...and who's s brilliant idea was that. Is losing a customer worth 10 bucks. Just hope they don't all start doing that!

Tanic

Rented a Ford Fusion at SJC recently and noticed that the fuel dropped from F shortly after leaving the airport. Filled up close to the airport and the indicator went above F on return. Was credited about three bucks on the receipt automatically.

Timberguy

So, what your saying is that is works both ways. Unfortunately, Avis charged me $10.99 for that gallon they said I owed them. They credited you $3.00, which is less than the actual market price of a gallon of gas. They still come out smelling like roses. Have decided not to rent from AVIS anymore.

username

I have not rented a lot from Avis the last year+ because of reduced travels and going to cities that don't need a rental car. I did experience this when I returned a car at LAX the other day. The agent removed the charge without arguing.

I guess if we have faith that Avis does this consistently and correctly and also is fair about the pricing, then that is fine. However, most of us don't trust this company...

mikebg

I don't know who "us" is, but I have never had any problems in more than 4 years of renting from Avis.