Jul 31, 2013, 2:34 am
Last edit by: IAHtraveler
Recently, there has been a run of complaints on Avis charging for partial gallons of fuel after the rental return. I'm merging all similar threads into this forum for future discussion.
Some Avis cars now have a method to determine fuel level to the 0.1 gallons. In these cars, they take (fuel out) - (fuel in) and charge you their posted rate for the difference. Even though you might have filled up 2 miles from the station, you could be on the hook for fuel. The fuel fees typically appear after the rental is closed. It seems only cars with "VR" stickers on the driver's side window have this capability so it might be worth trying to avoid these vehicles.
Update on 9/15: It's called Zibox and the article is HERE.
Note: Some comments might appear out of order since a few threads were merged.
Some Avis cars now have a method to determine fuel level to the 0.1 gallons. In these cars, they take (fuel out) - (fuel in) and charge you their posted rate for the difference. Even though you might have filled up 2 miles from the station, you could be on the hook for fuel. The fuel fees typically appear after the rental is closed. It seems only cars with "VR" stickers on the driver's side window have this capability so it might be worth trying to avoid these vehicles.
Update on 9/15: It's called Zibox and the article is HERE.
Note: Some comments might appear out of order since a few threads were merged.
Avis Fuel Surcharge Master Thread
Apr 2, 2013, 1:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Wilmington, NC
Programs: US Airways, Hilton Honors, Marriott Rewards, Hertz Gold
Posts: 21
Avis Fuel Surcharge Master Thread
This is the second time this has happened to me. I picked up the car Full and returned it Full.
However I got a Fuel Service Charge because they say when I picked up the car it had 16.9 gals and I returned with 16.4 gals. They say they have a device to tell the level over the Full level on the dash board.
I complained and got it reversed.
Also explained if it happens again, I will take my rentals to Hertz, or National, or Budget, or etc.
However I got a Fuel Service Charge because they say when I picked up the car it had 16.9 gals and I returned with 16.4 gals. They say they have a device to tell the level over the Full level on the dash board.
I complained and got it reversed.
Also explained if it happens again, I will take my rentals to Hertz, or National, or Budget, or etc.
Apr 2, 2013, 6:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
Actually I kind of like the idea, provided they show you the level before you leave. I'm sure we've all had the experience of getting a car on "full" only to see the needle drop 2 miles after leaving the rental lot. To the OP, how far away from the Avis lot did you fill the car?
Apr 6, 2013, 11:44 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,965
but they don't use gallons there. The US just does not usually worry about thse details...Also, was it AT the return or after?
So, did they charge you 0.5 gallons, 1 gallon or 1/8 tank? To me, if they can measure this precisely, then demonstrate and charge this precisely! I would also ask them to show the device has been certified by the State's Weight and Measurement regulartory agency.
You would think the device like this would be car specific?
Apr 10, 2013, 2:28 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: LAS
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hertz President's Circle, Uber Platinum
Posts: 116
They need to do this - but do it ACCURATELY
I hate getting a car that is 15/16 full. I always fill up at the closest gas station to the rental car return. That is the expectation. I return the car at 99.9% full, I want it that way when I fill it up.
I'll bet they didn't top the car off though, and that the next renter's contract indicates it was full when it was picked up.
I'll bet they didn't top the car off though, and that the next renter's contract indicates it was full when it was picked up.
Apr 11, 2013, 6:07 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern CT & Phoenix, AZ
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Hyatt Plat, Hilton Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 237
Bogus fuel charge at EWR in March
Got nailed with this at EWR in March with a one way rental from HVN. They wanted to charge me about $12 saying that the tank was only 7/8 despite the fact that the gauge was still on F and I had filled up a few miles up the NJ turnpike.
The funny thing is that I only spent about $15 in gas when filling up to get all the way from New Haven, CT to EWR (about 90 miles) and they wanted to charge me another $12 for what literally would have been an eyedropper of fuel.
I protested and the guy then presented a revised bill saying he would "split it with me". When I cried foul play again, he brought in the supervisor and the charge was waived completely.
The supervisor said they had a "virtual reader" (not sure what that is) installed in the car which somehow detects the fuel level and doesn't allow the return agent to override it. This is the latest scam in trying to extract more $$ out of the travelling public as I'm sure most folks don't even notice the charge until it is too late.
The funny thing is that I only spent about $15 in gas when filling up to get all the way from New Haven, CT to EWR (about 90 miles) and they wanted to charge me another $12 for what literally would have been an eyedropper of fuel.
I protested and the guy then presented a revised bill saying he would "split it with me". When I cried foul play again, he brought in the supervisor and the charge was waived completely.
The supervisor said they had a "virtual reader" (not sure what that is) installed in the car which somehow detects the fuel level and doesn't allow the return agent to override it. This is the latest scam in trying to extract more $$ out of the travelling public as I'm sure most folks don't even notice the charge until it is too late.
Apr 13, 2013, 10:11 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
(In other words, is this the years-old "less than 75 miles" situation or something else? Your post does not make that clear.)
Apr 13, 2013, 10:41 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,965
Apr 29, 2013, 6:23 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA & UK -- AA EXP 3.5MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis President's Club
Posts: 6,411
I unknowingly rented one of the new-fangled tattle-tale cars (my first time) in PHL about 8 days ago. I understand the cars are identified by a windshield sticker which has the letters "VR". They're supposed to automatically tell Avis how much fuel is in the tank.
I returned my rent-car slap-full but the car reported it as slap empty. They handed me a receipt showing an extra charge for a full tank of ga$$$. I told them I filled it up at the nearest WaWa station (okay, admit it, you also like to say the name of that gas station: WaWa). They acted like they see this same problem several times a day: send me to the Avis Preferred shack where they immediately took off the bogus charge with no flack.
They told me it was possible to put in your profile "no VR" however I went online and did not see that as an option. Does anyone know if "no VR" is an option? I think I'd choose that option if it were available, mainly because I just don't normally allow enough time to spend an extra 10 minutes on the car lot getting the bill corrected.
I returned my rent-car slap-full but the car reported it as slap empty. They handed me a receipt showing an extra charge for a full tank of ga$$$. I told them I filled it up at the nearest WaWa station (okay, admit it, you also like to say the name of that gas station: WaWa). They acted like they see this same problem several times a day: send me to the Avis Preferred shack where they immediately took off the bogus charge with no flack.
They told me it was possible to put in your profile "no VR" however I went online and did not see that as an option. Does anyone know if "no VR" is an option? I think I'd choose that option if it were available, mainly because I just don't normally allow enough time to spend an extra 10 minutes on the car lot getting the bill corrected.
Apr 29, 2013, 8:30 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: US, AA, Delta, BA, Hilton, Marriot, HYATT
Posts: 433
Avis On Location
Some vehicles are equipped with in devices which monitor vehicle diagnostics and can be accessed remotely without your knowledge. Avis does not use this technology to track or otherwise identify the location of the vehicle unless the vehicle is reported as stolen.
In locations utilizing the technology that supports this functionality, when we charge you for fuel we will bill based on the size of the specific fuel tank. Avis will then establish 1/10th of a gallon increments for the specific fuel tank and all fuel charges for these vehicles will be based on 1/10th of a gallon.
https://www.avis.com/car-rental/html/vr/tandc.html
Some vehicles are equipped with in devices which monitor vehicle diagnostics and can be accessed remotely without your knowledge. Avis does not use this technology to track or otherwise identify the location of the vehicle unless the vehicle is reported as stolen.
In locations utilizing the technology that supports this functionality, when we charge you for fuel we will bill based on the size of the specific fuel tank. Avis will then establish 1/10th of a gallon increments for the specific fuel tank and all fuel charges for these vehicles will be based on 1/10th of a gallon.
https://www.avis.com/car-rental/html/vr/tandc.html
Apr 29, 2013, 8:43 pm
#13
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,032
I unknowingly rented one of the new-fangled tattle-tale cars (my first time) in PHL about 8 days ago. I understand the cars are identified by a windshield sticker which has the letters "VR". They're supposed to automatically tell Avis how much fuel is in the tank.
Jul 24, 2013, 2:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 154
"Non Pg Items" automatic charge for refilling gas tank
I had a pre-paid rental at BDL earlier this month. When I returned the car, my receipt showed $4.31 in “non pg items”. I wasn’t supposed to have been charged anything since everything was to have been pre-paid, so I contacted Avis customer service about the charge via email once I got home.
I found out from their response that my rental car had been equipped with some kind of fuel gauge sensor that remotely detects the amount of gas in the tank. It showed that I left the Avis lot with 16.9 gallons of gas and I returned the vehicle with 16.5 gallons of gas – so they were charging me for 0.4 gallons of gas. Fair enough, I guess…..however……
What irks me about this is:
*I was charged the equivalent of $10.78/gallon for the missing gas ($4.31 / 0.4 gallons = $10.78) – highway robbery even for a rental car company;
*It seems as though Avis is trying to be sneaky about this fee. If they were being upfront, the fee would have been called “Gasoline” or “Refill Tank” or something along those lines on my receipt, not “non pg items”. Frankly, I suspect many people don’t even question this charge since it’s lumped in at the bottom with a bunch of other fees & taxes. The only reason I noticed it was because I was on a prepaid rental, it was the only fee, and was expecting a zero-dollar invoice.
To Avis’ credit, they did refund me for the $4.81 without hassle.
I suspect that these gauges are not yet used widely, as the email from Avis referenced them as being used in “select locations”.
I’m wondering if these gauges are the future of rental cars? If so, are we all going to be forced into refueling the gas tank AT the airport in order to avoid excessive refueling fees?? My 0.4 gallon deficit came about because I filled up the tank on my 20 MPG vehicle about 8 miles away from the airport. Had I refueled at a station 2 miles away and had a 0.1 gallon deficit, would I have been charged a $1.08 fee ($10.78 x 0.1)?
Anyway, this was new to me and I wanted others to be aware and “fuel up” close by the airport – and watch your final bill for strange charges!
I found out from their response that my rental car had been equipped with some kind of fuel gauge sensor that remotely detects the amount of gas in the tank. It showed that I left the Avis lot with 16.9 gallons of gas and I returned the vehicle with 16.5 gallons of gas – so they were charging me for 0.4 gallons of gas. Fair enough, I guess…..however……
What irks me about this is:
*I was charged the equivalent of $10.78/gallon for the missing gas ($4.31 / 0.4 gallons = $10.78) – highway robbery even for a rental car company;
*It seems as though Avis is trying to be sneaky about this fee. If they were being upfront, the fee would have been called “Gasoline” or “Refill Tank” or something along those lines on my receipt, not “non pg items”. Frankly, I suspect many people don’t even question this charge since it’s lumped in at the bottom with a bunch of other fees & taxes. The only reason I noticed it was because I was on a prepaid rental, it was the only fee, and was expecting a zero-dollar invoice.
To Avis’ credit, they did refund me for the $4.81 without hassle.
I suspect that these gauges are not yet used widely, as the email from Avis referenced them as being used in “select locations”.
I’m wondering if these gauges are the future of rental cars? If so, are we all going to be forced into refueling the gas tank AT the airport in order to avoid excessive refueling fees?? My 0.4 gallon deficit came about because I filled up the tank on my 20 MPG vehicle about 8 miles away from the airport. Had I refueled at a station 2 miles away and had a 0.1 gallon deficit, would I have been charged a $1.08 fee ($10.78 x 0.1)?
Anyway, this was new to me and I wanted others to be aware and “fuel up” close by the airport – and watch your final bill for strange charges!
Jul 24, 2013, 3:32 pm
#15
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,032
This has been discussed a few times here (I'll find it later if someone doesn't find it first). Supposedly, the rentals with this "gauge" have a sticker with VR (probably "virtual reader") on the front window.
I've seen this a couple times and have come to refuse any cars with this VR sticker. Not that I'm trying to game Avis or the next renter, but I'm not going to fight when they try to charge me $10/gallon because I drove it 6 miles from the gas station to the airport (plus when they drove me to the airport/hotel in the car).
I've seen this a couple times and have come to refuse any cars with this VR sticker. Not that I'm trying to game Avis or the next renter, but I'm not going to fight when they try to charge me $10/gallon because I drove it 6 miles from the gas station to the airport (plus when they drove me to the airport/hotel in the car).