JFK Fuel Scam or Real Technology?
 

I topped off the gas at the new JFK Sunoco station before returning the car 5 minutes later. Sure enough, they check me in at 7/8 and charge ~$20 for refueling. When I pointed to the fuel gauge and showed the receipt dated from 5 minutes ago, the attendant claims the car "automatically" transmits the fuel reading at the gate and there is nothing he can do. I went inside and they took off the fuel charge as a "one-time courtesy credit". Mind you I am a President's Club member who rented AVIS cars for 24 out of 26 weeks year to date. The agent also repeated the whole "automatic fuel reading at the gate". Is there any truth to that?

Others have reported remote fuel level sensing technology at rental car returns. I don't know if it's an aftermarket product or a reading they get from the engine/vehicle body control computer.

The language that says the vehicle's fuel gauge is the marker of record still appears in the U.S. Preferred Service T&Cs:

7.3 The fuel level of the Vehicle at the time You rent it and at the time You return it to Avis is determined by visual inspection by Avis of the Vehicle's fuel gauge.

Was it a Ford? Fords and a few others have the electronic fuel gauges and Avis uses those to determine fuel levels (against their T&Cs). With these, I always snap a pic of the fuel/odometer on the way in & out as I have been incorrectly hit for fuel a handgul of times. Also, unless these electronic gauges have been certified by state divisions of weights & means (or whatever your state calls it), I don't think it's legal to use this for charges.

Thanks for pointing this out, I will refer to their own T&Cs next time there is dispute about fuel.

No, Toyota Camry.

IMHO Avis is begging for a class-action suit on this. Since customers have nothing but the fuel gauge for information it is unreasonable to use other technology, and, of course, the remote-read approach is contradicted by the T&Cs.

The link to that paragraph is HERE. if you ctrl+F, and search for "fuel", it's the 38th occurrence.

Thanks for the link and search instructions.... this is indeed buried deep in the T&Cs.

Based on the "visual inspection" I cannot imaging how my fuel gauge reading could be anything but 8/8.... in fact, looks like 9/8 to me.

http://i61.tinypic.com/20qmf7o.png

Wow, that's absurd! I'd send in a complaint b/c you had to waste your time when the gauge showed that full.

That link is for Preferred service T&Cs. Now, the OP is Chairman, so that would apply. But the general question is:

Does this only apply to Preferred (and above)? Can Avis use another method for "walk-ups", those who reserve without joining Preferred, etc?

Apparently, they CAN! I found a Rental Jacket in the car (dated 11/13) which says in paragraph 10 that they can use telematics to determine the fuel level. Unbelievable!

http://i59.tinypic.com/2vdpiki.jpg

I'd assume they can (as noted above) as I cannot find anything about fuel determined by the gauge/other for non-preferred members online. However, all CHM & PC members should be Preferred (profile online should say "Preferred Chairman's Club" or "Preferred President's Club") so this applies to the OP, as you noted.

That's interesting. I had a Fusion from BOS that after about 180 miles of freeway travel showed only a quarter tank left. I took the car back and they said that I had about 5/8ths of a tank even though it showed 1/4 of a tank. Needless to say they switched out the car and put a credit on my bill for the amount to fill it back up.

There is also this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avis-...-thread-3.html

I have not run into a VR for a while. Maybe they start with places with high gas cost?

I've seen a few VR cars in the last month but not many. I've seen/had several Ford/Lincs with the electronic fuel gauge but no sticker also. I'm wondering if they just stopped putting the stickers on the cars since some (many?) refuse cars with the VR sticker.