Gas Refill in Portland
Jul 7, 2003, 8:22 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Posts: 88
Gas Refill in Portland
Yes, I know I should refill the tank before returning the car if I'm conscientious about costs. I didn't have time this weekend returning my car to Portland Airport (Oregon). But $5.29 per gallon? Is this the going rate these days? Yikes! (And I thought I was doing so well with my $20 off weekend coupon.....).
Jul 7, 2003, 8:52 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: California
Posts: 192
Do you have any kind of elite status with Hertz? This happened to me once in PHX with Avis. I called and explained nicely that while the charge was legit, the $/gallon was way out of line.
They were nice enough to reverse the entire charge.
May be worth a phone call to Hertz.
They were nice enough to reverse the entire charge.
May be worth a phone call to Hertz.
Jul 7, 2003, 11:47 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: Bar Alliance Gold
Posts: 16,271
If you don't think you can refuel the car before you return it, it is always better to do the Fuel Purchase Option at time of rental.
In general, I find the FPO price to be within five cents of the prices in the local area, and of course, it is about 25% of what the Refueling Charge rate is.
If I know the area, I will manually refuel nearby. But if it is the first time I have been in a city, I always do FPO. I could return the car with half a tank, and it would still be cheaper than paying Hertz to fill 1/8th of a tank if I mistime "fuel burn" back to the airport after topping off.
[This message has been edited by SEA_Tigger (edited 07-07-2003).]
In general, I find the FPO price to be within five cents of the prices in the local area, and of course, it is about 25% of what the Refueling Charge rate is.
If I know the area, I will manually refuel nearby. But if it is the first time I have been in a city, I always do FPO. I could return the car with half a tank, and it would still be cheaper than paying Hertz to fill 1/8th of a tank if I mistime "fuel burn" back to the airport after topping off.
[This message has been edited by SEA_Tigger (edited 07-07-2003).]
Jul 7, 2003, 12:20 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: AA EXP, 1 MM and CX RULES!!
Posts: 1,341
Well for SEATAC, I fill it up at ARCO near the 167 in KENT. It stays full by the time you reach the airport. Much lower in cost than what they charge near the airport for buying a tank!
$2.49 CAD /Liter is expensive. We all know it fluctuates at .69 to .85 (CAD) /Liter at a station. Plus there are more than 2 liters per gallon (metrics x too old US measurments plus the CAD is overvalued....should be at 1.58 per $1 USD).
I saw, watch out for renting cars with tanks *not* full! Make sure they fill 'em before leaving. Happened twice.
SHADO
[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 07-07-2003).]
$2.49 CAD /Liter is expensive. We all know it fluctuates at .69 to .85 (CAD) /Liter at a station. Plus there are more than 2 liters per gallon (metrics x too old US measurments plus the CAD is overvalued....should be at 1.58 per $1 USD).
I saw, watch out for renting cars with tanks *not* full! Make sure they fill 'em before leaving. Happened twice.
SHADO
[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 07-07-2003).]
Jul 8, 2003, 9:04 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Danville, CA - "When I read about the evils of DRINKING, I gave up READING.
Posts: 231
I agree with the first reply. Call Hertz and see if they will buy whatever great story you can come up with. Other than that, you just found out about gas stations in other airports and the fuel option program, etc. Good luck.
Jul 9, 2003, 12:31 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Posts: 88
Well, my only defense is that I had Gold service and so didn't see any sign with the rates. I'm not asking for a refund...just it's been so long since I've had to pay for gas direct from Hertz it seemed like a high markup. The questions was to find out if this was a standard gallon rate these days. I appreciate all of the information.
Jul 9, 2003, 4:22 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: DFW/BOS
Programs: AA Platinum (7yrs); Marriott Platinum; Hilton Diamond; Hertz PC
Posts: 62
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SEA_Tigger:
If you don't think you can refuel the car before you return it, it is always better to do the Fuel Purchase Option at time of rental.
</font>
If you don't think you can refuel the car before you return it, it is always better to do the Fuel Purchase Option at time of rental.
</font>
Another trick (from multiple experiences at SFO). If you select the FPO and keep your mileage under 80 miles for the rental, they will only charge you for the fuel used at FPO price (based on miles driven)...not the full tank. Not a bad option.
[This message has been edited by RedEye2003 (edited 07-09-2003).]
Jul 10, 2003, 7:23 pm
#13
Join Date: May 1999
Location: CVG
Programs: DL DM 4MM, Lifetime Marriott Plat Elite, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,429
The problem at PDX is that there are NO gas stations anywhere near the airport. Having done this many a time:
If you are traveling North to the airport, that the exit BEFORE the airport, there is a shell station just eat of the intersection.
If you are traveling south (from WA) pass the airport exit and go the next exit and turn left over the freeway. Look for the shell station.
Easy access back to the freeway and subsequent next exit, airport.
HTH
If you are traveling North to the airport, that the exit BEFORE the airport, there is a shell station just eat of the intersection.
If you are traveling south (from WA) pass the airport exit and go the next exit and turn left over the freeway. Look for the shell station.
Easy access back to the freeway and subsequent next exit, airport.
HTH
Jul 12, 2003, 9:04 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Sacramento, Ca USA
Programs: United 1K MM - 1.7M actually, Marriott Platinum Premier, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,231
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DL Platinum:
The problem at PDX is that there are NO gas stations anywhere near the airport. Having done this many a time:
If you are traveling North to the airport, that the exit BEFORE the airport, there is a shell station just eat of the intersection.
If you are traveling south (from WA) pass the airport exit and go the next exit and turn left over the freeway. Look for the shell station.
Easy access back to the freeway and subsequent next exit, airport.
HTH</font>
The problem at PDX is that there are NO gas stations anywhere near the airport. Having done this many a time:
If you are traveling North to the airport, that the exit BEFORE the airport, there is a shell station just eat of the intersection.
If you are traveling south (from WA) pass the airport exit and go the next exit and turn left over the freeway. Look for the shell station.
Easy access back to the freeway and subsequent next exit, airport.
HTH</font>
DL: Thanks for posting this.
There are a lot of airports where you just "assume" there is gonna be a gas station at the airport exit...haha.
Sacramento, my home airport, didn't have a gas station for several years. I wanted to pay Caltrans to put up a sign at the Richards Blvd Exit, about 4-5 miles south of the airport, saying "last gas before airport" just to save my fellow travelers the grief and expense of returning the car to the airport, and finding no gas stations within miles.
Fortunately, Arco put a station in a few years ago...it's now a very popular place to hang out while you're waiting for inbound PAX...that way you don't have to deal with the cops that keep chasing you away from the terminal.