geosch

We are currently renting with Dollar. When we picked up the car (fully prepaid) at LAX the agent insisted that she had to put FPO (fuel prepaid option) on the rental contract. We replied that we were intending to bring back the car with a full tank of gas, but she kept saying that it was only an option and that we would get it refunded if we presented a fuel receipt from within 10 miles of the drop-off.
I just called Dollar's customer service, and they essentially said the same thing.
Does anyone have any experience with FPO refunds at Dollar? Should we expect any hassles? Is there anything we should make sure of?

AutoSlash

While they may be willing to remove the charge if you provide a gas receipt, what the agent at LAX and the phone rep told you directly contradicts what it says on their own website:

The agent was being dishonest. She did not "have to put FPO on the rental contract". This is a shady practice, and one we have seen at locations outside the U.S. (it happened to me at Hertz in Paris) and/or at the discount brands, but to hear that it is happening at a major brand at a large airport location in the U.S. is disconcerting. I would email Dollar customer support to complain.

FPO is an option. It should never be forced on the customer. If the agent insists that they put it on the contract, I would ask to speak with a manager and escalate the issue.

Quokka

Note that what the OP reports about the Dollar counter agent and CS phone rep saying that Dollar will remove the FPO charge if you provide a gas receipt is how Hertz now operates its version of FPO:

https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/produ...se_Product.jsp

Dollar may be following suit and behind in updating their web site.

However the actual rental contract the renter is asked to sign is of more importance than what a web site, counter or phone agent says.

And with Dollar, Hertz and any other US major car rental company, the Fuel Purchase Option is an ... Option. One that may be declined and so the counter agent lied on that point.

geosch

The rental contact, which I only got to see after signing on their electronic sign pad, basically says the same as their web site. This is why I made the effort to call their customer service.
CS asked for my rental contract number, so they should have had access to the precise details of that very contract.

Unlike my previous experience with Dollar (and recent experience with e.g. Alamo) I did not have to nor had the chance to initial each clause (e.g. declined extra insurance) separately.

jackal

While an exact reading of the rules as printed does indicate that, the largest rental car sales training consultant firm in the industry promotes this sales tactic, and locations that use it should generally honor the verbal promise.

However, the verbiage is slightly confusing. The intent of the option is that if you bring the car back 100% full and with a receipt to show it, the office will remove the FPO. However, if you use any amount of fuel at all, even only half a gallon, and do not present a receipt at return, then the full FPO will remain on the contract, and you'll be paying for a full tank, not a prorated amount. There is no partial refund for unused fuel; it's an all-or-nothing option: either bring the car back full or pay FPO for the full tank.

I don't know whether this is now an official corporate policy, but if an agent verbalizes this to you, I would safely assume you could get it removed at the return, but if you want to be sure, have the agent make a note on your receipt to that effect. If you absolutely insist it be removed before leaving the counter, though, they should eventually comply (perhaps informing them that you will be in a hurry when you return and do not want to have to wait in line to remove it). The sales consultant firm that pushes this tactic generally does so in a relatively low-pressure, customer-friendly way (as a "you don't have to think about it now, we'll let you decide later" kind of thing), but since Hertz corporate has moved away from using that particular sales training firm, it doesn't surprise me that management has twisted the tactic away from its original intent and into a more pushy form.

geosch

To wrap up: I did make a second call to their customer support and was told the same lines as with the first one.
Now when I dropped the car (full) at the airport and presented a fuel receipt from a nearby gas station Dollar's receipt still listed the FPO. The receiving agent told me that I had to go to the information booth at the other end of the parking lot, and the agent there then, upon being presented the fuel receipt, deducted the FPO, not without pointing out though that they would not be obliged to do so. The final receipt did read USD 0.00, and to date, Dollar has not made an attempt to charge the credit card.
Making use of the FPO would have been almost $20 more expensive than filling up oneself.