Renters who don't fill up on gas quite all the way to F...
Jan 14, 2018, 1:56 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
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That said, larger operations (major airports, especially those with gated entry/exit) tend to be pretty good about logging every movement of each car.
Jan 21, 2018, 9:16 pm
#62
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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I run into it all the time. Most recently was last October when I picked up a Dodge Ram from RDU. I drove it 47 miles, most of which was on freeways, but had to put in 5.2 gallons of gas to get it back to full. I went back and forth with the Alamo agent until he agreed to knock $10 off the rate.
Feb 4, 2018, 8:08 pm
#63
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Singapore
Programs: SQ KF Gold, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 300
I will admit to being guilty of this from time to time - I do it mostly to avoid the price gouging at the station closest to the airport, and the possible congestion at the station as well. I try not to drive too far after filling up though, 20-30 miles max.
Feb 5, 2018, 8:26 am
#64
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,032
Just not Avis PHL. I've had 3 rentals with them in the last 4 months that were never checked-in upon return (agent said they'd email the receipt due to long lines, handheld computer not working etc). All three took over two weeks past return to be closed and two took over a month. In each case, I had to call the CHM desk or speak to a manager at PHL during another visit to have them closed. They all took my word on return date. At one point, I had 3 contracts open with Avis PHL at the same time (2 were old ones that were never closed, plus the car I was currently in). I thought for sure they'd catch it/say something but never did.
Apr 14, 2018, 6:23 am
#66
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sunshine State
Programs: Avis Trump. Costco Exec. SPG PLAT PREM-90. WN A+/CP. AA SLV. Nat EE..
Posts: 456
As others have noted, I’ve often seen employees sitting in running cars either to stay warm or well I don’t know what, map maybe. I don’t believe for a second they go fill it up before putting it out for the next customer.
One time one I had an evening rental at BDL. My flight was late and just ended up crashing at airport hotel. When I go to pick up car it’s the morning, the car I was assigned the night before (Avis Presidents) was running. Based upon the snow melt and the slightly above half full tank of gas I think they nicely had the car running ALL night long. It was so freaking cold they wouldn’t even come outside to check me in upon return. Point being, someone was nice to begin with but when it came to revenue management I don’t think anyone on the night or morning shift had a care in the world as to wasting fuel.
I also had had one of those Chevy’s where (just prior to announcing recall on the issue) you’d fill it up but the fuel gauge would never show completely Full. I showed them the receipt for gas with time stamp that was about a mile away and they (even the manager) acted like I was trying to scam them out of a few gallons and wouldn’t remove the refueling charge. Two months or so later I read about the recall on that exact issue.
What’s my point? I think even if you return it after filling up at a gas station 20miles before return location it’s all a bit of a wash.
Also, and I think everyone knows this but seriously don’t return a vehicle without getting a receipt before leaving, especially at franchises. If you just have to because of return hours or whatever, take a picture of mileage, fuel gauge, and some exterior, ideally with a part of the return location clearly evident in the background of each picture. Really deflates the potential of them screwing you actually sticking.
One time one I had an evening rental at BDL. My flight was late and just ended up crashing at airport hotel. When I go to pick up car it’s the morning, the car I was assigned the night before (Avis Presidents) was running. Based upon the snow melt and the slightly above half full tank of gas I think they nicely had the car running ALL night long. It was so freaking cold they wouldn’t even come outside to check me in upon return. Point being, someone was nice to begin with but when it came to revenue management I don’t think anyone on the night or morning shift had a care in the world as to wasting fuel.
I also had had one of those Chevy’s where (just prior to announcing recall on the issue) you’d fill it up but the fuel gauge would never show completely Full. I showed them the receipt for gas with time stamp that was about a mile away and they (even the manager) acted like I was trying to scam them out of a few gallons and wouldn’t remove the refueling charge. Two months or so later I read about the recall on that exact issue.
What’s my point? I think even if you return it after filling up at a gas station 20miles before return location it’s all a bit of a wash.
Also, and I think everyone knows this but seriously don’t return a vehicle without getting a receipt before leaving, especially at franchises. If you just have to because of return hours or whatever, take a picture of mileage, fuel gauge, and some exterior, ideally with a part of the return location clearly evident in the background of each picture. Really deflates the potential of them screwing you actually sticking.
Apr 16, 2018, 12:54 am
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
As others have noted, I’ve often seen employees sitting in running cars either to stay warm or well I don’t know what, map maybe. I don’t believe for a second they go fill it up before putting it out for the next customer.
One time one I had an evening rental at BDL. My flight was late and just ended up crashing at airport hotel. When I go to pick up car it’s the morning, the car I was assigned the night before (Avis Presidents) was running. Based upon the snow melt and the slightly above half full tank of gas I think they nicely had the car running ALL night long. It was so freaking cold they wouldn’t even come outside to check me in upon return. Point being, someone was nice to begin with but when it came to revenue management I don’t think anyone on the night or morning shift had a care in the world as to wasting fuel.
I also had had one of those Chevy’s where (just prior to announcing recall on the issue) you’d fill it up but the fuel gauge would never show completely Full. I showed them the receipt for gas with time stamp that was about a mile away and they (even the manager) acted like I was trying to scam them out of a few gallons and wouldn’t remove the refueling charge. Two months or so later I read about the recall on that exact issue.
What’s my point? I think even if you return it after filling up at a gas station 20miles before return location it’s all a bit of a wash.
Also, and I think everyone knows this but seriously don’t return a vehicle without getting a receipt before leaving, especially at franchises. If you just have to because of return hours or whatever, take a picture of mileage, fuel gauge, and some exterior, ideally with a part of the return location clearly evident in the background of each picture. Really deflates the potential of them screwing you actually sticking.
One time one I had an evening rental at BDL. My flight was late and just ended up crashing at airport hotel. When I go to pick up car it’s the morning, the car I was assigned the night before (Avis Presidents) was running. Based upon the snow melt and the slightly above half full tank of gas I think they nicely had the car running ALL night long. It was so freaking cold they wouldn’t even come outside to check me in upon return. Point being, someone was nice to begin with but when it came to revenue management I don’t think anyone on the night or morning shift had a care in the world as to wasting fuel.
I also had had one of those Chevy’s where (just prior to announcing recall on the issue) you’d fill it up but the fuel gauge would never show completely Full. I showed them the receipt for gas with time stamp that was about a mile away and they (even the manager) acted like I was trying to scam them out of a few gallons and wouldn’t remove the refueling charge. Two months or so later I read about the recall on that exact issue.
What’s my point? I think even if you return it after filling up at a gas station 20miles before return location it’s all a bit of a wash.
Also, and I think everyone knows this but seriously don’t return a vehicle without getting a receipt before leaving, especially at franchises. If you just have to because of return hours or whatever, take a picture of mileage, fuel gauge, and some exterior, ideally with a part of the return location clearly evident in the background of each picture. Really deflates the potential of them screwing you actually sticking.
Sep 22, 2018, 8:37 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,157
Picked up a car from Hertz at Brisbane (Australia) airport last week. This location is normally fairly strict about checking receipts, and the car showed right on "F" as I drove out.
A mile or so into the drive I started flicking through the menus on the vehicle information, and found one that claimed that the car had driven about 180 km (110 miles) since the last fill-up. A few miles further down the track and the fuel gauge started to edge towards the lower end of the F mark - far quicker than you'd expect if it was actually full.
12 km (8 miles) after I picked the car up I stopped at a petrol station and put about 12 litres (3 gallons) of petrol in it...
To their credit, Hertz did refund me the cost for that fuel. To their non-credit, they did it almost exactly to the cent of what I paid, with no compensation for the fact that the vehicle wasn't full when I picked it up, or for the time it took me to find a petrol station and full up...
A mile or so into the drive I started flicking through the menus on the vehicle information, and found one that claimed that the car had driven about 180 km (110 miles) since the last fill-up. A few miles further down the track and the fuel gauge started to edge towards the lower end of the F mark - far quicker than you'd expect if it was actually full.
12 km (8 miles) after I picked the car up I stopped at a petrol station and put about 12 litres (3 gallons) of petrol in it...
To their credit, Hertz did refund me the cost for that fuel. To their non-credit, they did it almost exactly to the cent of what I paid, with no compensation for the fact that the vehicle wasn't full when I picked it up, or for the time it took me to find a petrol station and full up...
Dec 14, 2018, 10:37 am
#69
Join Date: May 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA Frmr AA Plat AW Plat Frmr UA 1K Frmr HGP Plat now just UA 1MM/1P
Posts: 320
Yes, the problem is definitely car specific.
I've taken to avoiding Toyotas for that exact reason. I've rented Camry's where literally driving 5 miles would drop the gauge from full to 7/8. Add that onto the extremely annoying swerve when changing lanes without signaling (because I've looked over my shoulder and saw no one was in my blind spot) - never again.
Nissan Sentras - at least in the era before Five Star Hertz - equally a no go for me.
I've taken to avoiding Toyotas for that exact reason. I've rented Camry's where literally driving 5 miles would drop the gauge from full to 7/8. Add that onto the extremely annoying swerve when changing lanes without signaling (because I've looked over my shoulder and saw no one was in my blind spot) - never again.
Nissan Sentras - at least in the era before Five Star Hertz - equally a no go for me.
Dec 14, 2018, 2:37 pm
#71
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,705
People who don't use turn signals is a major pet peeve. What's the benefit of not using it, saving a fraction of muscle energy to flick the stalk?
Dec 17, 2018, 4:20 pm
#72
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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Posts: 33,857
I got hit with it again in ATL this year. I was driving a Nissan Rouge which also has a gas tank where it stays on F despite using its first two gallons (when it's really full the needle moves past F). I drove the car 27 miles mainly on I-75/85 without any traffic and I had to put 3.3 gallons in it to fill it back up. Nicely the National agent looked at my receipt for $8.89 and took $9 off my rate but it was still pretty annoying.
Dec 18, 2018, 2:45 pm
#73
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve
Posts: 811
The typical situation where I'd do this is renting a car for a weekend: I usually pick up a car on Saturday morning. I'd get back on a Sunday or Monday night and fill up near where I live. Then I'd drive it 10-15 miles the next morning in low-speed commute traffic to return it (they aren't open 24x7). It's more about making sure I don't forget to fill up, and not so much about avoiding price gouging.
If the needle goes below F (or, on digital gauges, if all bars aren't full or whatever), I will stop at a gas station again, but that situation rarely arises.
If the needle goes below F (or, on digital gauges, if all bars aren't full or whatever), I will stop at a gas station again, but that situation rarely arises.
Jan 2, 2019, 10:24 pm
#74
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Alaska
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 131
I had a rental from Alamo this December where the fuel gauge barely touched the full line. By the time we checked out, it had moved just above the bottom of the full line. I told the gate agent and she said she’d note it on the rental. I figured it was down 2-3 gallons. I returned the car with just slightly more gas and told the receiving agent all of the above. He noted it on the rental and so far, no further charge on the rental.
Jan 3, 2019, 12:15 am
#75
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Gold Mariott Gold Aeroplan E25K SAS Gold NEXUS
Posts: 1,308
I have occasionally filled up a rental 15 or 20 miles from the return (when I did not know the area and was not sure where a safe fill up location was near the airport and google maps was no help) but I do make sure to top up the tank past the first click (usually just a few cents more) to try and be fair, and I am usually driving more efficient vehicles (ie not an Expedition or Suburban). Generally I do it right outside the airport otherwise if I've noticed a station on my way out. I rented about 30 cars last year (RDU, AUS, HOU, IAD, LGA, TPA, GSO, CLT, DCA, YVR) mostly from Budget (couple Avis, Enterprise and Alamo thrown in) and I think they were all full except 1 (maybe 2, but only remember 1). I don't think this is too big a problem, at least in my experience.