Car Rental - prepaid petrol
Discussion
On holiday at the moment and we're renting a car sourced through a car hire search engine which we've used before.
The rental car is a bit crap, 1.7TDI Astra covered in scratches and dents, although this seems par for the course in Spain.
Anyway this is the first time I've had to prepay for a tank full of fuel / return it empty. Previously I've been given the option but declined and returned it full.
For the ful tank we were charged 97 euro. So far we have used less than half a tank.
Has anyone tried to get the money back? There's no way an Astra has a 97 litre tank, diesel here is 1 euro / litre
As we're going back on two flights I'll be at the airport in plenty of time so I'm tempted to sit with the engine running (revving hard even) or siphon off the remainder so they don't get the benefit. I've paid for the diesel therefore it's mine to use.
Alternatively they fill up (25-30euro) and charge the next poor saps the same having made about 60 euro out of me.
The rental car is a bit crap, 1.7TDI Astra covered in scratches and dents, although this seems par for the course in Spain.
Anyway this is the first time I've had to prepay for a tank full of fuel / return it empty. Previously I've been given the option but declined and returned it full.
For the ful tank we were charged 97 euro. So far we have used less than half a tank.
Has anyone tried to get the money back? There's no way an Astra has a 97 litre tank, diesel here is 1 euro / litre
As we're going back on two flights I'll be at the airport in plenty of time so I'm tempted to sit with the engine running (revving hard even) or siphon off the remainder so they don't get the benefit. I've paid for the diesel therefore it's mine to use.
Alternatively they fill up (25-30euro) and charge the next poor saps the same having made about 60 euro out of me.
This happened to me in Tenerife, luckily we did use the full tank. Think you're entitled to a partial refund but it doesn't equate to the amount of fuel left. IIRC there was a set refund if you returned it over half full and over quarter full.
Another con to squeeze a bit more money out of the agreement.
Another con to squeeze a bit more money out of the agreement.
It's been like that for the last 4 years when I have hired cars in Spain.
Get a car for 3 or 4 days and you bring it back full, more than that and you need to bring it back empty.
This has been when using the car broker websites that use the cheaper suppliers. I don't know what hertz or Avis do but they tend to charge higher rates anyway.
Last month I took a car back with the low fuel light on so took that as a result!
Get a car for 3 or 4 days and you bring it back full, more than that and you need to bring it back empty.
This has been when using the car broker websites that use the cheaper suppliers. I don't know what hertz or Avis do but they tend to charge higher rates anyway.
Last month I took a car back with the low fuel light on so took that as a result!
Are you implying I'm an idiot?
The policy for rentals of four days or more is pick up full return empty / pick up hal full return empty. Although no price is listed presumably they can set whatever they want (my BIL rented from
another co and paid 10 euro less)
There is no alternative other than to cancel the rental and go somewhere else at whatever their on the day charge is.
So faced with paying or trying to get 7 people including a pensioner and an 18 month old baby plus assorted paraphernalia around 90km on public transport I actually had no choice at all.
The policy for rentals of four days or more is pick up full return empty / pick up hal full return empty. Although no price is listed presumably they can set whatever they want (my BIL rented from
another co and paid 10 euro less)
There is no alternative other than to cancel the rental and go somewhere else at whatever their on the day charge is.
So faced with paying or trying to get 7 people including a pensioner and an 18 month old baby plus assorted paraphernalia around 90km on public transport I actually had no choice at all.
I have been going to mainland Spain 4 or 5 times a year now for about 5 years, I hire a car everytime. The full tank bring back empty is standard, it's in the small print.
I've only ever been given the option of bringing it back full on very short stays.
As somebody else said fuel is around 1.35 there per litre anyway.
I've only ever been given the option of bringing it back full on very short stays.
As somebody else said fuel is around 1.35 there per litre anyway.
Hackney said:
Are you implying I'm an idiot?
The policy for rentals of four days or more is pick up full return empty / pick up hal full return empty. Although no price is listed presumably they can set whatever they want (my BIL rented from
another co and paid 10 euro less)
There is no alternative other than to cancel the rental and go somewhere else at whatever their on the day charge is.
So faced with paying or trying to get 7 people including a pensioner and an 18 month old baby plus assorted paraphernalia around 90km on public transport I actually had no choice at all.
Yes you did, you just said you could pick up half full and return empty... if you didn't think you'd use a full tank, that's the option you should have taken, no?The policy for rentals of four days or more is pick up full return empty / pick up hal full return empty. Although no price is listed presumably they can set whatever they want (my BIL rented from
another co and paid 10 euro less)
There is no alternative other than to cancel the rental and go somewhere else at whatever their on the day charge is.
So faced with paying or trying to get 7 people including a pensioner and an 18 month old baby plus assorted paraphernalia around 90km on public transport I actually had no choice at all.
Hackney said:
Are you implying I'm an idiot?
The policy for rentals of four days or more is pick up full return empty / pick up hal full return empty. Although no price is listed presumably they can set whatever they want (my BIL rented from
another co and paid 10 euro less)
There is no alternative other than to cancel the rental and go somewhere else at whatever their on the day charge is.
So faced with paying or trying to get 7 people including a pensioner and an 18 month old baby plus assorted paraphernalia around 90km on public transport I actually had no choice at all.
No I'm not implying you're an idiot, sorry if it came across that way. The policy for rentals of four days or more is pick up full return empty / pick up hal full return empty. Although no price is listed presumably they can set whatever they want (my BIL rented from
another co and paid 10 euro less)
There is no alternative other than to cancel the rental and go somewhere else at whatever their on the day charge is.
So faced with paying or trying to get 7 people including a pensioner and an 18 month old baby plus assorted paraphernalia around 90km on public transport I actually had no choice at all.
The last times I rented cars from Faro and Seville I was given the option to bring back empty which obviously I didn't do. This was in April and July of this year. Guess the thing to do is double check before you book or if faced with this choice take the vehicle and complain to the website promoting these suppliers afterwards.
edit to add: or drive everywhere in 2nd and 3rd gear
This is now the par for the course in Spain/Portugal... 
We have a villa on the Algarve, go to Portugal between 6 and 8 times a year, and always use the same rental company. Normally it works on the basis of "the car is XX full, bring it back with the same fuel in".
The last time Mum and Dad went, they were told, "the car is full, please bring it back empty". Dad interjected, stating they were only there for four days, it would be impossible to empty the tank in four days! They said it's his choice - they charge a flat rate fee of €85 to refill the car, no matter how much is in it.
Just to be obstinate, he tool the car back brimmed - so full you couldn't squeeze any more in the tank. They still charged him the €85 refuelling fee - naff all he could do as they had his card details. He's now going down the route of a chargeback from Barclaycard.
It really is scandalous.
We have a villa on the Algarve, go to Portugal between 6 and 8 times a year, and always use the same rental company. Normally it works on the basis of "the car is XX full, bring it back with the same fuel in".
The last time Mum and Dad went, they were told, "the car is full, please bring it back empty". Dad interjected, stating they were only there for four days, it would be impossible to empty the tank in four days! They said it's his choice - they charge a flat rate fee of €85 to refill the car, no matter how much is in it.
Just to be obstinate, he tool the car back brimmed - so full you couldn't squeeze any more in the tank. They still charged him the €85 refuelling fee - naff all he could do as they had his card details. He's now going down the route of a chargeback from Barclaycard.
It really is scandalous.
It does vary but the norm now is take it full and return empty and yes, it is a scam as empty will always be quite a few litres more than your nerve will allow. I had one which wa take it quarter full and return it quarter full on a 4 day hire but with an electronic gauge (Clio), that is virtually impossible and I'm sure they know it.
I don't know who you hire with but if you hire cheap crap then you'll get cheap crap. I have always had pretty good hire cars with nothing more than minor scrapes though I did once get an Astra with a dented sill. I now tend to use Centauro. I wernt last month and got a nearly new Citroen C4 and the tank fill was 76 Euros. Their express collection for 10 Euros was also good - collect it from the car park instead of the desk.
I don't know who you hire with but if you hire cheap crap then you'll get cheap crap. I have always had pretty good hire cars with nothing more than minor scrapes though I did once get an Astra with a dented sill. I now tend to use Centauro. I wernt last month and got a nearly new Citroen C4 and the tank fill was 76 Euros. Their express collection for 10 Euros was also good - collect it from the car park instead of the desk.
CAPP0 said:
Someone on here recommended a UK-based hire place at Malaga airport which brokers hire through one of the firms there and you don't get the "full tank" surcharge. However when I researched, all the local firms seemed to do this now.
These guys http://www.malagacarhire.com/ETA: from the website
We operate what we believe to be the only fair petrol deposit system. You are asked to leave a deposit for a full tank of fuel, which is refunded providing the car is returned full. (Many companies 'over-charge' for a full tank and then ask clients to return the car empty).
Edited by CharlieCrocodile on Friday 7th September 09:21
LuS1fer said:
I now tend to use Centauro. I went last month and got a nearly new Citroen C4 and the tank fill was 76 Euros. Their express collection for 10 Euros was also good - collect it from the car park instead of the desk.
I'm booked with Centauro next month. Never heard of them before and usually use big name car hire firms (Hertz/Avis/Europcar). Glad to hear the refuelling charge is reasonable.Rentacar spain state - Fuel policy - Our cutomers will not pay excessive fee for a full tank of fuel, the car must be returned with the same level of fuel
Pick up from Malaga airport arrivals door.
I have not used them before but have heard good reports, I am about to book with them for Christmas. Not bad prices either, no connection with them etc.
http://www.rentacarspain.com/
Rae
Pick up from Malaga airport arrivals door.
I have not used them before but have heard good reports, I am about to book with them for Christmas. Not bad prices either, no connection with them etc.
http://www.rentacarspain.com/
Rae
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff