DOLLAR demanding gas receipt from 8 miles away??

[leanne11]

heard about this today...wonder if it is true..they ask for receipt even if needle on full...won't be renting if it is true...anyone??
heard it from a guest who was about 9 miles away and they wanted to charge him $9 for 1 gallon of gas..not in fl..

 

[egile]

heard about this today...

Source?

 

[seashoreCM]

Several rental companies from time to time demand a gas station receipt to show filling up within say 5 miles of the rental office.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I assume you mean a gas receipt from no more than 8 miles away.

I always have my gas receipt with me. I've never been asked to show it. But I've never used Dollar either.

In a way, it's a very reasonable request. Many cars show the needle on full even if the car has gone 50 miles.

There have been a number of times when I've rented a car that showed full, but was probably at least 2 gallons below full. So I'm stuck paying for those 2 gallons.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Actually, if you think about it, the tank isn't actually "full" anymore just a few feet after you leave a gas station.

If this is true and is a regular thing, it might drive some to other rental car companies.

To me if the needle is on "full" when I rent--it's full. And if it's on "full" when I bring it back--it's full.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Back in the early 1980s, I remember some car rental locations where the car rental return process included pulling up to a gas pump. A car rental employee would "top off" the tank with gasoline at an above-market price, and the amount from the pump would be added to your rental cost. It was annoying, but it also meant that the tank was consistently full when you rented a car from such locations.

There is a big difference between a gas tank not being "full" anymore just a few feet after leaving a gas station and a gas tank that was last filled 50 miles ago, but that still shows as full on the dashboard.

 

[pooch]

our rental agreement, reiterated verbally by the clerk, stated we had to provide a gas receipt from no more than 7 miles away. We filled up in Sarasota (where we were staying) with the intention of stopping at a station we were familiar with 1 mile from the airport. So, of course, we hit TERRIBLE traffic from an accident and were too late to stop for gas. We were charged $14.00 for 2 gallons of gas. And, Murphy's Law here, after rushing like maniacs, our flight was delayed 4 HOURS because of storms in the mid-west!!! We rented through Thrifty.

 

[Uncleromulus]

My cars are well off "full" after 50 miles!!

And anyway, as I said, I'm content with the gauge reading "full" when I rent the car. And they should be content with it showing "full" when I bring it back.

If I rented from Dollar( which I don't) I'd switch if they adopted this as a fulltime policy.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

My big issue with this is that half the gas stations near MCO don't seem to have working print at the pump reciepts.

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes, Dollar in Philly tried this with me in June. Luckily I saw the small print on the sign while I was waiting in line and when I filled up I saved the receipt.

Even still the rep tried to charge me $8 and change a gallon for 3 gallons as the needle wasn't as close to full as "he would like it to be". I politely told him I had a copy of my gas receipt and if he charged me for the gas I would be disputing the charges with my cc'd company and dollar and I would be naming him in the dispute.

He then elected to waive the charge as a courtesy

That and a few other problems with that rental now make it my last choice for rental cars.

eta - Just to be sure I took a photo of the gas guage reading full with my phone.

 

[goofy4tink]

I am renting through Dollar in Oct, at Sanford. I just doublechecked my reservation...all it says is that you have to return the car full of gas.
When I rented through Budget in April, I discovered an addtl $13 charge when I got my email conf from them, after returning the car. I asked them what it was for...they told me it was an automatic gas charge for anyone driving less than 75 miiles. Um....let's see...drove from Sanford Intl to US/IoA, over to Cocoa Beach and around that area for a few days, then over to WDW/AKL. Then, to Tampa, back to WDW, and then back to Sanford. Methinks that was a bit over 75 miles!!!! They told me they would credit me that amount..have yet to see it. One reason I won't be renting from Budget again.

 

[tjmw2727]

I am renting through Dollar in Oct, at Sanford. I just doublechecked my reservation...all it says is that you have to return the car full of gas.
When I rented through Budget in April, I discovered an addtl $13 charge when I got my email conf from them, after returning the car. I asked them what it was for...they told me it was an automatic gas charge for anyone driving less than 75 miiles. Um....let's see...drove from Sanford Intl to US/IoA, over to Cocoa Beach and around that area for a few days, then over to WDW/AKL. Then, to Tampa, back to WDW, and then back to Sanford. Methinks that was a bit over 75 miles!!!! They told me they would credit me that amount..have yet to see it. One reason I won't be renting from Budget again.

It wasn't on my paperwork either but in the rental office there were signs with the prepay gas options. On those signs it said something to the effect of - if you don't pre purchase your gas you are required to show your receipt when you return the car.

FWIW I have a rental from Enterprise right now and their prepay gas was cheaper than all the stations on the street!

 

[Disneychix]

Don't remember which rental company but I've run into this in the past as well. One time we did remember to get gas within the specified distance (I'm thinking 15miles?), one time we got totally lost while trying to find gas within the distance and ended up paying for them to fill the tank at the airport (which was only probably $3 more than we woud've spent), and one time we just filled up at WDW and returned it with no issues.

No one has ever asked to see a receipt upon drop off and we have been told this at least the 3 times I mentioned above.

 

[DVC-Don]

I've rented from all the onsite companies and have never been asked to show a receipt for gas. That said, I always fill up at the Circle K (Shell) station on Boggy Creek just south of the airport.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

FWIW I have a rental from Enterprise right now and their prepay gas was cheaper than all the stations on the street!

Or so they want you to think...

Yes it's a few cents cheaper. Of course this only works out if you can coast that care in on fumes...

If the tank holds 16 gallons... that's what you buy. So when you only use half of those 16 gallons... you paid 2x the going rate on the street!

 

[Lewisc]

My cars are well off "full" after 50 miles!!

And anyway, as I said, I'm content with the gauge reading "full" when I rent the car. And they should be content with it showing "full" when I bring it back.

If I rented from Dollar( which I don't) I'd switch if they adopted this as a fulltime policy.

That's your opinion. I basically agree. I always thought the previous renter did the same thing, filled up the car at Hess the day before.

BUT

A rental agency is entitled to have a different policy. We give you the car with a full tank of gas, not a car where the gauge is just at F. We expect the car back with a full tank of gas. Gas up at the Hess station by WDW and you're probably down a gallon or more when you return the car.

My issue is when the rental agency doesn't then top off the tank before giving it to the next customer.

I rented a car last month in LAS. The gauge was slightly below F. I mentioned that and my paperwork was changed to indicated I received the car with 7/8 of a tank.