Pre-paid gas for car rental question…

[dis2cruise]

we are renting our car at Palm Beach airport traveling a bit before staying at Disney and leaving on a flight out of MCO. If we purchase the pre-paid gas in Palm beach do they honor the price at MCO? I‘m assuming the prices of gas aren’t fixed.

 

[PalmettoPath]

The pre-payment of gas (so you don't have to bring it back full -- bring it back as empty as possible) is not related to where you drop it off, it's the car rental agency. It's a fixed price you pay when you rent it. So they'll know where you're picking up and returning the car and whatever price you pre-pay for the gas (at their inflated rate), that's it. Just bring the car back empty, no need to bring it back full. We always do that because it's a pain trying to fill before dropping off at MCO. It's paying for convenience.

 

[dmunsil]

I would expect them to use the Palm Beach price if there's any difference, because it's "prepaid" and you paid it in Palm Beach. But I've never done it, so it's possible they use the rate at the returning location. There wouldn't be more than 10 or 20 cents difference per gallon, though.

My advice, FWIW, would be not to ever get the prepaid gas. It's a ripoff unless you return the car nearly empty, which is hard to engineer. There is a WaWa a few blocks north of the north entrance to the airport with inexpensive gas, and a Shell station actually on airport property with normal priced gas if you're approaching from the south. It's incredibly easy to gas up before returning the car, and will save you significant money.

 

[reddog21]

I would expect them to use the Palm Beach price if there's any difference, because it's "prepaid" and you paid it in Palm Beach. But I've never done it, so it's possible they use the rate at the returning location. There wouldn't be more than 10 or 20 cents difference per gallon, though.

My advice, FWIW, would be not to ever get the prepaid gas. It's a ripoff unless you return the car nearly empty, which is hard to engineer. There is a WaWa a few blocks north of the north entrance to the airport with inexpensive gas, and a Shell station actually on airport property with normal priced gas if you're approaching from the south. It's incredibly easy to gas up before returning the car, and will save you significant money.

I second this, if you take 417 from Disney the Wawa is right off the exit but in the opposite direction of the airport. The Shell is on the same road on the way to the airport. Its usually only .10-.15 more expensive than the Wawa so we usually end up going there.

We never seem to be anywhere near empty when bringing the car back to the airport and with fuel prices as high as they are paying for a full tank when you don't need to seems like a waste of money.

 

[Lewisc]

Rental agencies display the local gas price. They display a lower per gallon price if you prepay for a tank of gas.
People will say youll only save money if you return the car near empty.

The displayed local price of gas is generally higher then you'd pay
Sometimes its for premium.

The per gallon price they charge is subject to the same $$$ taxes you pay on the rental. Add 20-25% to the price of gas shown. Do the math. Run a quote with and without the gas plan. Generally youll come out behind even if you literally run out of gas and coast to the rental return location.
Many people will add some gas when they're below 1/4. I.suspect a lot will add some when the low fuel light comes on. Almost everyone will be returning the car with at least a few gallons.

 

[MrKnight]

IMO it's definitely worth it if you know for sure you will go through a full tank of gas and return the vehicle at or near empty.

 

[seashoreCM]

No matter how many miles you drive and how many tankfuls of gas you go through, there will be the same few gallons of gas left over (out of the last tankful) when you return the car "empty." If you try hard to come back with fewer than two gallons, you will be very anxious about running out of gas on the way back.

 

[Lewisc]

IMO it's definitely worth it if you know for sure you will go through a full tank of gas and return the vehicle at or near empty.

Are you saying its better to prepay and return empty vs paying the penalty rate and return the car empty. No doubt.

Returning the car full will generally save money vs prepaying even if you literally run out of gas at the return lane. I just did numbers with Alamo

 

[Lewisc]

I did the math. One week rental. Alamo. MIts Mirage. They claim prepaid fuel is 4.76 per gallon, 43.76 total.
Cost without fuel 433.84, cost with 485.71 Difference is 51.27 (taxes and fees on the fuel plan)
Effective cost is 5.57 per gallon for the whole tank

Current cost of gas at Speedway 4.76.

You lose even if you return the car with gas ruining out as you pull in

It gets worse. Good chance previous renter gassed up at WDW, gauge shows F and the tank isn't topped off. You're paying for a gallon of gas you don't have

 

[nolatravelgirl]

When they say you prepay then they take the tank's capacity and charge you for a full tank regardless of how many miles/gallons you use. It isn't like they say you drove 100 miles and use only 3 gallons so you only pay for the 3 gallons. Prepaying is generally never a good idea from a financial stand point. Just stop at a gas station before returning.

 

[_19disnA]

Prepaying for gas isn't a way for you to save money on your rental. Likely you will end up paying MORE then if you simply stop at a gas station on the way to the airport and fill up on your own. I tend to fill up the night before departure and even if you drive 20 miles after that, the tank will still show 'full'. If your concern is running late on your departure date, a bit of advance planning goes a long way and will save you a few dollars. Rental companies are clearly not offering this option for them to lose money.

 

[dmunsil]

I tend to fill up the night before departure and even if you drive 20 miles after that, the tank will still show 'full'.

Yes, before they opened the Shell station at the airport, I used to gas up every time at the Speedway (I think it's now a Mobil?) basically across the street from the Caribe Royale on World Center drive, just before the entrance to 417. It's about 15 miles from there to the airport. The car always read full when I turned it in, and I never got charged for gas.

 

[gharter]

Unless you will be driving a lot and can return on a near empty tank or you don't want to stop and fill the tank before returning it, its a terrible deal. We rarely have trouble finding a gas station within 20 miles of the airport, fill there and return.

 

[seashoreCM]

I am led to believe that on average a car for which gas was prepurchased comes back to the rental station with four gallons left behind (Some more, some less.) That is pure profit to the rental company. It's like a cash cow. Therefore (ergo) it is not a good bargain, money wise, for the renter.

The rental company will try to set your price for the tankful low enough to encourage you to prepurchase the tankful although the company will not want to take a loss by selling it for less than they themselves purchased it for (in a tanker truck load of gas). This is the only significance of their naming or claiming or advertising a prevailing or area or citywide price for gas.

It gets worse. Good chance previous renter gassed up at WDW, gauge shows F and the tank isn't topped off. You're paying for a gallon of gas you don't have.

This is a separate independent discussion topic. This detail affects renters who don't prepurchase the tankful equally as renters who do. I suppose that if you take the car to a gas station first thing, top it off and it took more than a gallon, you should be able to go back to the rental station immediately and get a credit.

 

[Lewisc]

This is a separate independent discussion topic. This detail affects renters who don't prepurchase the tankful equally as renters who do. I suppose that if you take the car to a gas station first thing, top it off and it took more than a gallon, you should be able to go back to the rental station immediately and get a credit.

Not really. Numerous posters talk about filling the tank near WDW, gauge will still show F. Others will have someone in the car call out as soon as it shows F. Fueling.is stopped.

I filled up by Disney..I assumed previous renter did the same. Its a wash.

Remtal prepaid assumes tank is completely full, topped off That doesn't happen if you stop fueling when the shut off engages.