Re-fueling Rental Car before Returning

[mzozzietj]

A couple years ago we rented a car and were told we had to hand in a receipt showing we filled the tank within 5 miles of the airport (IIRC) Even with the GPS we could only find 2 gas stations and they were quite a detour off our route back to the airport.

I know we have to fill the tank if we opt not to pay for them to fuel for us. But we typically fill someplace more convenient and top it all the way off and have never had a problem with other companies.

Long story short, DH does not want to rent from this company again but sadly I can't remember which one it was. Anyone know which Car Rental Agency this could be? I believe we've only use Alamo, Budget, Avis, and National out of Orlando (MCO).

TYIA for any help!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

They all have some general restriction on how far away an appropriate refuel is in comparison to the drop off point. Now, most ignore it, if the car shows full, they will take it as is.

I could see Thrifty or Dollar asking for a receipt, but I've never had an issue at Hertz or the few times I've rented at National.

 

[dudspizza]

They all have some general restriction on how far away an appropriate refuel is in comparison to the drop off point. Now, most ignore it, if the car shows full, they will take it as is.

I could see Thrifty or Dollar asking for a receipt, but I've never had an issue at Hertz or the few times I've rented at National.

We've never been asked by Alamo or National, but I am sure they have that similar policy. If they have time to be picky, any rental return agent could ask for a receipt.....

OP, if you need to refuel, there is a gas station just north of the airport about a mile past the freeway. Don't go to the one across from Hertz (Chevron.. first one you'll see), they are super high...... go another half mile or so and there is one on the left (Citgo and 7/11)..... normal prices...

We typically fill at Hess on property and top off if needed there....

 

[mzozzietj]

We've never been asked by Alamo or National, but I am sure they have that similar policy. If they have time to be picky, any rental return agent could ask for a receipt.....

OP, if you need to refuel, there is a gas station just north of the airport about a mile past the freeway. Don't go to the one across from Hertz, they are super high...... go another half mile or so and there is one on the left..... normal prices...

We typically fill at Hess on property and top off if needed there....

Yes, we've normally filled it as much as possible at the Hess on property and it was still full when we get there. I don't mind proving that we filled it but the 5 mile restriction (or less, I can't remember exactly) was a huge time constraint going out of our way on roads we were not familiar with that were under construction.

 

[kda]

We've rented exclusively from National in the past 17 years (at least 20 trips) and before that was Hertz. Neither has ever asked for a receipt, and we always fill up at the Hess station near DTD or Boardwalk.

 

[DebbieB]

I always rent with National, fillup before leaving WDW and have never been asked for a receipt. Most recent was late October.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

In the past when we have rented from Avis, Alamo, and National, each time when returing the car we got gas befire to make sure it was returned with a full tank and not once we were ever asked for a reciept. Now I always assumed that's because when the agent looked inside they saw it had a full tank, because don't all the rental car companies do that?

 

[Detailor]

We've never been asked for a receipt either. We typically use National and Dollar at MCO but have also used Budget, Hertz and Avis.
We usually buy gas on International Drive either near the entrance to SR 528 or the entrance to SR 417 on our way to the airport.


Dick Taylor

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

In October we rented from Alamo. The counter agent was very insistent that we pre-pay $40 for gas so we would not have to worry about returning the car full. He assured us that any local gas station would be much more money. We declined.
After staying at Sheraton Vistana for 8 days, driving to the parks every day as well as several shopping and dinner excursions, we filled up on our way to the airport and it was less than $20!
DH was sooooo happy that he declined that "great deal" at Alamo!

 

[Pembo]

We always use Dollar and have never had to show a gas receipt.

 

[seashoreCM]

Use I-4 (I-4 east) to leave Disney and get back to the airport.
Get of I-4 onto 528 East (Beach Line)
Note that paying the toll in cash requires going down what looks like an exit ramp.
Get off 528 at its exit 9 (Tradeport). Left and cross under (Conway Rd).
Nice cheap gas station is right there on the left. Two miles from airport.
(Easy to get disoriented) Leaving gas station get into middle lane on Conway with 528 overpass behind you. (Two lefts out of the gas station side exit)
Required right onto McCoy eastbound. Becomes Frontage Rd.
Next light is 436 (Semoran Blvd.) Turn right to enter airport.

The reverse of this route, to Disney, starts with leaving the airport north exit and going left at the first light.

 

[dgaston]

I use 417 and gas up at the Hess near exit 6. I have used Thrifty the past several rentals and never been asked for a receipt.

 

[francie57]

We have rented from Dollar, Budget, and mostly Alamo and we always fill up at the Hess station next to the Boardwalk. We have never been asked to show a receipt at all and have never had any trouble when returning the car.

 

[Alexander]

I use 417 and gas up at the Hess near exit 6. I have used Thrifty the past several rentals and never been asked for a receipt.

We do too. We have rented from National and Avis for the past 10 years and have never had to show a receipt.

 

[happiestgrl]

I remember reading some posts about the car care center location requiring a receipt and being pretty ugly about it. I'll see if I can find it. If I remember correctly, the poster had filled up - which the agent could see - but did not save the receipt, so they were charged for a full tank.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I remember reading some posts about the car care center location requiring a receipt and being pretty ugly about it. I'll see if I can find it. If I remember correctly, the poster had filled up - which the agent could see - but did not save the receipt, so they were charged for a full tank.

A rental agency cannot charge a full tank of gas if it is not brought back full, they can only charge for the additional fuel needed to return it to full, but they will charge you at the post fuel fill rate, which is often 1.5 - 3 times as much as the local rates.

 

[happiestgrl]

I was mistaken...it wasn't a full tank, apparently just a gallon. But they were asked to show a gas receipt. I personally have never been asked in 20+ rentals at MCO with Avis, National, and Dollar. Here's the post I was referring to:

Alamo CCC Never Again

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I rent from Alamo probably 15 to 20 times a year, and have never had any issues with them, but we picked up a car yesterday at the CCC and I am still seething. When we arrived there were 2 clerks working, as we waited in line I hear one of them asking a man returning a car for the gas receipt showing where he filled up the car....he hands over a receipt and she informs him that the gas station he used is too far away and the car cannot be considered full and she will have to charge him $4.29 to fill up the car. He laughs and tells her he filled up at the Hess station by DTD and she told him if it was more than 1/2 mile away the car was not considered full and she had to add the charge.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I have never been asked for a receipt when returning a rental car.

BUT, since I fill up right before I return the car, I have the receipt. How could you lose it in that 20-30 minutes between the fillup and the return? I guess with some of the pumps you can decline a paper receipt..... so I guess that is a bad idea.

 

[SuzyQue]

I have never been asked for a receipt when returning a rental car.

BUT, since I fill up right before I return the car, I have the receipt. How could you lose it in that 20-30 minutes between the fillup and the return? I guess with some of the pumps you can decline a paper receipt..... so I guess that is a bad idea.

I don't think the OP mentioned losing a receipt, they were concerned about the receipt proving they had filled up within 5 miles.

I'll have to look it up but it was either Alamo or Dollar we rented from last February and we too were told to be prepared to show our receipt of filling up within 5 miles. When we returned the car my DH tried handing the receipt to the attendant and they smiled and waved their hand at us and said something like "no need, I already checked the gas".

 

[mzozzietj]

I don't think the OP mentioned losing a receipt, they were concerned about the receipt proving they had filled up within 5 miles.

I'll have to look it up but it was either Alamo or Dollar we rented from last February and we too were told to be prepared to show our receipt of filling up within 5 miles. When we returned the car my DH tried handing the receipt to the attendant and they smiled and waved their hand at us and said something like "no need, I already checked the gas".

Exactly, we did have the receipt and we did fuel up within the proper distance but I would prefer to avoid that company in the future because I found it too much of an inconvenience particularly when we have an early morning flight. Prices are generally very competitive so unless prices are drastically different convenience is a big factor for us.

I was trying to remember if they even cared when we returned it and I can't recall. I do remember the big lecture when we were picking up though. I think they were trying to get us to prepay for them to fill the tank saying it was a much better price. I tried to explain to them, while the prices you charge may be competitive with local gas stations on a per gallon basis, you are charging us for a full tank of gas which we will never need so in reality your prices will be at least double for us. We rent a car because we have an infant and prefer to have her safely secured in a car seat and often need to run out for milk, diapers, etc as well as trips to AK and DHS but we never spend more than $20 in fuel in a week tops.

Okay, off my soap box, LOL

Thanks for the input everyone... I'm a tad nervous because we're booked with Alamo in a few weeks and I think it might have been with them but I won't stress over it... worse case it sounds like the most they can charge us is the fuel to top off the tank if we can't find a fuel station within their limited distance. Man, I hate early morning flights LOL