Car Hire Spain - Fuel rip-off

gtaylor88

Just wondering if anyone can advise on how to get around the fuel policy that most car hire companies now con us with. You have to pay for a full tank of fuel and then bring car back empty. How many litres you have paid for and how much per litre is never detailed on the paperwork because it is a rip off, you try getting 70 euros of fuel in a Ford KA! Also you cant bring it back empty unless you syphon it off at the airport! Basically this is just giving the car hire companies money for nothing. Has anyone worked a way around this please?

melb

yes - by choosing a company that allows you to bring the car back with the same amount of fuel you took it away with - eg Automotive at malaga airport and solmar at alicante airport in the last 5 months.

aberjoodles

I recently returned from a trip to mainland Spain and booked car rental on line with Hertz. My quoted cost was £102 which I thought was a reasonable sum for an economy car. However, at the airport pick up kiosk, that true cost of the rental starts to accrue. By the time I had paid for the full tank of petrol, airport location charge, extra driver, extra local insurance, the total cost taken from my credit card was £330!!! When I am quoted a price, I would really like that to be the price I pay..... the final sum is three times the original sum. Won't be caught out with Hertz again, especially their full tank of petrol but bring it back empty scam!

melb

i am a bit obsessive about all aspects of trying to save money when booking my holiday and i spend time reading and re-reading all the small print re carhire because they all vary so much. Read all the terms and conditions and anything else you can see - look on review sites for all the little extras that can be added and make your choice. another tip is to pay when you get there rather than in advance if possible and also keep checking the price up until your holiday (make sure you book with a company with free cancellation) as prices can come down quite considerably - i saved nearly 100 euros on a 15 day trip last August.

gtaylor88

Thanks MelB, I am going to Almeria Airport and Solmar must have a different poicy there then as the website states:

'Fuel: Clients must pay for a full tank of fuel on collection and return the vehicle empty. It is only possible to get a refund when returning with a full tank of fuel when the rental duration is 3 days or less. The charge for a full tank of fuel varies depending upon the vehicle type. Please note: Due to refuelling logistics you will be charged at a higher rate per litre compared to the normal pump price.'

Which website did you book through please?

terryw

FWIIW, Booking through https://www.doyouspain.co.uk gives the option for full/full for 3 days hire or less, and their prices are generally the best that I can find.

hartcjhart

try these people they come well recommended

http://alandaluscarhire.com/default.aspx

melb

hi there I booked through Carjet but Bravocarhire also had solmar as one of their options. Maybe they've changed or maybe it's different at different airports.