Hertz - option to return empty tank - good or bad deal

happyc84

hired a car from Hertz, they asked if i wanted to return the car empty and pay a reduced priced per litre to refuel.

As it's difficult to know how much fuel, I can't see this being for the benefit of the customer. Has anybody worked this out or is it only for business expense types.

waamo

I had it once. Turned out to be an expensive tank of fuel. I wouldn't do lit again.

maninthestreet

happyc84 wrote: »

hired a car from Hertz, they asked if i wanted to return the car empty and pay a reduced priced per litre to refuel.

As it's difficult to know how much fuel, I can't see this being for the benefit of the customer. Has anybody worked this out or is it only for business expense types.

Did they actually state the price per litre? It certainly will not be cheaper than the price you would pay at your average petrol station.

happyc84

maninthestreet wrote: »

Did they actually state the price per litre? It certainly will not be cheaper than the price you would pay at your average petrol station.

They did quote a lower price for the price per Litre. Worked out about 10 pence per L cheaper.

But as I would be leaving some fuel in the tank on return the maths didn't add for me.

agrinnall

The only real reason to do it is if you're returning the car at a time when there are no petrol stations open within a reasonable distance thus making it difficult for you to return it with a full tank, but it's pretty unlikely in the UK that you would ever be in such a position.

pvt

It's nightmare to return the car empty. Don't accept the deal unless you're forced to.

It first of all assumes you'll need to use a whole tank full (or more), then towards the end of your rental you'll be driving around on fumes worrying if there's at least enough to get you back to the rental point, and then topping up with 2 or 3 litre deliveries to try to get it right.

It used to be quite common with cheap US rentals to 'return empty'. There wasn't an option. The reason they did it was to get more money, especially on short rentals where people only use a 1/4 tank of fuel.

AdrianC

happyc84 wrote: »

They did quote a lower price for the price per Litre. Worked out about 10 pence per L cheaper.

Cheaper than what? Cheaper than the price they would normally charge? Or cheaper than the petrol station a couple of miles down the road?

waamo

I did in Switzerland and it sounded a good idea but it turned out very expensive. There is no way Hertz can sell fuel 10p a litre cheaper than a local supermarket.

straighttalker

You'll never be able to run the tank until it's properly empty either. There will always be a few litres left in there.

JP08

It is a dear way of buying fuel.

I wouldn't do it in the UK, unless the area was pretty remote.

However I take this option every time I'm abroad. That was you're not saddled with the added stress and time pressure of finding the next nearest petrol station when the one near the airport is unaccountably closed (and for a similar reason, the "area was pretty remote" qualification above), and arguing with the foreign hire car company re the amount of fuel required.

When all said and done, leaving 10 litres unused in the car isn't going to cost you that much. Sometimes it is worth paying for the convenience.

pvt

JP08 wrote: »

When all said and done, leaving 10 litres unused in the car isn't going to cost you that much. Sometimes it is worth paying for the convenience.

The worst case scenario is you can't refill the car before return and they fill it and charge you their punitive refill rate for the fuel they put in. The punitive top-up rate is usually about 20% more than a typical garage price - which is almost exactly what you'll be paying for your cheap 'return it empty' tank of fuel if you leave 10 litres in a typical 50 litre tank.

As long as you refuel it within 20 miles of the rental return location you'll be fine - I've never been charged for them topping off the tank.