Rental firms are finding new ways to sting holidaymakers, with a petrol policy that will leave your wallet running on empty
Holidaymakers hiring a car abroad this summer are being warned about a worsening car rental rip-off – firms that make you pay up front for a full tank of fuel, then insist you return the car empty.
In recent years car hire outfits across Europe have increasingly adopted "full-to-empty" fuel policies as a way to increase revenues. The policy, which can easily add £50 to the cost of hiring a car, is particularly rife in Spain where it is increasingly difficult to find a car hire that will let you return a vehicle with a full tank of petrol.
Some firms now insist on full-to-empty on all rentals, while others only apply it to hires of four days or more. What's more, holidaymakers often have to pay an inflated price for the tank of petrol. Some are reporting being asked to hand over €90 (£77) to cover a tank of petrol on a small car, which if bought at a local garage would cost only €50 (£43).
Guardian Money reader Nigel Cutland was forced to pre-buy a tank of fuel when he hired a car in Valencia. He booked his car from a website he had used many times before, Auto Europe UK, and thought he had found an excellent deal. The vehicle was actually supplied by a firm that has featured in Money's pages before, Goldcar.
"I have rented cars in many countries across four continents, and I assumed the fuel policy would be the same as I have always experienced: namely "full-to-full", where you return the car full of fuel or pay at the end for the top-up at the rental agent's price," says the academic who lives in Beverley, east Yorkshire. "I did not notice the small print saying 'pre-purchase fuel and return empty'."
When he arrived at the desk to pick up the car he was forced to buy a full tank of fuel at, he says, the inflated price of about £2 a litre. But by the time he returned the car he had only used a quarter of the tank, meaning he had effectively lost the value of the rest – although Auto Europe has since agreed to refund him after we raised his case.
"What is even more galling is that there is a fuel station next door to Goldcar in Valencia. There seems to be no situation where this practice is to the customer's advantage," he says.
In fairness to Auto Europe, its website now states which rentals come with a full-to-empty or full-to-full policy. It is worth noting that the cheapest headline deals tend to come with the former. The site also gives renters the chance to decide which firm they want to go with, which is important when booking in Spain. Based on the experience of Money readers, and others on Trip Advisor, we would be cautious about renting from Goldcar in Spain, despite the fact it offers some of the cheapest headline rates.
Holiday Autos, another booking site Money has recommended in the past, has also started saying upfront which rental companies it uses which have adopted this fuel policy. However, it is more difficult, but not impossible, for its customers to find which firm will actually provide the vehicle.
Several other websites we looked at, including rentalcars.com and arguscarhire.com, hide their fuel policy in the terms and conditions, meaning many more holidaymakers can expect a nasty rental surprise this summer. Reported by guardian.co.uk 19 hours ago.
Holidaymakers hiring a car abroad this summer are being warned about a worsening car rental rip-off – firms that make you pay up front for a full tank of fuel, then insist you return the car empty.
In recent years car hire outfits across Europe have increasingly adopted "full-to-empty" fuel policies as a way to increase revenues. The policy, which can easily add £50 to the cost of hiring a car, is particularly rife in Spain where it is increasingly difficult to find a car hire that will let you return a vehicle with a full tank of petrol.
Some firms now insist on full-to-empty on all rentals, while others only apply it to hires of four days or more. What's more, holidaymakers often have to pay an inflated price for the tank of petrol. Some are reporting being asked to hand over €90 (£77) to cover a tank of petrol on a small car, which if bought at a local garage would cost only €50 (£43).
Guardian Money reader Nigel Cutland was forced to pre-buy a tank of fuel when he hired a car in Valencia. He booked his car from a website he had used many times before, Auto Europe UK, and thought he had found an excellent deal. The vehicle was actually supplied by a firm that has featured in Money's pages before, Goldcar.
"I have rented cars in many countries across four continents, and I assumed the fuel policy would be the same as I have always experienced: namely "full-to-full", where you return the car full of fuel or pay at the end for the top-up at the rental agent's price," says the academic who lives in Beverley, east Yorkshire. "I did not notice the small print saying 'pre-purchase fuel and return empty'."
When he arrived at the desk to pick up the car he was forced to buy a full tank of fuel at, he says, the inflated price of about £2 a litre. But by the time he returned the car he had only used a quarter of the tank, meaning he had effectively lost the value of the rest – although Auto Europe has since agreed to refund him after we raised his case.
"What is even more galling is that there is a fuel station next door to Goldcar in Valencia. There seems to be no situation where this practice is to the customer's advantage," he says.
In fairness to Auto Europe, its website now states which rentals come with a full-to-empty or full-to-full policy. It is worth noting that the cheapest headline deals tend to come with the former. The site also gives renters the chance to decide which firm they want to go with, which is important when booking in Spain. Based on the experience of Money readers, and others on Trip Advisor, we would be cautious about renting from Goldcar in Spain, despite the fact it offers some of the cheapest headline rates.
Holiday Autos, another booking site Money has recommended in the past, has also started saying upfront which rental companies it uses which have adopted this fuel policy. However, it is more difficult, but not impossible, for its customers to find which firm will actually provide the vehicle.
Several other websites we looked at, including rentalcars.com and arguscarhire.com, hide their fuel policy in the terms and conditions, meaning many more holidaymakers can expect a nasty rental surprise this summer. Reported by guardian.co.uk 19 hours ago.