A Fuel Question

[Steve]

Just wondered if anyone has recently paid the fuel supplement at the car hire desks? You know the one I mean where you have to pay for a tank of fuel and bring it back empty.

[Debbie]

No we can't remember the last time we had to pay that. We usually book our car hire through Holiday Autos [oooops am I allowed to say that!!!!!] and take out the higher rental package which means we can add extra drivers and no fuel supplement!!

[Steve]

Yes that is probably what we will do. It is just that in the past when we have been for quite a few weeks at a time it wasn't worth paying the rate that included a tank of fuel as the weekly rate was higher. For example, If it was £150 a week including a free tank of fuel, then multiply that by 8 weeks = £1200 but if it was £120 a week without fuel then that would be £960 and worth paying for the fuel. You see you only get one tank of fuel per booking, whether it is for 1 week or 4 weeks. Hope this makes sense!! lol

[ellie]

Steve, we used to go for the Gold package which included fuel, but the added cost (which includes more drivers than we need) has recently become more expensive. We use Budget who allow you to return the car with a full tank of fuel, and this is a real saving. This is on the Silver tariff.

I know that we were offered the fuel paid option at the desk in June and it was around $50 and this was for a compact car. I am sure you could fill the tank for less than that - previously we filled it for around $36.

Budget are the only ones, as far as I know who give you the option of returning the car full on the Silver Option - the others require you to pay for the tank of petrol before you leave the desk and that can be expensive. We had a great car, too, brand new with leather seats and very economical - unusual in the USA.

[Steve]

Yes that's right ellie. I seem to remember a tank of fuel being somewhere in the region of $120 for an SUV or Minivan. Anyway have gone for the Gold option with Alamo.