Is It Ever Worth Prepaying for Gas in a Rental Car?

Usually, it’s a waste of money to choose the fuel purchase option, but safety and convenience can provide reasons to do it. Remember to check the receipt to make sure you’re charged the correct amount.

Q: I rented a car through Hertz and used the fuel purchase option, but was charged for more fuel than the capacity of the vehicle I rented, a 2015 Chevy Malibu LS. The LS has a 15.8-gallon tank, while the other five trim levels have 18.5-gallon tanks, which is what I was charged for. Hertz refuses to adjust the amount. The small amount of extra fuel and money is not the main issue. I want Hertz to be aware of the problem so it doesn’t happen to others. Can you help? – Joe P., Hoboken, NJ

A: Choosing the fuel purchase option can save time and hassle when you return a car, but it almost never saves money. In general, the price for fuel if you prepay for gas is similar to the prevailing rate in the area. Sometimes it’s a little cheaper, but even then you have to return the car with an empty tank to gain the price benefit. Personally, I don’t prepay for gas, but I do think there are circumstances when it makes sense:

  • One, if you know you’re going to be pressed for time before a flight, you may want to skip the extra step of finding a gas station and filling the tank near the airport – note that many rental companies now require a receipt from a gas station within ten miles of the rental agency.
  • Two, if the rental agency is in an area where it’s difficult to get to a gas station nearby do a gas station search before you pick up the car and check the route back to the return location.
  • Three, if you’re worried about safety in the area near the return location, you may want to choose to let the rental company fill the tank.

If you don’t choose the fuel purchase option and you don’t fill the tank yourself, expect to pay at least double the cost of gas in the area, and in some cases as much $9 or more per gallon. One outlier in this equation is Silvercar, which fills the car upon return at the prevailing rate for a flat $5 refueling fee. You are, however, committing to an Audi A4, typically from $59 to $89 per day. Still, there are no add-ons with Silvercar (besides insurance), so it could be a reasonable deal if you tend to rent from the upper stable of vehicles.

So, what happened with Joe’s fuel charge? Ultimately, Hertz recognized its error and, as a gesture of concern, refunded the entire cost of the fuel purchase option of $76.10, rather than just the overcharge. That seems to be a fair offer and Joe is pleased to have it resolved, particularly given that the issue was fixed in the system and other renters won’t experience the same problem. Take a lesson from Joe, though, and scrutinize your rental documents and your receipt, because you never know what you might find buried in the numbers or the fine print.
