Car Hire - fuel levy.

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Faire d'Income
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Car Hire - fuel levy.

Postby Faire d'Income » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:22 am

I was charged €42 by Goldcar on a recent visit for a Smartcar which only required €25 to fill up and having complained to Carjet have been told that this is now common practice with Spanish hire car companies.

Can anyone shed any light on this as if true, is clearly anti-competitive. Alternatively, there may be suppliers out there not levying this fuel charge.

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Postby peteroldracer » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:27 am

Ever thought to take it back full?
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Postby Faire d'Income » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:30 am

Err. Take it back full (cost €25) and take the hit on the fuel levy (cost €42)? Don't think so. :roll:

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Postby peteroldracer » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:38 am

How do they describe the levy, Faire? I assumed it was a charge to refill the tank - if not, sorry!
The only thing you can do, if in reality it is a "hidden" part of the hire costs, is to publicise which companies do it, here on this and any other forums, then let them know that you are doing it and let them decide if it is really damaging their business!!
If every company is doing it, then it is a cartel, illegal under EU law, so some brave soul with spare money for lawyers could issue a denuncia?
The "low-cost" airlines have recently been forced to declare their true prices including all charges and taxes (although they still ignore credit card charges, and you tell me how else you can pay for a ticket over the internet!!) on precisely these grounds, that they have been guilty of trades description offences.
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Postby Grouser » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:47 am

My wife uses Niza and they supply the car with a full tank. Provided you return the car with the tank full there is no fuel charge.
Grouser

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Gin Monster
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Postby Gin Monster » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:20 pm

Crown at Almeria airport don't charge so long as you bring it back full

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Postby swerve » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:30 pm

The biggest con is where they as fair says is charge you upfront for fuel say 40 euro then ask you to bring it back empty.Hoping that you haven't had to fill it up and see the real cost of a tank full.And even when you bring it back they are going to score for at least say 5 litres even if the yellow light is on.That must add up to a lot of euros extra per year.
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Postby MarkF » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:40 pm

I now only use car rental companies that offer a "bring back full" facility.

I once took a car back full to Helle Holis in Granada when it should have been empty and I got my money back. There is only so long that they will put up with a moaner at the counter.

Not much help I know :roll:

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Postby Faire d'Income » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:54 pm

Gin Monster wrote:Crown at Almeria airport don't charge so long as you bring it back full
We used to deal with Crown via Carjet and had the same deal but I've been told by Carjet this morning that this practice (used to be only Goldcar that levied it) is now prevalent amongst all suppliers at Malaga airport.

Irrespective of the quantity left in the tank, apparently they now charge a levy for a full tank of fuel at the end of the rental period so I'm checking if this is correct?

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Postby Roz » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:59 pm

Record Car hire at Malaga still te full/full sytem.

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Postby peteroldracer » Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:16 pm

Faire d'Income wrote: I've been told by Carjet this morning that this practice (used to be only Goldcar that levied it) is now prevalent amongst all suppliers at Malaga airport.
On that basis the police will start believing thieves who say everyone else steals....................the clear answer there is never to deal with Carjet again, as they could tell you the car had just been serviced, the brakes were fine - I would never trust them again, and would tell them why.
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Postby frank » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:48 pm

Ever thought to take it back full?
Nothing to stop you, except that they operate a full/empty policy, so if you take it back full, you've dipped out! I think now Record is the only one used by Carjet that doesn't operate this policy. I am currently pricing cars as we want one for nearly a month again end of this month, and much as I hate the full/empty policy, Carjet, for a months hire, can be about £100 cheaper than some than don't operate this policy. So if you pay £10-15 more than you should for petrol, you're still well in pocket. What put me off using carjet was waits of 45, 45mins, and one hour and a half waiting for a car on the last 3 visits. Used Malagacar in July, and there was a lot wrong with car, but I thought I'd give them another go, but seems they don't want my business, 2 e-mails have gone unanswered. Something else to bear in mind, is if you want to take out the extra insurance, with Carjet, it's between €15-20 per hire, with Malagacar it's €3 a day. So for me, for a month, with Carjet the most you pay is €20(I paid €16 for a month in April), with Malagacars it would be €90!!! Still undecided who to go with, but a return to Carjet could be on the cards, at least they answer e-mails and seem well organised, Malagacars is a shambles. Even their UK office hasn't answered me.
Regards, Frank

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Postby Retro P » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:37 pm

Sorry admin this is not meant to be free advertising, just trying to be helpful, I abhor this disgusting practice of ripping people off for a fictitious tank fill up, so here goes, Try Royal car hire, based in El Zoco, Calahonda, the lady is Dutch, married to a Spaniard, speaks perfect english, you can do the whole thing by internet, they drop off at the airport and pick up, very reasonable prices too, book in advance though, they're only small and sometimes run out of cars!
Ah! the full english!!

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Postby frank » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:51 pm

I have had a few like Royal recommended to me, and for a weeks hire they are not that far behind the big boys, but when it comes to a months hire, they have all turned out to miles off the price of say, Carjet. For me, they have not been able to get within £80- £100. If they are £20-25 more a week, it's no big deal, but they don't seem to be able to compete over a month. I have given several the chance to drop their prices for a month's hire, but they can't, or won't do it. If it means queuing to save £100, that's what I think I will be doing. The only positive with the return empty policy with Carjet, is you just dump the car on your return, (it can be chaos at times trying to leave the car) you don't have to wait for someone to check the fuel, and they don't ever care if you have had a scrape, a bump, dent or whatever.
Regards, Frank

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Postby frank » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:00 pm

you can do the whole thing by internet,
They don't make it easy! A search throws up their telephone number, but I can't see any mention of web page, nor even an e-mail address.
Regards, Frank

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Postby costapacket » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:10 pm

We usually go for Crown (now Auriga Crown) from Malaga. In the past they operated a full/bring back full policy BUT last time we used them we were charged for the tank of petrol and told to bring back empty :( :( I will be shopping around in future.

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Postby gus » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:14 am

I have used Carjet/Crown for a number of years at Malaga and never had any problem with the simole statement..."I'll bring it back full".

I am using them again in a few weeks so will let you know how I get on with this on this occasion :-)

Gus

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Postby rafiki » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:57 am

In the Crown Seville Airport office there is a notice posted on the desk informing clients that, from 2nd July 2007 all hirings will be full/empty. Staff do say this is relaxed for hirings of three days or less. Lisa at PremierCarjet confirmed this to me recently also.
Brian.

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Postby Roz » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:00 am

I made a booking with Carjet/Crown on Sinday and when I read the rental voucher it was with the pay for petrol min advance system. I sent an Email questioning this and their reply

Thanks for your query.

Our suppliers provide a full/empty fuel system for all rentals over 3 days duration. You must prepay for a full tank and return the tank as empty as possible.
You may request a full/full fuel system directly to the supplier only if you rental is less than 4 days duration, (1 to 3 days hires). You must leave a credit card slip for this option against possible missing fuel when you return the vehicle.

AurigaCrown now also operate this system as the rest of the suppliers

Best regards
Alan
Carjet[/i]

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Postby Sandi » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:05 am

We have rented our first automatic from Rentacar 3000 (based in Arroya) they were €200 cheaper than the big boys for the period we wanted. They operate a 1/4 out 1/4 back fuel policy. We have used them many times, never let us down. Limited range of vehicles but we have always found one to suit. They also do home/hotel collection and delivery, as well as Malaga airport.


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