Car Rental Fuel Charges – Buyer Beware!

On a recent trip to Spain we rented a car and came up against a fuel-related situation we had not encountered before. 

Admittedly, it had been a while since we rented a car on holiday but previously the fuel policy had always been pick up full/return full.  Easy-peasy.  Why would it be anything else?

We had pre-booked a rental car through a website which took us to Centauro Rent a Car at Palma, Majorca.  (Hands up, we admit it, we did not read through all Centauro’s Terms and Conditions on the website before we booked).

What we did not know until we got there and were presented with an agreement to sign was that we were being charged more than €50 for a full tank of fuel (diesel) on the intermediate size car, with the requirement to return it with an empty tank. 

Maybe we are just sadly unaware, or is this common in the car rental industry now?  It certainly whiffed of deliberate rip-off and could have left a very nasty taste, as well as an unexpected hole in our holiday budget.

(We hasten to add that the service from Centauro was otherwise fine, and a shuttle arrived at the airport to take us to the car rental office promptly upon our arrival).  

As it turned out, the fuel situation was not a big problem as we did a lot of driving and the tank was on empty when we returned the car a week later.  However, when the fuel gauge on my personal car is on the ‘E’ there is still a reserve of fuel.  So, with the current cost of petrol Centauro certainly made some money off us and they could be making a bundle on the unwary who only use a rental car to get to their accommodation and back with a few excursions. It takes some serious mileage to get through a full tank of fuel.

Rental cars (especially in Spain) are notoriously booked solid during the peak summer holiday period.  So, be warned, arriving at your destination and being faced with this dilemma could mean you have no option but to pay up and fume later.

The ‘Conditions relating to petrol’ are published on the Centauro website (if we had bothered to check).  It does confirm that the vehicle is handed over with a full tank, to be returned empty, with no refunds.  It also states that on car hires of three days or less the difference is refunded.  They charge for a full tank of petrol at the beginning of the hire period.  It also says that fuel costs vary depending on the vehicle model, which can be anything from 50 to 110 euros for a full tank.  This could amount to a significant loss for those who don’t plan on a lot of driving. 

If you are renting a car on holiday this is something you need to find out before you book and get to your destination.  Before you press the ’book’ button online take some time to read through the ‘Rental Conditions’ or whatever they are called between companies.

We checked a few other car rental companies for Palma via a comparison website:

Holiday Autos Terms and Conditions regarding fuel state that a deposit may be payable for fuel which may be refunded if the car is returned with a full tank of fuel.  It also says that fuel policies vary and to check when you pick up your vehicle (which would be too late, of course, if the pick-up full/return empty policy applies).

Hertz ‘Rental Qualification and Requirements’ section for Palma rentals stated only that ‘the Mandatory Fuel Purchase charge does not apply in the Balearics Islands’.  Not sure exactly what that means though…

Does anyone have any feedback on this and how widespread the practice is?

Travel Insurance policies can also be a nuisance with all the small print and terms and conditions (sorry) but the information is all there if you take the time to look – and if you can’t fnd what you need you can always call us for clarification!

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