Rented from National during my last trip. It looks like they have a way of tracking fuel levels now?
Rental Car Fuel Level Monitoring
- Thread starter The Critic
- Start date
Lots of new cars are connected now so wouldn't surprise me they are pulling data from the car now.
Attendant said they have "sensors" in about 60% of their fleet.
An OBD II scan tool might even be able to tell them the fuel level, depending on which car it is in question.
Wish they'd had the same one time when I rented one time in Vegas.... Within minutes of leaving the airport, I got the feeling it wasn't quite "full". So I stopped and filled the tank. It took over four gallons! It was an Altima, go figure.
Wish they'd had the same one time when I rented one time in Vegas.... Within minutes of leaving the airport, I got the feeling it wasn't quite "full". So I stopped and filled the tank. It took over four gallons! It was an Altima, go figure.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Yes, they are. Avis, especially. I am on my seventh Avis rental in the last ten days, and Avis has charged me extra for fuel every time, even though I am filling up the vehicle next to the airport. I don't have the time to fight Avis on this, I have surrendered it is simply a cost of doing business. Of note, Avis no longer calls this a fuel charge in the e-receipt, it is now called other taxable charges. One has to download a PDF to see what Avis is charging the "other taxable charge".
I suspect Avis is using AI on top of what is being reported. I had an Avis Suburban for under 24 hours last week, when I turned the Suburban in it showed four gallons of fuel needed. I am confident the Suburban wasn't topped off when I picked it up, and I filled the Suburban up outside of the airport.
About 15 years ago Avis was brutal with all kinds of "fake" charges. Avis had gotten better, the last two weeks suggest it is back to the old games of charge, and dispute the charge with a call center in India.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
I wish I could figure it out. I don't think most of the vehicles I rent have the technology to measure anywhere as near as is being reported on the receipt. I speculate that is where AI takes over and uses statistics to tighten the fuel in the tank from a vague/ estimated volume that the vehicle reports via OBD.
Imagine the profit that can be generated by using this method of half full/ hald empty, and let AI figure out what range to enter to maximize profit. Sell every car .8 gallons that get turned in to AVIS today, that might be an additional million dollars per day of easy revenue for Avis. Maybe Avis has to pay an India call center $20k USD per day to handle the complaints, still a hefty return.
Interesting. I found this...
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/national-emerald-club/2076096-precise-fuel-measurement-2.html
Just another form of hidden inflation. kinda like making cereal boxes the same size, but making them thinner so they hold less.
If I were still renting all the time, I'd play the game by filling up upon leaving the rental agency, and keeping the receipt. There have been many times where I was short-changed on fuel when picking up. I always hyper-fill upon return to prevent those stupid charges.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
The issue with that is what is your time worth? In addition, Avis has a policy if you drive under 80 miles you will be charged for fuel, regardless if you filled the tank, unless you manually make a point showing the fuel receipt at turn in. And doing this gets the fuel charge waived about 25 percent of the time. I am not sure their employees even have the training to input customer provided fuel information.
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A lot more than this is being monitored. Did you know that Gas Buddy sells info to the insurance companies too?
That's infuriating.
More of a "BS charge" like airline, bank or cell phone fees. My wife had to pay an extra $10 to get out of her Verizon phone by a hidden fee for "customer service assisted payment."
I think the Avis employees are taking advantage of the "free 60 miles on Full on the gauge" to shuttle cars around or take them home for weekends etc.
My OBD-II knows "exactly" how full the tank really is, to run EVAP tests when appropriate. It's not a stretch for a manufacturer to put in a backdoor for this and satellite tracking.
twouvakind
Site Donor 2025
My last Enterprise rental was a bit low key with 1/2 tank on pick up, half tank on return.
I typically fill up a rental on the way to the airport.
When I get there it shows full.
No doubt one could force feed it a few more gallons, but come on.
I'd dispute this and if need be call my credit card provider and have it charged back, although that might make future rentals from the same company difficult.
It's like they've got you either way.
When I get there it shows full.
No doubt one could force feed it a few more gallons, but come on.
I'd dispute this and if need be call my credit card provider and have it charged back, although that might make future rentals from the same company difficult.
It's like they've got you either way.
When I return a rental, I take a picture of the odometer and the fuel gauge right before I shut it off and return the keys. Plus, the photo is time stamped and with a GPS location.
National/Enterprise has never made it an issue with me.
National/Enterprise has never made it an issue with me.
It's in the agreement which companies Gas Buddy shares data with. The issue being is HARDLY NO ONE wades through all that stuff to read it.
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