TRIGGER

My wife was given a massive Nissan Patrol by the garage while they had our Sti - totally empty of fuel and having put £10 (as she wasnt going to do many miles) in she travelled about 15 miles and it needed filling again - bloody thing was soooooo thirsty !!!

Dragon

Had an interesting one with a Vectra I hired - company delivered it with a full tank, I used it but didn't fill it up afterwards (not on purpose) and they billed me.

I sent a payment back, but less the VAT

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

The last two times I had loan cars, I left them with more petrol than I used, so this time I'm returning it with vapours!

It's amazing that a 1.6GL Impreza can return the same MPG as my modified Impreza turbo!!!

Shark

We give out our cars as they come in and tell customers to put in what they need. It helps that we have our own petrol station to.

It seems the fairest way to me. I mean if you fill the tank you can do 30 ish miles before the needle moves

David

banshi

I would expect a courtesy car to have at least a quarter tank of petrol and would expect to be charged if I returned with less fuel in the car.

I would be seriously annoyed if the dealer I use regularly gave me a car with no petrol in it! Unless I'd conned him out of a tankful last time, wouldn't do that would u Squizz

Ther again I would expect having paid the best part 30k for a car it would have a full tank of petrol.......it didn't

Not my local dealership BTW.

Squizz

Ok, straw-poll time.

I've just been given a rather nice MY01 WRX 2.0GX courtesy car. Great drive, but as I was given the keys, I was told:

"Just ensure it has as much petrol in it when it comes back as it did when you took it out"...

ie. F*ck all.

Thanks to being in the middle of rural Worcestershire, it took me a while to find petrol and get back on course.

So - Who hands over courtesy cars brimmed with petrol (expecting them brimmed upon return?) and who supplys them bone b*st*rd dry?

Comments, please ladies and gentlemen.

GazP

When we get hire cars delivered from National to use for work they are *supposed* to have a full tank of petrol, but most of them don't have. When you hand them back they always bill the company for a full tank of petrol, so it look slike a nice little earner for them. They always claim there has been damage to the car aw well, even if there isn't any and our company isn't bothered by these false claims, they always pay So to answer the question I never return the car with a full tank, always leave a bit in, but I never bother.

SJobson

Anthony Betts in Milton Keynes gave me a Legacy GX empty, just saying 'You're responsible for fuel'. But fortunately they're situated at the back of a large BP garage...

Mind you, who only puts in as little fuel as they use? Do you risk running your courtesy car down to the bottom of the tank?

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

I try to return it with the same as when I got the car, normally means driving around near the dealership to take the fuel gauge as close to empty as I can

Squizz

I was just narked that I couldn't get on with my journey to work, and had to go out of my way to get some petrol.

Being a strange car and unsure of its MPG, I'll probably end up giving them some bloody petrol, too.

Greg115

Its not the petrol I mind but its getting a courtesy car without insurance that sticks in my throat.

These dealers know what a problem it is to get these Impreza Turbos insured, they then expect you to put the Justy courtesy car on your own insurance!!! I got a quote from my insurance company - cost 60 quid for the day. I think not - I said.

Went to another dealer that provided a car FOC. Its only right when your paying for a large service. How many of us havent taken the courtesy car and have been told that "just go into town and the car will be ready for Midday." Yup, thats been me, went back after wasting 3 hours in town, and found my car exactly where I parked it. Why? cause it hadnt moved a wheel. I then insisted on a courtesy car so I could go home for lunch.

Ive insisted on a courtesy car ever since, although ive told them they can pick the car up, but they dont want to!!!

Anyway Glad thats off my chest.

Hardy

I have had the same responce when i left my car
"Just ensure it has as much petrol in it when it comes back as it did when you took it out"...

As yourself squizz, being the the middle of Worcestershire I did not know where the petrol station was, nor was i pointed in the right direction, but i managed to find a Jet garrage and stick some fuel in, only enough to get me up the M5 to work and back to the dealership, but I made damm sure that the thing was running on fumes when I gave it back )))

skipjack

heritage leicester - always quarter tank. Fiver in covers mileage. shame it's a proton tho.

Shark

Greg

Good point on the insurance front. We get people to transfer their insurance for two reasons. Firstly because our insurance would go up dramatically if we covered the cars and we have a £500 excess. Most people don't want to risk the high excess. Also the higher insurance cost would be passed on to those that never have a courtesy car. Only one in six of my customers take a courtesy car.

Secondly, and more simply, people look after the car better if it's on their insurance.

I can see it from your point of view to, you do have to pay out for the bigger services.

David

DavidLewis

I s'pose we should be grateful for courtesy cars, dealers dont have to supply them. But in some cases, it makes all the difference between 2 local garages (but not in my case )

I'm hiring a car in Spain in August and their policy is that they provide the vehicle with a full tank of fuel and charge you for it. How much you bring back......is up to you.

Hanslow

I thouhgt my garage (Beechdale in Notts) was OK.

Gave me a top of the range Justy (well it had 4 wheels ). Offered insurance indemnity for a fiver (didn't take it cos I am reeeallllly cheap ) and I just got billed for the mileage I did (using x pence per mile).

Allowed me to get home and back to the garage with no bovva

RON

I recently had a Justy (yuck) from Vales in Yeovil, I drove it out of their yard, whilst looking at the fuel gauge, EMPTY!!, ah well I thought, it'll get to a garage, well it did, JUST. It was coughing and spluttering when I got there, what made me mad, was the fact that I had only done TWO miles, was I mad ot what?????
Ah well, Thats Subaru garages for you I guess!!
Ron

ptholt

Funnily enough i had a conversation with a friend who is the aftersales manager for 3-4 Alfa dealerships.
The number of complaints he gets from people saying that the courtesy car isnt filled up means he spends a fair bit of time talking about this subject.

At his garage they used to fill up the car if they have used it and there is nothing in there, but the majority of the time the car is returned empty by service customers. As a result his bosses have informed him not to bother getting it filled anymore and to tell people just to put in enough for there trip, failing that, to charge for excessive fuel onto the customers service bill when they return it or they will start charging for the courtesy car.

[This message has been edited by ptholt (edited 28 June 2001).]

TURBO7379

I have a M8 who was over for the RAC rally in 1999 and had a diesel hire car out . As usual you have to leave it back full of fuel so he found a friendly welsh farmer and filled it up with red diesel before he left it back to the airport . I wonder was some poor sod ever caught by the customs in that car ?

Sideways

When I hire a car at work it is delivered with a full tank and must go back with a full tank otherwise they charge us about £6 a gallon .
However when I have been lent a car from a motor dealer it is 9 times out of 10 their demonstrator which is usually someones company car also so I always take it back with the same amount in. I agree with the above it sucks when you have to arrange your own insurance.

TKH

GazP

Hopefully when your new National branch thats just opened in Wigan deliver your next hire car it will be as full as possible minus the fuel used to get it to you

Regards

Tim
(National Wigan)

schuey

The courtesy cars that I have had, have had just enough petrol to get you home and back to the gararge. If you need to go elsewhere it's fill up time. They always insist on a similar level of petrol. As for insurance, covered on the garages insurance.
The courtesy cars that I have had have been:
V-reg Impreza Sport MY00
X or Y ( can't remember ) 2.0 Wagon MY01

Jon