Car Rental Gas Prices Skyrocket
As if the price of gasoline were not high enough for everyday drivers in the US, it has now rocketed above $9 a gallon for those who don't pay ahead of time and return their car rental without a full tank. This means that Hertz customers who were renting a Ford Club Wagon, for example, with a 35 gallon fuel tank would owe Hertz $325.15 for gas if they returned the wagon with a nearly empty tank and hadn't prepaid for the gas.
Those who pay ahead of time for a tank of gas from Hertz and other car rental companies, though , may find that the per-gallon price is actually cheaper than at many local gas stations. Still, it's questionable whether renters who prepay will actually save money by doing so, as prepayment will only benefit renters who return vehicles with a nearly empty gas tank. Those who return vehicles with a substantial amount of gas in the tank are not credited for it.