 Poster: A snowHead
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I got seriously stressed at gva when we picked up hire car as they were adament we should pay them for a full tank of petrol but wouldn’t tell us how much that would be, all they would say was that it would be cheaper unless we were only going a short distance.but we didn’t think we’d use a full tank - and it looks like we were right.
Is there somewhere en route from Valmeiner we can fill up in France and then we can just splash and dash at the airport where Alamo said it was 2.20 swiss france (anyone know if that is true?).
Ideally somewhere in France even if it’s 30 mins away would be better than trying to find one off airport in geneva
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I just fill up at the Tamoil a few hundred meters from GVA, and relatively cheap (less than French motorway prices).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2ZkKbhoF6UEf7nN87?g_st=ic
I come off the motorway a junction before the airport, at the Meyrin exit near Ikea. This has the added benefit of avoiding driving through the airport mayhem when returning the car.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The supermarket in St Michel is pretty good. Then do a top up at GVA
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There’s a BP not far from the airport and today unleaded is 1.81 chf or diesel is 1.94 chf
Cheapest fuel near Valmeinier is usually at the Intermarche in Hermillon, just off motorway after St Jean de Maurienne…today unleaded is €1.69 or diesel €1.73 whereas the Carrefour in St Michel is €1.78 or €1.92
Just look on this site and select somewhere on your route to see fuel prices in France
https://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I always used to fill up in the supermarket not far from the airport at Ferney Voltaire (France) because I knew exactly where it was, but last time I did that I got caught up in the huge roadworks going over there and really had very little idea where I was going and ended up navigating by instinct through a lot of road closures and men in yellow jackets. But I then noticed a petrol station just where you drive into the Swiss rental car place, which would have been far easier. It is always stressful, taking a car back, and the last thing on my mind is saving fourpence ha'penny on half a tank of fuel. And if you're in a hurry, taking the easy way out and dumping the car without a full tank is really not a big deal in the overall cost of a ski holiday! Need to keep these things in proportion.
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When I hired a Swiss car last May we filled the tank to the brim in Annemasse and drove very economically into the airport. It still read "full" and we were not charged.
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I've usually voted off the m/way at the exit before the airport, turn right and there's a BP station after few hundred meters. We found it by checking google for "petrol near Geneva airport".
In a similar vein... My brother was visiting us a few days ago this week and had an electric hire car from Manchester airport. That had to be returned with a minimum 80% charge or he'd have to pay just under £60. Guess it's more about the time it'd be on charge and not with the next customer, than the cost of charging.
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If coming from the Tarentaise or 3V I drive back to GVA via Annecy and stop at the Carrefour in Sevrier to fill up at French supermarket prices and to grab a sandwich for the journey. Provided I fill the car to the brim the fuel gauge will still read full when I get to the airport.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| snowdave wrote: |
I come off the motorway a junction before the airport, at the Meyrin exit near Ikea. This has the added benefit of avoiding driving through the airport mayhem when returning the car. |
Great tip
| pam w wrote: |
| It is always stressful, taking a car back, and the last thing on my mind is saving fourpence ha'penny on half a tank of fuel. And if you're in a hurry, taking the easy way out and dumping the car without a full tank is really not a big deal in the overall cost of a ski holiday! Need to keep these things in proportion. |
This is sound advice too
I once returned a car to Schiphol and we missed the petrol station enroute. We refused the higher price at the rental company and drove to a nearby petrol station. This was before satnavs. Needless to say we got lost, ended up stuck on the ring road and it took us nearly 2 hours. We got back to centrum about 10pm instead of the scheduled 7ish and it wasn't fun. We still got nicely baked but had dinner at febo instead of the steak at café de klos!
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| Quote: |
I got seriously stressed at gva when we picked up hire car as they were adament we should pay them for a full tank of petrol
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I thought that this scam had vanished a few years ago. The normal practice now is you take it out full and return it full preventing ther hire company having any involvement in refuelling.
I tend to fill up at the filling station just after crossing the border into France and before the entrance road to the Airport. If I had a bit more time (like 5 minutes) and the car was lowish on fuel I'd drive to one of the hypermarkets as mentioned by @pam w,
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@johnE, i think the OP meant that the car was going out with a full tank, and needed to be returned with a full tank, but if not returned full then they would be held up by Dick Turpin at the return desk!!!
if you meant the scam regarding leaving with an empty tank, then returning empty, i am with you on this one.
i used to hire a vehicle in the uk on a regular basis, from a small local company that was the closest one to me by miles, and that was their policy as well.
conveniently for them (no doubt owned by a member of their family), they was situated behind an independent fuel station, with exorbitant prices that you had to at least put a "splash" in before you could get to a cheaper fuel stop.
used to p!!s me off no end that it was going back with fuel in the tank, and no doubt syphoned out for personal use!!
as others have mentioned, when hiring at Geneva i have filled up to the brim over the border in France on return and have never needed to pay any fuel supplement
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@terrygasson, I was caught by a car hire company, Goldcar or something similar, at Malpensa that said we could have the car full for an extra charge at their rate and then had to return it empty. Apparently it was to be "convenient" for us. I've never used that company since.
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You know it makes sense.
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@johnE, don't blame you, i have never heard of that to be honest, they sound like a bunch of shysters!!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The old easyCar rules used to be empty/empty, which guaranteed an anxious last few miles.  they also required car to be returned clean, which was a bit of a poser. I recall my OH polishing one up with an old pair of Y fronts. Full/Full makes sense, with additional charge only if you return car NOT full, which seems fair. Even if the charge per litre seems a bit steep, they do have to pay somebody to do it.
I have hired quite a few cars, over the years. I'm ALWAYS relieved to get one back undamaged into those little spaces with surprise pillars. The only problems I've had have been with punctures - two, both in cars rented from Swiss side at Gva. An absolute complete and utter ballache, especially the one on the side of a snowy road as dusk fell, with a useless can of gunk and a one-inch gash caused by an invisible (under the snow) nid-de-poule when daughter in law pulled onto the side of the road to avoid the ski bus coming the other way. Had we not had other drivers and vehicles available and somebody capable of organising local garage (who spoke NO English) to come and pick up the car and take it down to the valley to fit new tyres, then get down there to pick it up. That was me - and I was at our apartment, and the lost time wasn't a big deal as we were there for many weeks. If a family had hired that car for a week's holiday, on their own, it would have been a very different story.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Don't stress about the small stuff is my philosophy, especially on holiday. If it is quick and convenient to fill the tank back up before returning a hire car I will do so. Last year we had an early start to get to Milan for our flights (left accommodation at 5AM). I spent no time worrying about filling the car up, and it cost me 40 euros or so. Feels like a bargain, and an absolute pittance compared to the cost of the holiday overall. I just don't get the point of getting stressed about the cost of a bottle of wine.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Don't stress about the small stuff is my philosophy, especially on holiday.
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Too right. I spent a whole evening before a big family holiday last year, looking at all the permutations of different ski passes - local area versus whole area, days at a time versus the whole week, half days, family offers. I was paying for most of them so I had an incentive!
It whiled away an evening with a few glasses of wine but in the end the differences were simply not worth bothering about - I'd have done better to put my feet up with a good book.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@luigi, this may clarify: at my last two Sixt rentals they offered the "pay for a tank now, bring it back empty" option and I love it. Given my known (>1 tank) intinerary, it was no problem bringing the car back "empty" (you don't HAVE to, but you do rather than buy Sixt fuel!). If someone paid for that initial tank and then filled up when returning their car...that's irrational, or just dumb. I was also surprised that the cost was reasonable, unlike what they charge if you bring it back empty without this deal. Thus I spent only what I would have spent anyway, but didn't have to do the top off near the airport, which is nice to avoid when you've "pressed the home button". Yes, one could also mess up and leave too much fuel in the tank, costing you a few shekels. Small price to pay for convenience for me anyway.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| When I hired a Swiss car last May we filled the tank to the brim in Annemasse and drove very economically into the airport. It still read "full" and we were not charged. |
It's very car dependent. I had a car once (t-roc i think) I could over 100km before the arrow moved but last time I hired a car i argued it wasn't full whereas the arrow moved from full 20km after filling (I know because I filled the tank again straight after collection to check how much was missing).
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| @luigi, this may clarify: at my last two Sixt rentals they offered the "pay for a tank now, bring it back empty" option and I love it. Given my known (>1 tank) intinerary, it was no problem bringing the car back "empty" (you don't HAVE to, but you do rather than buy Sixt fuel!). If someone paid for that initial tank and then filled up when returning their car...that's irrational, or just dumb. I was also surprised that the cost was reasonable, unlike what they charge if you bring it back empty without this deal. Thus I spent only what I would have spent anyway, but didn't have to do the top off near the airport, which is nice to avoid when you've "pressed the home button". Yes, one could also mess up and leave too much fuel in the tank, costing you a few shekels. Small price to pay for convenience for me anyway. |
I can see the convenience of not having to fill up near the airport, but trying to judge the contents of the tank so you don't either run out or leave half a tank in there would frustrate me. Much better to be able keep it topped up wherever you see cheap fuel and bring it back full, to my mind anyway! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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We filled up at Annecy and needle was still on max when we got to the airport
In the end we only used just over half a tank so full-full was best for us
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| pam w wrote: |
| When I hired a Swiss car last May we filled the tank to the brim in Annemasse and drove very economically into the airport. It still read "full" and we were not charged. |
This works fine, when you fill it right up they'll easily have 20~30 miles before the gauge moves away from indicating full.
Saves from using any near drop off logistics to comply.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you’re driving from the mountain to the airport straight on your last day, you already know the approximate fuel it would take as you’ve driven it once.
I would fill the tank the night before, or at the first convenient place.
That way, if I have time, I top it up 10-20 miles from the airport so it reads “full”. But if I run into traffic and missed the last gas station due to any unforeseen issues, I minimize the charge by the hire company for not having a full tank.
It’s an extra filling stop. But it relieves anxiety near the end of the holiday greatly.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| zikomo wrote: |
| Don't stress about the small stuff is my philosophy, especially on holiday. If it is quick and convenient to fill the tank back up before returning a hire car I will do so. Last year we had an early start to get to Milan for our flights (left accommodation at 5AM). I spent no time worrying about filling the car up, and it cost me 40 euros or so. Feels like a bargain, and an absolute pittance compared to the cost of the holiday overall. I just don't get the point of getting stressed about the cost of a bottle of wine. |
Totally this. If you can easily you can, if not don’t worry about it, just fill up at the airport. Its small beer not worth being stressed about it.
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You know it makes sense.
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I get that in the grand scheme of things it’s not worth stressing, but having been charged last year for damage we didn’t do I was just really distrusting and I hate being ripped off - it’s the principle not the £s.
However, the biggest stress was that we were given the wrong car!
Hubby didn’t notice that we signed for a Honda but we were given an Opel - I noticed when we stopped at Chambery for dinner, tried for an hour to contact Alamo to tell them and talked to Rentalcars who also couldn’t contact them so in the end we just had to carry on.
I suffer from anxiety and adhd and my mind was spinning thinking of the implications of not having the car that matched the paperwork - eg. were we even insured? would we need to lose a days skiing to exchange it etc?
In the end we just carried on to resort & I finally got an email saying I had to submit a help ticket - then got an email midweek to say they’d changed the paperwork.
Will add check it’s the right car to my checklist 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| skimummk wrote: |
However, the biggest stress was that we were given the wrong car!
Hubby didn’t notice that we signed for a Honda but we were given an Opel - I noticed when we stopped at Chambery for dinner, tried for an hour to contact Alamo to tell them and talked to Rentalcars who also couldn’t contact them so in the end we just had to carry on. |
Never had that before. Lucky they didn’t report it stolen
Worrying about cheap petrol definitely small in comparison.
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Poster: A snowHead
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As a former road warrior I've rented maybe a couple hundred cars. At no time has any employee said or done anything about whether the tank I'm returning is 100% full or 96% or whatever. Gas gauges aren't that precise anyway, so I think on this issue at least, they are reasonable. Though it wouldn't surprise me if they build this tendency into their fee structure. Wouldn't you?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Scooter in Seattle, I reckon you’ve been very lucky! I’ve rented a similar number, and had fuel “issues” often enough that every time, when I fill a rental car before returning it, I take a picture of the pump reading, the fuel gauge and the receipt.
A couple of months back, Avis claimed I’d not refilled a Chevy suburban which has a huge tank…. Sent in the evidence and I was immediately refunded.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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In Portugal we have to do the same. I fill up before the 40 min drive to the airport. Most of the time the fuel needle hasn’t even moved when I get there.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@snowdave, always smart to keep the evidence just in case. Suburbs have such big tanks that "a fraction low" is still ten bucks worth!
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@Scooter in Seattle, if it works for you, it works for you I suppose. It's definitely a scam though. They are (correctly) assuming you won't be able to get the vehicle completely empty so you when you drop it back you are giving them the gift of the fuel in the tank that you paid for but couldn't use. Not to mention that the price per litre they charge you for the full tank is usually high as well.
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@monkey, I didn't need to drain the tank to make it a winning strategy. It was a fair deal for me in that particular situation, which I concede is not all situations.
Scam? Or a clever way to add profit while also adding convenience for the customer, all at the customer's option?
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Seriously. What is the most anyone here has even been charged for not bringing the car back full? It's a pittance in my experience. If it is quick and easy (and I feel I have the time), I will top the car up at the airport. Probably about half the time I don't bother. It has never been expensive for me to return without it being full.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| As a former road warrior I've rented maybe a couple hundred cars. At no time has any employee said or done anything about whether the tank I'm returning is 100% full or 96% or whatever. Gas gauges aren't that precise anyway, so I think on this issue at least, they are reasonable. Though it wouldn't surprise me if they build this tendency into their fee structure. Wouldn't you? |
Didn't work in Japan, they had a pump where I returned the car, so brimmed it and charged me the difference. It wasn't much, on reflection I wish that I hadn't filled the car before returning anyway, would've saved me the 20 minutes of swearing at google translate while trying to work out which of the 4 colours I should put in the car
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@zikomo, €50-80 penalty fee, plus the cost of the fuel at an extortionate price/litre - is what I've seen on many of the Ts & Cs. Seems worth spending 5 minutes of my time to fill up the car myself if I'm going to save €100 or whatever.
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FAQ
