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Props to Baltimore

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:35 pm
by Left Seater
Can't ever remember saying that before but big props to Baltimore. They have told the car rental companies where they can stick their refueling fees. For those of us that rent a ton of cars and can't use a full tank this is great news. Instead of being charged $8.99 per gallon we will now pay $5 and change.

Some props to Hertz for their use fee if you go less than 100 miles.

Screw the gas costing more than the rental.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:40 pm
by Sirfindafold
Image

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:58 am
by Screw_Michigan
Left Seater wrote:Can't ever remember saying that before but big props to Baltimore. They have told the car rental companies where they can stick their refueling fees. For those of us that rent a ton of cars and can't use a full tank this is great news. Instead of being charged $8.99 per gallon we will now pay $5 and change.
was reading about that shit while at BWI today. wow, baltimore bureaucrats actually doing some real fucking work! out-fucking-standing. RACK THEM.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:01 pm
by smackaholic
Last I checked, gas stations will allow rental cars drivers to fill up.

Unrack crackimore for yet another piece of unneccessary nanny state legislation.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:19 pm
by Smackie Chan
Left Seater wrote:Can't ever remember saying that before but big props to Baltimore. They have told the car rental companies where they can stick their refueling fees. For those of us that rent a ton of cars and can't use a full tank this is great news. Instead of being charged $8.99 per gallon we will now pay $5 and change.

Some props to Hertz for their use fee if you go less than 100 miles.

Screw the gas costing more than the rental.
Budget also has a similar policy in some areas where you pay a flat refueling fee (~$10) if you drive a rental car <75 miles and don't refuel before returning it. Rental agencies have always, for as long as I can remember, charged a premium rate for refueling cars returned less than full, but the rate was usually ~ $1 per gallon above the local price of gas. Not to go all conspiracy theorist or anything, but I'd almost swear that many of the agencies negotiate deals to keep gas stations from being built conveniently near many airport return locations so that renters are less likely to return the vehicles full, thereby reaping the benefits of being able to charge exorbitantly high refueling service charges. Since the price of gas has begun its steep climb, those service charges have risen in greater than direct proportion. $8.99!?! That's ridiculous.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:31 pm
by Wolfman
What's the fucking problem ?? You don't have time to pull into a nearby gas station and fill the tank ?
Well---boo-fucking hoo ! What a bunch of pussies !

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:55 pm
by Smackie Chan
Wolfman wrote:What's the fucking problem ?? You don't have time to pull into a nearby gas station and fill the tank ?
Well---boo-fucking hoo ! What a bunch of pussies !
Look at wolfie trying to lay down the smack! Sure, it sucks, but the effort is applauded with a golf clap.

For me personally, it's no problem, since the gov't pays for the gas whether I refuel before returning or let the agency refuel. In my limited efforts to be a good steward of taxpayer $$, I usually try to top off before returning the cars. But as I stated, in many locations I've been where the hotel in which I'm staying is somewhat far from the airport rental car location, the smart thing to do is to fill up near the return site. But there are those times when I've been in an unfamiliar town, and there are no gas stations anywhere near the return location. Even though I typically give myself plenty of time to catch my flights, I'm not willing to drive all over tarnation looking for a gas pump, so I return the cars less than full. When that happens, I s'pose I should thank you for contributing to the taxes that pay for the refueling service charges the agencies levy.

Then again, nah.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:05 pm
by PSUFAN
What's the fucking problem ?? You don't have time to pull into a nearby gas station and fill the tank ?
It doesn't sound like that's really the problem, Wolfie. It appears from pics that your head is buried in a snowbank, so perhaps it's not hard to understand why you might be confused.

Big O - one finger on the pulse of American culture, another on a can of Beast Rice. The Poolside Pundit, as it were

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:14 pm
by Left Seater
For those who don't travel much or only on vacation I would expect such a comment about filling the tank. When you go to Disney World for the week you know that your flight back home leaves next Saturday at 3:00 pm. You can plan accordingly and make sure you have plenty of time to get the car filled and returned, ride the bus, and then hold the rest of us up in the TSA line as you pull out all these banned items.

However, when you travel often you will know the difference in what stopping to fill the car can mean. Sometimes that extra 5 to 10 minutes often means you spend a night somewhere instead of your own bed. It can also mean the difference between a sprint thru the terminal to the gate or a 5 hour wait for the next flight.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:20 pm
by Dinsdale
Gee, I never realized it was the government's job to decide how much a rental car agency's time was worth.


Yup, liberals still suck.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:25 pm
by Smackie Chan
Dinsdale wrote:I never realized it was the government's job to decide how much a rental car agency's time was worth.
You have much to learn, grasshoppah.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:43 pm
by Left Seater
Most of the time you would be correct. In this case however you are not. When all on airport agencies charge the same fees you don't have choice. I can't vote with my wallet since they all are moving the fee together at the same time.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:57 pm
by smackaholic
Seems to me, if I was a car rental company, I would charge just enough to cover the cost of filling the tank. Then I would advertise this fact and get extra bidness.

I can't believe that every last rental company charges such a premium.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:18 pm
by Dinsdale
smackaholic wrote:Seems to me, if I was a car rental company, I would charge just enough to cover the cost of filling the tank. Then I would advertise this fact and get extra bidness.

Fucking blasphemy.

Since when should the free market dictate fees, and why should a company that stands against a greedfest enjoy increased business because of it?

It's just not the liberal way.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:04 am
by jiminphilly
Smackie Chan wrote:
Left Seater wrote:Can't ever remember saying that before but big props to Baltimore. They have told the car rental companies where they can stick their refueling fees. For those of us that rent a ton of cars and can't use a full tank this is great news. Instead of being charged $8.99 per gallon we will now pay $5 and change.

Some props to Hertz for their use fee if you go less than 100 miles.

Screw the gas costing more than the rental.
Budget also has a similar policy in some areas where you pay a flat refueling fee (~$10) if you drive a rental car <75 miles and don't refuel before returning it. Rental agencies have always, for as long as I can remember, charged a premium rate for refueling cars returned less than full, but the rate was usually ~ $1 per gallon above the local price of gas. Not to go all conspiracy theorist or anything, but I'd almost swear that many of the agencies negotiate deals to keep gas stations from being built conveniently near many airport return locations so that renters are less likely to return the vehicles full, thereby reaping the benefits of being able to charge exorbitantly high refueling service charges. Since the price of gas has begun its steep climb, those service charges have risen in greater than direct proportion. $8.99!?! That's ridiculous.
There is a Shell just outside the rental area in Dallas/Fort Worth. Philly International has a Sunoco close as well. Smaller airports may not have the gas stations located as close but most rental companies give you the refill option ($15 with Avsis) in which you don't need to bother with a station if you stay under 75-100 miles. If you're using a rental car more than the avg business person, do your fucking research and find a gas station within 5 miles of the airport. It's not that fucking hard people.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:04 am
by Diego in Seattle
I've never really had a problem with filling up before returning, but my last trip to DCA I wondered if I was going to get dinged. I didn't see any gas stations that were close to the airport.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:04 am
by Smackie Chan
jiminphilly wrote:If you're using a rental car more than the avg business person, do your fucking research and find a gas station within 5 miles of the airport.
I prolly would if it wasn't reimbursable and I actually had to pay out of my own pocket. But since y'all are chipping in with your hard-earned tax dollars, I just say, "Fuck it," and let the highly paid, highly skilled agency attendants fill'er up. Time spent researching gas stations is valuable time spent away from this sordid clambake, and I couldn't, in good conscience, do that to you.

Re: Props to Baltimore

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:34 pm
by jiminphilly
Smackie Chan wrote:
jiminphilly wrote:If you're using a rental car more than the avg business person, do your fucking research and find a gas station within 5 miles of the airport.
I prolly would if it wasn't reimbursable and I actually had to pay out of my own pocket. But since y'all are chipping in with your hard-earned tax dollars, I just say, "Fuck it," and let the highly paid, highly skilled agency attendants fill'er up. Time spent researching gas stations is valuable time spent away from this sordid clambake, and I couldn't, in good conscience, do that to you.
None of my travel expenses are out of pocket. But I figure my expense reports look at lot worse if if my rental car bill is higher than my bar bill.