Please sign in to post.

Fueling a rental car. Economy or convenience?

I will be renting a car in Cordoba and dropping off in Sevilla in a little over a week. The last time I rented in France, I opted for economy and purchased my own fuel before dropping off the vehicle. Not only was it a hastle to find a station near the drop off point, but fuel prices were inflated. I'm just wondering what everyone else chooses, the economy of purchasing your own fuel or the convenience of pre purchasing?

Posted by
23626 posts

I always buy my own. Never had a problem finding a station and even if the fuel is higher it is only a dime or more for a dozen gals.

Posted by
2916 posts

I've always purchased my own fuel. Only once did I have a problem refueling on the way to the airport, because it was Sunday and all stations were unattended. I solved that problem by getting a chip and PIN card before our next trip.

Posted by
3643 posts

After years of religiously opting to do my own refill, an experience (domestic) made me rethink the issue. I was focused on not wanting to give the rental company the gift of leftover fuel, when I should have been thinking about keeping my departure time as stress free as possible. Usually the price/unit of fuel is good, and it's not too difficult to keep that "gift" small. I now take the prepaid fuel option.

Posted by
3279 posts

If you need to find a gas station, you can always Google "gas stations Sevilla " to find some. If you fill up on the edge of the city, it'll still read "full" when you return the car. Considering the total cost of your trip, any difference between prepaid and do it yourself is insignificant. Choose whatever makes you comfortable!