Complaint Review: Payless Car Rental

  This Payless agency uses a deceptive and false sales pitch regarding their pre‐paid fuel charges.

  The only possible way to get the per‐gallon cost quoted by the agent is to return the vehicle with no fuel remaining, and this would require pushing or towing the vehicle to the return location.

  I rented a car from this agency on 06/21/14,and the sales agent explicitly stated that I would be charged $3.19 per gallon for fuel if I pre‐paid for the fuel, and advised me that the average local fuel cost was "about $3.51 per gallon. I returned the vehicle on 06/25/14, and the fuel gage indicated 5/8 full, yet Payless charged me for the refill of a complete tank of fuel.

  I challenged this charge with both the on‐duty agent and manager, and was told that my only recourse was a refund of the prepaid fuel charge, and then pay $8.99 per gallon to fill the returned vehicles tank, 253% of the average local per gallon cost.