When renting a U-Haul, you have a lot on your mind. It can be easy to forget about the gas in the truck, so you may wonder if it’s a big deal.
Before you return your U-Haul, you should consider if you need to get gas for it.
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Should You Return Your U-Haul With Gas?
You should return your U-Haul with as much gas as it had when you got it. In some cases, this means you will need to fill up the tank. Look at the rental contract to see how much gas was in it to determine how full it should be.
If you happen to fill the tank with more gas, that’s great, but not necessary. As long as you fill up the U-Haul to the same level as it was before, you’ll be good.
How to Tell How Much to Fill the Gas
When you rent a U-Haul, you should look at your rental contract. It will tell you the current fuel gauge based on when you picked up the truck. Before you drive off the lot, you should compare that reading to the fuel gauge.
If there are any inconsistencies, you can address them. That way, you won’t have to pay for more gas than necessary when you return the moving truck.
You can also take a picture of the fuel gauge when you pick up the truck. This can help you prove the discrepancy if there is one. It will also help you determine how much you need to fill the truck when you get ready to return it.
Why Doesn’t a U-Haul Come With a Full Tank?
Your U-Haul may not come with a full tank of gas if the center doesn’t have a fuel station. If it’s also not close to a nearby gas station, it would be impossible to have a full tank.
Filling U-Hauls can get expensive if employees have to drive the trucks to a gas station. Not only does this cost money in gas, but it also means employees can’t be onsite to help customers. In many cases, it’s easier to give trucks to customers with a partial tank of gas.
You can then fill the tank as much as you need to get to your destination. If you use more gas than you bought, you can top it off based on the amount of fuel it had before. Then, you can take your truck back to U-Haul and not incur excess fees.
What Happens If You Don’t Return a U-Haul With Enough Gas?
If you return a U-Haul without enough gas, you’ll incur a fueling charge. You will pay a base rate of $30 to cover the time and money it takes to fill the tank back to the initial level.
However, you will also need to pay a rate of at least $5 per gallon for the fuel used. So if the current level is two gallons less than before, you’d pay an extra $10 for a total of $40.
It may be annoying to have to fill up your U-Haul before you return it. You may run out of time and have no other option. However, if you can fill it up yourself, you may save a lot of money.
The amount you pay for a couple of gallons won’t come close to the total fuel charge. Even if you have to add more gallons, you should save money doing it yourself. So make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to get gas, or you may incur a late fee, which can be an extra day’s rental.
What Happens If You Return a U-Haul With More Gas?
You can return a U-Haul with more than enough gas. However, the company won’t reimburse you for the extra fuel.
It may seem easier to fill the tank completely to be safe. In some cases, this may be a good option if the tank was almost full when you got it.
But if the tank was only half full, you could waste quite a bit of money. With a 40-gallon tank, you’d be paying for 20 extra gallons if you filled it completely. Assuming gas costs around $4, that would be an extra $80 you spent that you won’t get back.
Why You May Want to Overfill the Tank
Even though U-Haul won’t pay you back, you may still want to overfill the tank slightly. You don’t need to buy multiple gallons extra, but paying a bit could help you avoid fueling charges.
This is because the gas gauge isn’t always accurate or consistent. The reading you get when sitting on flat ground may be different from when you’re on an incline or when you’re driving.
You may be unlucky, and the difference may be enough to incur a surcharge. Maybe the difference is only a gallon, but that would cost you $35. You could have saved about $30 or so if you filled up the tank a bit more yourself.
It’s a risk either way, and you’ll still lose the money for the excess gas. However, if you aren’t quite sure if you filled the tank enough, adding an extra gallon or two is better than risking a high fee.
Returning a U-Haul With Enough Gas
Renting a U-Haul can make moving much easier, but costs can add up. You should review the initial fuel level to determine how full the tank needs to be when you return it. That way, you can avoid wasting money on gas and incurring a fueling charge.