You borrow a car from a friend or relative. This is a one-shot deal, not part of a regular give-and-take. What do you do about gas when you return the car?
I goofed - I should have allowed multiple answers. Because personally, I’d put in $5 for a short use and top it off for a longer use.
I would fill the tank no matter how much gas I used.
I’d try to replace the gas used. At the price of fuel today my brother’s vehicle can take $150 to fill up, so that isn’t happening. I’m glad some people can afford that.
I’m with kayT, I always fill the tank regardless of my usage. Only exception was once when the guy lent me a full-sized truck on E. I think I stopped at $35 because it was getting silly expensive and I only drove it a few miles. And that was back when gas was $2/gallon.
Yeah, I used a friend’s recently for moving a couple of very short loads and filled it up afterwards. They fussed saying I didn’t need to do that but I’ll feel much more comfortable if I ever do need to borrow it again.
Then again, I’m prone to err on the side of caution.
ETA: Reading the amounts some have posted, I drove probably 12 miles and then filled one tank, about 26 bucks.
Fill the tank, unless it’s a monster tank. Then I’ll put in more gas than I used.
To me, it depends on who I borrowed it from. If it were my parents, I wouldn’t out anything in and they would be insulted if I did. Anyone else, I would try to estimate what I used and put in about 50% more than that (or fill up, whichever is less).
Fill the tank, and I’d probably have the thing washed as well.
I may have misunderstood the options. Anyway, if I drive it less than a few miles (say, up to the corner for a carton of beer), I don’t do anything. More than that, I bring it back full.
(I mean, I guess there are exceptions, like borrowing my brother’s giant truck when I get it on E or something, but this is my general rule)
Replace all of what I used (plus a little extra, just in case), and wash it if appropriate. I wouldn’t feel obligated to fill it unless it was a circumstance where I was putting appreciable wear on the vehicle (like borrowing a truck to move furniture) and in that case I’d be more comfortable renting anyway.
Return the car with a full tank, or at least noticable more full than when you got it. I would make an exception if your just taking your buddy’s car to the 7-11 to get more beer for a party. If you use it for a move or something like that you should return it with a full tank plus a six-pack of his favorite, the expensive stuff. Such buddies are rare. I know I quickly stopped loaning out my truck after a few “friends” failed to understand.
If I used the car for one quick trip, I’d put $5 or so back in as a thank you gesture. Any longer and I’d fill it up.
I borrowed a friend’s car a while back for a few days when mine was in the shop. It had a half-tank when I picked it up, and I returned it with a full tank. And a plate of homemade cookies.
Put gas in regardless of the distance. Maybe if they lent me a 20-gallon premium-guzzling SUV and I drove it only 10 miles, I’d only put in a few gallons… but it’d be dickish not to put something in there.
Alternately, thank them by doing something else material (a gift, treat 'em to lunch, whatever).
It would cost me about $26 to rent a car/pick-up for the day, so I guess that’s the reasonable upper limit. I would return it full unless it started to get too much over that.
I used to have a wealthy friend who made a regular habit of borrowing the cars of his fellow college students, and returning them brim-ful. He was a good guy.
Yep, every single time. If I kept it an hour or so I would run it through the car wash.
My brother and my roommate both borrow my car every so often (maybe 10 times a year total) and I only expect them to fill up what they used. I showed my roomie how to use the trip odometer and told him I expect 1 gal for every 20 miles he goes.
It’s been a hell of a long time since I borrowed anyone’s car. I think I’d work out ahead of time what they want me to do and then do it.
I did mean to include a disclaimer about trucks with huge tanks. Our pickup takes (I think) 33 gallons - I’d only expect it to be filled if the borrower got it full.
This poll was prompted by a recent occasion when a relative was picked up at the airport with my car, then given its use for a day before being taken back to the airport. Guess how much gas he put in. Go on, guess… :rolleyes: I know he doesn’t make as much money as I do, but $10 would have been nice. However, I fully expected that he’d not offer.
Well, at the very least, I’d replace what I’d used, but that’s only if I used it for a very short time/trip. Otherwise, I’d replace more than what I’d used, and, if practical, fill the tank. The exception would be if I was really strapped financially, and the person I borrowed the vehicle from understood this. Under those circumstances, I’d try to think of something else nice to do for them!
Check the glove compartment. Maybe he left you a baggie of weed or some blow. 