the last two cars I've bought have been outright with no trade in.
s_nz,
Jul 30, 9:02am
For a new car, Yes (especially if expected to pay ORC's). That said, if it is a 4x4 with multiple independent fuel tanks I would only expect the main tank full, not any sub-tanks.
For a used care, something around 1/4 tank is fine. The cost filling the tank with petrol is not really enough to be worth specifying in the negotiation process. Plus I have no idea how long the car has been sitting on the lot, so having empty space in the tank means that I will get fresh fuel pretty quickly.
Lastly, to ensure a full tank of fuel, (unless onsite fuel is available), the salesperson would need to take the car to a petrol station immediately prior to the transaction (even if it is fairly full). This would add to the labor requirements of car selling.
If a seller wants to provide a full tank of petrol, they can advertise that fact to make the care more attractive to sellers.
3tomany,
Jul 30, 9:10am
1/4 of a tank is enough and all i would expect in a used car, though i have had dealers fill the car as an act of generosity.
3tomany,
Jul 30, 9:13am
Me i done it several times. I always keep my tank full and often in the past bought a car just shopping out of bordem. I also traded a ranger that i had just put 10,000ks road user tax on it.
tgray,
Jul 30, 9:42am
$5 - 10k range mostly, although it's been everything from $1,250 (trade in last week) to $100,000 (last year). Plenty of repeat business but that would not have anything to do with the level of fuel in the tank. Selling a car with the fuel light on is a definite no no. Expensive high end cars I always sell with a full tank.
cjohnw,
Jul 30, 10:06am
I assume then they are not included in the “2 in 20 years” and so you would have sold a number more with full tanks then? Most people would expect a full tank with an expensive car, but not so much at the cheaper end. I do anyway.
cjohnw,
Jul 30, 10:20am
Absolutely. And the McLaren as well. Always keep all the tanks full. Just never know when there might be petrol rationing.
angelab,
Jul 30, 11:26am
We traveled 150k to look at a car at a dealership. Test drove it with 1/4 tank. Agreed on a price. While we went to the bank to do the fund transfer the dealer sent the car for a new WOF and the tank was full when we shook hands and drove off. Not asked for or expected, but certainly a nice surprise. $13K car. Pretty sharp price I thought too compared with local and the full tank of gas I didn't need to buy bought a nice lunch which added to the "special" occasion since we tend to hold onto our cars.
tgray,
Jul 30, 11:32am
Correct, not included. 12 Camaro's and 7 Corvettes all sold with a full tank of premium fuel.
lythande1,
Jul 30, 11:43am
Yes. I asked and it was filled.
electromic,
Jul 30, 1:17pm
I bought my latest car privately and it was full of petrol for my test drive. Unless it was a new car I would expect 1/4 tank if buying from a dealer.
cjohnw,
Jul 30, 1:28pm
The Shelby I sold in Auckland to a private collector. I got a serious form of cancer and having direct exposure to the sun was inadvisable so the boat and car went. To be honest the McLaren was never mine, belonged to a family member and was kept in storage and not driven on public roads. I never drove it but it did have a few outings at Hampton Downs. Was a few years ago now. The super expensive toys have mostly gone now sadly. Fun at the time.
mrfxit,
Jul 31, 3:31am
I would only ask for a full tank of gas on an expensive car, (but then again that should be full anyway on pick up) OR, after the second/ third time it's gone back for valid dealer repairs in a short time frame.
mrfxit,
Jul 31, 3:36am
LOL yea, not a good look there. Been in a few yards like that before, apparently the sales ppl were too busy all the time, to worry about making sure every car have enough fuel to cover the idiot light & the cleaning crew were only there to clean the cars.
Some yards had cars on the lot that hadn't been groomed since the tradein
kazbanz,
Jul 31, 4:52am
I was "that guy" with a young couple recently. With all the lockdown BS I had two truckloads of cars turn up at once --surprise surprise no gas in em. The couple seemed only to be interested in the just arrived unwashed empty tank cars.
bumfacingdown,
Jul 31, 5:51am
If everyone did when they traded a car in we would hardly be having this thread, except maybe imports but the obligation for a full tank would be there on the car yard
tgray,
Jul 31, 8:13am
If I rent a car in the USA, I fill up the tank 50 - 75 miles before dropping it off. The needle still shows full and I have never been charged for not returning a full tank of petrol.
toenail,
Jul 31, 2:55pm
I am the opposite, i don't like dealers servicing the car nor putting petrol in. there is no guarantee that they put in OEM filters or recommended oil viscosity, no guarantee they put in premium gas if the owners manual mandated it.
just leave it alone.
2sheddies,
Jul 31, 6:54pm
That's typical sods law at work there, just intent on making a bloody good dealer look incompetent!
hkjoe,
Aug 1, 2:33pm
No. But quarter full would be good.
stevo2,
Aug 1, 2:55pm
Reminds me of the time my old boss took a car for a test drive, after 10km it ran out of fuel. He got a taxi back to the dealer, asked for a refund of the taxi fare, was refused so he wouldnt tell them where the car was until they paid him in cash
3tomany,
Aug 2, 5:06am
I do that with rentals to.
kazbanz,
Aug 2, 8:40am
I say as%%%%e boss actually. if it was a couple of km-fair enough. But he drove for 10 km with the needle on empty. Did he accept no personal responsibility for running out?
3tomany,
Aug 2, 2:34pm
Probably a china man renting it next and they rip me off with cheap junk every day, so what goes around comes around.
onlylv,
Aug 2, 4:24pm
almost empty when I took the car home. I had to pump some petrol before I get to home. Lost my way with finding a petrol station near to car yard, though I had used google maps. Lucky I checked! otherwise will be in the middle of a busy motorway from south auckland to north shore
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