Rental cars North Shore – Ever heard the funny story of the friend that ran out of fuel when out and about? While it was not funny for them at the time, looking back on the situation, one can take a moment to have a good laugh.

Most people will ask the prominent question of, how did you not see the flashing fuel gauge icon? In some cases it is a situation of seeing the icon and not being in close proximity to a service station, or simply it was a case of thinking there’s plenty of fuel left.

To help you avoid the ‘not so funny’ situation of being stranded in your rental vehicle with no fuel, we have comprised some helpful tips for you to keep in mind.

Fuel Consumption

If you are hiring a vehicle in a range that is different from your usual mode of transport, then have a friendly chat with the customer service representative at the time of pick up to get a better feel of your rental car and its characteristics. Ask if they can provide some details on the car’s fuel consumption and what the average kilometer range per tank is.

Trip Meter

Use your trip meter as an effective tool in helping you to progress your distance traveled. For example, once you fuel up select a separate trip meter to use for monitoring your distance and get a better idea of when you need to start looking for a service station. Using this in line with your fuel gauge can help you to gain better insight into the appropriate travel distance your remaining fuel will cover.

Travel Destination

Don’t forget to consider your travel destination and its landscapes. Remote locations will not offer you the abundance of service stations that cities or built up areas provide. Download a few apps for the popular service stations and have instant access to information on where your nearest fuel stop is.

Fuel Efficiency

Take care to think about your journey as driving conditions will affect fuel efficiency. City destinations consisting of lots of starting and stopping will put greater strain on your vehicle’s fuel consumption than highway driving at a constant speed.

Take a glance

One of the best and simplest task to do is to regularly glance at your fuel gauge. Certain vehicles display a digital fuel monitor while others may have the standard analogue format as illustrated in the first image. The way they indicate when you are on empty can also vary between vehicle models. Be vigilant and, to be safe, try to avoid allowing the vehicle to get below a quarter full before refueling.

Give us a call today at  (09) 415 8569.