Just a quick poll on how you guys feel about borrowing vehicles.

This last weekend I borrowed a friends truck for a couple of days. It had about 1/4 tank of gas in it when I got it. When I returned it a couple of days later I made sure that it had more gas in it than when I got it and I washed it.

The reason I'm asking about this is that I've always felt that when you borrow a vehicle you should return it cleaner and with more fuel in it than how you got it. My friend thought I should have filled the tank before returning it (he didn't make a big deal out of it, just mentioned it). That seemed a little unreasonable to me considering it would have cost at least $100 to fill his tank.

What say you? Am I just being cheap?

$100 is a lot to ask, but still less then renting (rates I checked were about $75/day).

But my expected standard matches with your's which is to return it with more in the tank then when I borrowed it. Expecting it to be filled up seems a bit over the top (pun intended). That said, now that you know his expectations you should expect to fill it up if you borrow it again.

I tend to go along with your thinking Ash .. the only thing I would is that I would consider the use of the vehicle. If you are just picking up some furniture and moving it across town, then I agree. If you are out pulling stumps, doing long distance driving, 4 wheeling, pulling heavy loads, then I would likely put a noticeable amount more fuel in it. Kind of a wear and tear approach to rack on to it.

I fill the tank although its not expected, I don't think it is anyway. But I have a 42gal tank so the fill up shock is not that bad for 20gals. Personally I would be fine with the same or slightly more fuel than when you borrowed it. (to pull your Ford)

Since I AM going to be putting wear & tear I have always made it a point to return the vehicle fully gassed. I don't wash it though and I don't leave a mess either.

I would've filled it too but I'm Canadian. FWIW, It would've been cleaned and had a full tank when my buddy gave it to me to begin with-he's Canadian too. ;P

Well, we would have filled it to more then it had when we got it not just to the same level.... so there....

Even if you rent a car, they require you to return it with a full tank; that's right, on top of the rental fee. In your case, you should have borrowed a Prius instead.

edit after some thought: Then again...you start with a full tank in a rental too

For me it depends on from whom it was borrowed. A friend, probably little more then it had and a 6pack on the passenger seat. A co-worker/what-have-you, probably would fill it.

Whenever I loan one out, which is far more often, I just expect it back to where it was, and a six pack on the seat from friends.

Wait we aren't talking about me are we?

I thought the same thing, he's not -- I'd be interested in hearing your expectation though!

I would say that next time AC, you find out what your friend's expectation would be prior to borrowing...

lol, no. I did make sure yours was full anyway.