Buying a new car - should it have a full tank of petrol?

I bought a new X-Trail from Lennock Nissan. At the risk of sounding like I get commission from them, it was THE most pleasurable experience I’ve had in buying a car in 20+ years. Not only did I get a full tank of fuel without asking for it but I was given the most comprehensive handover ever.

My experience with the car before (rhymes with Flappable Ponder) was very different. Fuel light on and the handover was basically ‘thanks for the $50,000, here’s your keys’!

I’m really shocked by that. When I bought my car in Belconnen, I didn’t negotiate for it, the tank was full and the salesperson was very careful to point it out because otherwise Mazda would have have some very strong words with them and taken away part of his commission. It was also on the checklist I had to sign and on the survey I received from Mazda a few days later.

Same for my partner and his VW.

Sounds like neither the dealer nor the car manufacturer care much about their reputation.

The three recent times immediate family members have bought new cars (from Mazda dealers); all have come with full tanks of fuel. Did not mention it to the dealers during the purchase, just came with full tanks when we picked them up.

I guess Mazda is another company that makes their dealers provide full tanks on new car purchases.

I’ve had the misfortune of dealing with shonkenwealth. Service department were rude and unhelpful, and went to town at my wife because I’d had her car serviced elsewhere once.

Last time I went looking for a new car I gave them a try and both salesmen were fools who didn’t know their product, didn’t have vehicles for test drive, and weren’t interested in discounted a vehicle in stock (I was prepared to buy that day). So I trotted down the road to Subaru for a look and was greeted by friendly, knowledgeable salesmen who said that yes, of course they can discount a car in stock which one would I like? So I looked, drove and then bought.

The last 2 new cars I’ve bought from different dealers in 2007 and 2012 were both delivered with a full tank of fuel without me making any mention of it in the negotiations.

Memories, bought my first car (used) from a dealer after taking it for a test drive.
Within 2 weeks drove to the coast when I fortunately noticed the two rear tires were showing metal.
Replaced the worst with the spare and got back to Canberra. Penny pinching criminals.

I had my own experience with this dealership. Won’t be going back.

I also had an experience with a mechanic over the border a couple of years ago. When I put my car in, it had almost half a tank of petrol. When I drove it away, it had the equivalent of 1km of petrol left in the tank. I was lucky to make it to the nearest servo. They only had it overnight. Must have been a very long test run.

Sandman said :

I realise that it’s $15 or $20 instead of $70 or $80 but that’s still something that should be factored into selling a car.

$130+ for some of us.

Every new car I’ve ever bought, being a Toyota in Brisbane and Subaru/Mercedes/Isuzu in Canberra (5 in total) have always been supplied with a full tank. I’d tell them they forgot to fill it if the fuel light was on and refuse to take delivery until they did.

Sounds like I wont be shopping at commonstealth rotors, I’m off to google sydney HSV dealers now.

Yea, I got “we only had about a jerry cans worth of diesel so we put that in for you” when I bought mine…..but I mean I bargained heaps and got them down plenty on price so can’t really complain.

I think if you walk in the show room and say “I’ll have that one” and pay whatever they are asking you could expect a full tank of fuel……but if you haggle ’em down on price, just wear the ~$80 🙂

14 years ago I bought a new car from a dealer that sounds remarkably like canberra toyota (because it was) and it was also empty. I too at the time thought that was a bit slack.

I’m stunned. I’ve never bought a new car but I would have assumed that a full tank of petrol would be included. Isn’t that why the bigger dealers have their own bowser. I used to work at the Motorcycle dealer and you never sent out any bike, new or used , without a full tank. I realise that it’s $15 or $20 instead of $70 or $80 but that’s still something that should be factored into selling a car.

Even when selling used cars, I’ll usually fill it up before it gets picked up if I’ve gotten a good price and the buyer hasn’t been a pain.

Don’t forget dodgy sound equipment. When I bought a Suzuki Swift from a local dealership several years ago (rhymes with Slave-on Labster) it included an option for a nudge bar at the front. Noticing that the car just had a car radio I said I wanted a radio-cassette player instead of the nudge bar. “No worries – we’ll install a really good Alpine one” I was told. When I returned a few days later to collect the car I noticed that it had a Sound4 unit installed (a notoriously cheap and nasty brand). “Oh, Sound4 is made by Alpine” I was told (a lie). Within a few months the entire front had come off it and there was no supporting bracket installed so the remainder of the unit had sunk back into the dashboard. A year later I had it removed and had a proper Alpine unit installed by BDL Car Radio.

rookie error… yes, negotiate to have a tank of fuel and mats thrown in ‘for free’

Some car manufacturers actually require the dealer to provide a full tank, but these are usually the more upper end (although I think Subaru does, although its sort of semi upper end). The rest you have to do it yourself.

I think that’s normal unfortunately. When I bought my new car part of the deal I negotiated was that it would have a full tank. When it arrived it only had half a tank. I’d waited so long to get the car (4 months because it had to be manufactured and then the cargo ship was held up) I literally could not be bothered to even argue over $40. I just took it and left.

The only time I have ever heard of a new car being handed over with a full tank of juice is with the $500 or $1000 of ‘free’ fuel offer with some new car purchases – which I have not seen for a long time. Any time I have bought a car (new or used) I make the assumption that I am going to have to go straight to a servo. And I have been right every time.

I always negotiate a full tank of petrol into the sale. If I’m giving someone 10k+ for a vehicle, they can put $70-$100 in the tank haha. Usually the last negotiation point when trying to drive it down and they wont budge, “okay throw in a full tank of fuel and it’s a deal”.

@fabulous_miss, you should submit a complaint.

I had some bad experience with a dealership in Belconnen, so I’ve left a negative feedback (read: complaint) and followed up by phone call to the manufacturer customer service. Things got promptly addressed then.

Going back to your original question: all cars I bought from dealerships came with full fuel tank, and I would be very vocal about getting an almost empty new car.

Reprobate said :

Sadly, yes this is common among mainstream car dealers – not just in Canberra. Even though you might be paying a $2000 “dealer delivery” fee on your car, most dealers screw an extra $50-$100 out of a buyer by not filling the tank. In fact many dealers don’t even top up the tank from the small fill at the factory. A common tip is to negotiate for them to include a full tank of petrol as part of the sale contract. Petty, yes, but that’s the way they play the game…

By the way, if you think that’s rough, wait til you start to take the car to them for servicing or warranty repairs – even though most car makers now have fixed or capped price servicing, expect to be billed extra on your near-new car for nonsense like EFI cleaning, oil flushes, a/c deodorising etc.

Enjoy your new car!

Add to the list:
Change pollen filter, replace remote switch battery (I have never had to do this with cars I have bought from Wommoncealth Tomors.

I bought a new car a few weeks ago. On taking delivery, the salesperson noted that the tank was half full and stated that the dealers fuel card was out being used by someone else and I could either wait until they got back, maybe 20 mins, or just drop in the next time I needed to fill up and they would pay for a full tank.

This obviously wasn’t the same dealer alluded to by the OP, I did wander into that dealership and left after noting the very poor attitude of the salesperson.

Sadly, yes this is common among mainstream car dealers – not just in Canberra. Even though you might be paying a $2000 “dealer delivery” fee on your car, most dealers screw an extra $50-$100 out of a buyer by not filling the tank. In fact many dealers don’t even top up the tank from the small fill at the factory. A common tip is to negotiate for them to include a full tank of petrol as part of the sale contract. Petty, yes, but that’s the way they play the game…

By the way, if you think that’s rough, wait til you start to take the car to them for servicing or warranty repairs – even though most car makers now have fixed or capped price servicing, expect to be billed extra on your near-new car for nonsense like EFI cleaning, oil flushes, a/c deodorising etc.

Enjoy your new car!

yup. you buy the car – these days there’s $10 in it to get you home. Once you’re out the front gate your own your own.

That is just plain rude. Incredibly poor customer service and an indication of their attitude. It should at least have enough fuel that the low fuel light isn’t on. I would point out to the dealer principal that you find their attitude unacceptable. Ask them to fill the tank to the brim when you take it in for the first service or you will have the car serviced elsewhere in future.

I’ve bought several new vehicles from this dealership over the past decade, and am now at the point where I refuse to go back. What you have experienced is a small taste of what’s in store for you.

Do yourself a favour, and avoid their service department.