vehicle borrowing etiquette

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

It would've... had a full tank when my buddy gave it to me to begin with

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...

Wait we aren't talking about me are we?

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