Full to full or full to empty: which costs less

It is the small print that moves the most money on a short hire, and the arithmetic takes 30 seconds if you do it before signing rather than after.

The two policies

Under full to full the car is supplied with a full tank and must be returned full. You pay only for what you use, at the pump price of a station you choose. Under full to empty you pay for a full tank in advance, at a rate set by the company that is normally above market, and any fuel remaining when you return the car is not refunded.

Where the break even sits

With a 45 litre tank and consumption of 6 litres per 100 kilometres, the break even is around 1,300 kilometres in a week, which is roughly 185 kilometres every day. On an island that measures about 100 kilometres at its longest, that is a demanding schedule. A typical week based in one place with daily outings covers 350 to 700 kilometres, which is well inside the range where full to full wins.

The shortfall charge

Under full to full, returning the car below the level it was supplied at is expensive: the missing fuel is billed at the company's own rate plus a service charge of 20 € to 40 €. A quarter of a tank not replaced can cost 45 € where refuelling would have cost 16 €. Keep the receipt from the last station with its date and time, since it settles most disputes at the desk.

There are stations within 5 kilometres of the Palma terminal, close enough to arrive with the gauge full without detouring.

What to check at pick up

That the gauge actually shows the level stated on the contract. That the fuel type is recorded in writing, because putting petrol into a diesel engine means draining and cleaning the system at a cost of 400 € to 1,200 € that no cover accepts. And a photograph of the dashboard showing both the fuel level and the odometer, taken before leaving the parking bay.