A perfect demonstration of the Internet abbreviation "YMMV": Your Mileage May Vary or, Your Experience May Differ from Mine

I'm having fun with this, and the timing is good since I'm just now doing our trip accounting.

We got gas 9 times in France in September, paid cash 4 times and used a credit card Visa 5 times because my husband wanted to try out the chip and pin. But at every stop, paying cash to a human was a possibility.

I can see that there might be a move toward credit-only pumps, but it has not reached the Super-Us/Hyper-Us/Leclercs in the area where we traveled.

As in past years, an open supermarket doesn't necessarily mean that the gas cash booth is also open. And on Sunday afternoons and overnight, it's credit only.

Blind Men and an Elephant moment. Every man looking at an elephant is emphatic about his characterization of an elephant. All observations are correct and factual yet none complete.

All of the autoroute stations are manned 24/7. Hypermarket and supermarket stations are manned during the business hours of the store.

As for the other stations, it is important to note that <i>Total Access</i> and <i>Esso Express</i> stations are <b>not</i> manned and are therefore cheaper than Total or Esso stations, as long as you have the adequate chip + PIN card. You only find these stations on 'ordinary' roads or in cities. I am lucky enough to have an Esso Express station only 2 metro stops from where I live, so when I fill up my rental car before returning it, I currently save about 0.20€ per liter compared to the manned stations in Paris.

Oops, that wasn't all supposed be in bold type.

I've rented several automatics in France and they were fine, it isn't some special French car that acts weird. One was a VW and was just like any VW in the US, one was a Mercedes (I really liked that car), and another an Alfa Romeo. That one was a semi and I did really like that -- you had to shift gears but there was no clutch. I knew how to drive a manual, so just hadn't for many years and thus didn't want to rent one, but understand how to operate it. I guess some people might not who knew nothing about manuals.

I don't get the comment about how the AC only had 3 gears -- auto, reverse and neutral. What more do you need? Given the comments about how it had other gears if you chose to shift it (?), I presume it was like my Alfa Romeo. But that's only one brand, not some special thing about all cars in France. My Alfa Romeo didn't act badly, though, I really liked it and you had to shift it, it wasn't optional, as I recall, if you wanted to get out of first gear.

I will restate that none of the supermarket pumps were manned. We went when they were open so I could shop while he filled up. Most didn't even have the kiosk amy more but those that did made it clear that it was card only 24/7.

I can quite believe Debbielynn had trouble finding a manned station.

As o the automatic, some also offer a 1st and 2nd gear, in addition to D, N R and P, certainly in the US.
Very useful for steep hills, as it saves your brakes.

The Smart is automatic but allows you to choose gears if you want. I have never figured out why.

I never tanked in a Total Access yet and I never tank in Esso (don't know why) (nor in BP by the way, but there I know why)

So let me change my post into : I've never had gas in a fully unmanned stations, whilst some do exist. And I will continue to tank where I can see human beings.

Hetismij is a honest person, so there also exist unmanned gasstations in supermarkets (a special chain ?).

Mvg.

just look at the links I gave you can see both types in the street views. I could provide more but you can do your own searching.
BTW Elan stations, which are usually found in villages are the most expensive. There there is usually man to help you. And cash can be paid too.


Still waiting to hear what sort of cock-eyed car this was that had two types of gear shifts but only 3 gears.

I wonder if OP rented a Smart Car. It uses a funky gear shift pattern http://www.cubefx.com/smart/shifter_03.jpg

Hetismij, I never doubted you or the OP, just wanted to recount our own experiences. I can believe that the disappearing kiosk is a trend.

who would wish to rent a Smart car.? The name is a incongruous to me.

I should add the Smart is also sold in the USA too,
http://www.smartusa.com/

Who rents a Smart car? Russell Crowe in "A Good Year" to drive around Provence: www.imdb.com/title/tt0401445/

I've used many from Europcar.

No - a preflight check is just like a pilot checking a plane before take off. You try everything to see that it works - locks, wipers, signals, flasher, trunk, how to refuel, that it has gas, oil, etc.

We have been given one car we couldn't refuel since we couldn't get the little door to open. The attendant at the station couldn't either and eventually there were 2 other drivers trying to help before one figured it out (it required doing two things at once). Another time we were given a car that had no cover on the fuse box. When we complained they just took one off another car/same model. Leaving whoever got that car without a cover. This is just in addition to checking the whole car for dents and dings.

And we always drive around the lot to be sure how transmission and brakes work.

Caveat: we also do the same thing if renting a car in the US, since we have also had a couple of problems there. I was once given an almost brand new Mustang with a hand brake that didn't work. And the hotel parking lot was a fairly steep hill - so I had to go around the side to park.

Boy, did I open a can of worms! Some of these responses make us sound like a couple of morons!

The car was a Peugoet- don't remember the model. We rented it from Hertz. You could drive it manually or automatic. In automatic, it only had Neutral, drive (called A ) and reverse. No park. I thought I was clear in the original post.

Yes, we've driven many times in Europe, yes, we did drive it around the lot, no Greg, we are not "raging mad" about our experience. My husband is from Europe and knows how to drive there. We enjoy the freedom of movement that a car gives us. Just trying to offer advice for others.

***My husband is from Europe and knows how to drive there*** If he was from Europe he would or should tell you we are not to be classed as one nation. Europeans have different isochromatics, all relating to one's country of birth.
If it was a Peugeot 108 automatic then it is going to be a very small city car, which is very slow on the open road.0 to 100 km/h in around 15 seconds. The engine is said to be noisy too. Certainly agree with you that this is not a good hire car.