Does a 1.2 litre engine have enough power to maneuver on the M/A type of roads?
SubscribeDeborah Ann.
Believe me that if your husband drives a stick at home, he can drive a stick in England.
The first couple of changes you wonder why the door handle wil not move.
After the first few minutes it becomes so natural that you wonder why we do not do it this way at home.
Relax, be happy, it will work.
Believe me that if your husband drives a stick at home, he can drive a stick in England.
The first couple of changes you wonder why the door handle wil not move.
After the first few minutes it becomes so natural that you wonder why we do not do it this way at home.
Relax, be happy, it will work.
Hi
We usually rent the smallest car with an automatic transmission. For the narrow, older roads they're great. I drive a Mini Cooper at home and it is enough for two. I've also had it over 100 mph on the freeways. It depends on the make. My wife had some question about a small Opal we rented, she felt it was just average going on the autobahns especially the acceleration was slow.
We usually rent the smallest car with an automatic transmission. For the narrow, older roads they're great. I drive a Mini Cooper at home and it is enough for two. I've also had it over 100 mph on the freeways. It depends on the make. My wife had some question about a small Opal we rented, she felt it was just average going on the autobahns especially the acceleration was slow.
It's not really worth fretting about. If you are comfortable driving a variety of cars with stick shift in US, it won't be that hard to adapt to shifting with the left hand. On the other hand, while a 1.2 engine with automatic may not have great accelleration, it will certainly get up to speed faster than a loaded lorry (truck), and they seem to manage to traverse the motorways without too much grief. It's not like you have the alps to cross.
The part I find most difficult is getting a feel for where the left corners of the car are when driving down a narrow lane beside a stone wall - for that reason I would stick with the smaller car. If you had long trips on the motorway (London to Scotland, for example), that might push a bit toward a larger car mostly for comfort.
The part I find most difficult is getting a feel for where the left corners of the car are when driving down a narrow lane beside a stone wall - for that reason I would stick with the smaller car. If you had long trips on the motorway (London to Scotland, for example), that might push a bit toward a larger car mostly for comfort.
DeborahAnn,
Having driven a 1.2 liter with manual transmission in Europe (VW Polo 1.2 with manual transmission for two of us with NO luggage), I would not recommend it on any major highway where travel involves hills, mountains, or inclines. Getting onto the highway was not bad, since one can typically wait until there's sufficient space to merge. But the car was simply underpowered, and it was quite nerve wracking on the highways, even on flatland, when trucks would barrel right down on our tail and our car had inadequate power to get out of the way. Hills were even worse.
The next time we rented a car with a larger engine (Renault Megane with 1.8 or 2.0 liter, manual trans), and had no problems.
For a few pounds or Euro per day more, I would move up from the 1.2 liter engine, expecially with an automatic.
Woody
Having driven a 1.2 liter with manual transmission in Europe (VW Polo 1.2 with manual transmission for two of us with NO luggage), I would not recommend it on any major highway where travel involves hills, mountains, or inclines. Getting onto the highway was not bad, since one can typically wait until there's sufficient space to merge. But the car was simply underpowered, and it was quite nerve wracking on the highways, even on flatland, when trucks would barrel right down on our tail and our car had inadequate power to get out of the way. Hills were even worse.
The next time we rented a car with a larger engine (Renault Megane with 1.8 or 2.0 liter, manual trans), and had no problems.
For a few pounds or Euro per day more, I would move up from the 1.2 liter engine, expecially with an automatic.
Woody
thanks for all the opinions, appreciate the suggestion about the Polo, Woody, I think we will look at the Golf, checking out a few rental companies and and you would think it would be easier to do comparisons. I do the research and then give my husband choices. I sincerely love every aspect of trip planning, even trying to decide which car to rent. Thanks again for everyone's advice. Can't wait until I start investigating restaurants, now that's something to look forward to any day!!! Deborah
Quote
quot;having the gear shift over there on your left side actually HELPS you concentrate on staying on the left side of the road"
I STRONGLY agree with the poster on this. In other words, the manual shift continually reminds you the shift is different, =the driving is different, =the rules are different. I suspect a manual is safer as a result.
PS We always rent a small car (with small engine), manual. Absolutely no problem getting up to motorway speed on entrance ramps. Re passing on narrow roads: in Cotswolds or Lake District, IF you had a larger engine so that you could pass easier, you'd probably get into chancy situations more often BECAUSE YOU COULD, due to the abundance of hills and curves with limited sight lines. Slow down and enjoy the view at a cost of an extra minutes per hour. After all, you travel to see the sights, so see them, don't pass them.
quot;having the gear shift over there on your left side actually HELPS you concentrate on staying on the left side of the road"I STRONGLY agree with the poster on this. In other words, the manual shift continually reminds you the shift is different, =the driving is different, =the rules are different. I suspect a manual is safer as a result.
PS We always rent a small car (with small engine), manual. Absolutely no problem getting up to motorway speed on entrance ramps. Re passing on narrow roads: in Cotswolds or Lake District, IF you had a larger engine so that you could pass easier, you'd probably get into chancy situations more often BECAUSE YOU COULD, due to the abundance of hills and curves with limited sight lines. Slow down and enjoy the view at a cost of an extra minutes per hour. After all, you travel to see the sights, so see them, don't pass them.
One could argue that keeping two hands on the steering wheel in tight quarters is safer that taking one hand off to shift. Of course, the counter argument is that each hand might want to go separate ways.
I'd always choose an automatic, they're much easier to drive as you don't have to worry about gears, stating the obvious perhaps. Manual's are faster on paper, but really their 0-60MPH figures involve gear changing at perfect times, and also some exclude use of the clutch, not something that you'd really want to try. Bristol's perfomance coupes are all automatic with a four speed box, and are fabulous to drive. Just go into kickdown, they'll get up to speed perfectly well, be patient you're a tourist not Stirling Moss.
m_kingdom, you are right, I think a stick shift brings out the Stirling Moss in all of us, or Mario Andretti, I see myself driving in a powder puff derby!!! What fun. Deborah
Stirling Moss? Hasn't he been dead for like 30 years? Perhaps somoene a little more current?
