lindacormier

How difficult is it to rent an automatic transmission vehicle in France? Does anyone know of a reputable company to rent from?

Christina

I suppose it probably varies depending on exactly where you want to rent it. For example, you would have more choice of types of cars in larger cities.

IN any case, I've rented one twice in Provence (once at Marseille airport and once at Montpellier train station) with no problem whatsoever, so it wasn't difficult at all. I just said I wanted one, and got one with no problems. This was a small, subcompact, though, that I rented -- I think there may actually be more choice in larger cars than in smaller models with AT. It cost about $10-15 more a day than a manual of about the same size. I'm sure larger cars are different in pricing, but am not sure if the difference in price between AT and manual varies by size.

I used Autoeurope to reserve in advance from the US. I really like them, as do many others on here. They are very reputable, and give good prices. As a matter of fact, both times the actual company they used in France for my reservation was Europcar, which has a very large coverage in France. Autoeurope is a company that finds the lowest priced deal for you from several companies they deal with, and then you get a reference to a particular place to pick up your car. YOu are allowed to choose general location, of course (airport, train station, etc.).

Tuxedocat

I think it shouldn't be difficult at all, especially if you look up the larger international operations like Hertz or Enterprise, all of which operate all over France. If you go to a travel website like Travelocity.com and put in a request for a car in France, it will ask your requirements such as an automatic or manual, size, etc. and come up with all of the available operators.

Lynn_Gibson

It is not that easy! The majority of cars in Europe are not automatics. I've checked in a number of smaller cities and found that no automatics were available - it is not too difficult to find them in the large cities close to airports. The best bet is to reserve in advance for an automatic - leaving it to chance is not a good idea, especially if you are like me and cannot drive a stick shift.

Nikki

All I know is that when we rented a car through AutoEurope at the Hertz counter at the Toulouse airport in July, we got an automatic even though we had requested and would have preferred a standard transmission. I think it all depends on what's on hand when you show up.

Robespierre

Automatics are more expensive and less available in Europe. Sooooo.....

Why not learn to drive a stick? You could do it in a couple of hours before you leave home.

flanneruk

At one stage of my life I was frequently doing one-or two-day driving sessions round mainland Europe's major cities. Because I needed to talk to colleagues at the same time, I decided I'd always hire automatics, since changing driving side and language at the same time was a tad tricky, and I felt I'd be safer going round the Pl de la Concorde not having to change with the wrong hand at the same time.

Hire cos failed on about half the occasions I'd booked them. I frequently had to accept manual transmission.

If you have difficulties with manual cars, either arange to be VERY flexible on car size, taking (and paying for) a much bigger or smaller one than you expect. Or learn to drive manual cars.

Langcraft

Dear Linda:

I was in France last month and as usual, I rented a car. I drive a manual shift car but there is a car rental agency which I can highly recommend: www.europebycar.com. They do rentals for a minimum of 7 days and the vehicle must be prepaid before you leave the US, but in all likelihood, if you put in no less than 2 weeks before your arrival date for an automatic car, they can usually accomodate you..

Drop me a line if you need more info.

Regards
Luis

rex

Advising you to learn to drive a manual transmission is so, so, SO in your best interest.

A reputable company to rent from is www.autoeurope.com - - they are a broker, and your car will not "come from" them, but rather, Hertz, Avis, National/Europcar or some other major brand name car rental company (and they will almost certainly get you a better rate than you can get on your own).

But no matter how "reputable", be aware that Europe car rental companies routinely fail to have the automatic transmission vehicle that they may have promised you... and they are quite likely to simply shrug their shoulders and say "Sorry, zat is all ve haff"... perhaps offering you an "upgrade" (to a larger, albeit, still manual transmission car).

Protect yourself (and learn the enjoyment of shifting for yourself). Learn to drive a stick. With a sympathetic friend, you can do it in a single Saturday afternoon. Anywhere.

You can still reserve an automatic if you choose. You might get it. And pay triple.

Best wishes,

Rex

Intrepid1

I have rented an automatic several times using either Autoeurope or their sister company Kemwell. An auto will cost you more but they ARE often available.

I drive a stick but even though it might be a 'good' thing for you to do in some folks' opinion..learning to drive one so you can save some bucks on a European auto rental and never driving a stick again is ridiculous in my opinion.

rex

<...learning to drive one so you can save some bucks on a European auto rental and never driving a stick again is ridiculous in my opinion...>>

Cost is a secondary consideration, IMO, in any decision to learn to drive a manual transmission vehicle. The ability to drive the car they give you is the primary reason - - rather than struggling to try to teach yourself in their parking lot (if they even have a parking lot!)

Pick up a car at Nice Ville Gare SNCF... they will go retrieve the car from "somewhere" and bring it to you, frequently double parking, while you jump in, and hope you know how to adjust the seats, mirrors, inspect it for dents, etc!

caf

I drive a manual transmision about half the time here in the U.S., and always rent a manual transmision car in Europe. I would NOT rent a manual transmission car in Europe unless you're experienced. A couple of hours would certainly not do it. The first time you got in heavy stop and go traffic, in a strange city with people on your hind end honking the horn, the frustation level would be immense. Not to mention if you end up driving in a hilly area where uphill starts and parallel parking would be a significant challenge.

RufusTFirefly

Compared to AT, driving a manual transmission vehicle is a pain in the hind end. I drove manual transmissions for my first 25 years as a driver. When I bought my first AT car, it was absolute heaven.

BUT you won't be guaranteed an AT car in most places in Europe. We've never had a problem getting one, but I always reacquaint myself with manual transmission driving a bit before going abroad just in case.

So I'd learn to drive a manual car--more than just a couple of hours. A couple of hours will get you the basics, but, as pointed out above, when you get into a sticky situation it really helps to have a bit more experience than that.

nytraveler

We always (20+ trips) rent an automatic and have never had any problems. But - we rent at either a major airport or city center and use a major agency.

If you rent from an obscure company in a small town - you may well have trouble getting what you need.

Mary_Fran

Try www.kasbah.com (http://www.kasbah.com/car_rental/france.htm) and you should see a number of options for automatics, unless you are picking up and/or returning at a low-traffic location.

www.kasbah.com searches among multiple car rental agencies, so your chances of finding an automatic are better than going to individual agencies. You might also want to call the car rental company direct if you don't find what you want on the web.

I encourage you to NOT cave to pressure to rent a car with a manual transmission unless you are experienced driving that type of car. At best, it may be highly stressful to drive, especially considering you will be in an unfamiliar country with unfamiliar road signs. At worst, it can be dangerous.

Once, in Wales, climbing a hill in the countryside, my partner couldn't get the car to shift into the right gear, and we stalled with miles of traffic backed up impatiently behind us. Another time, in Cuenca, Spain, we stalled on a hill in traffic and rolled backward into the car behind us, to the accompaniment of much tooting and Spanish excitement. My partner, by the way, had drivven a car with a manual transmission years ago but had switched to an automatic some time ago.

You'll have a much happier and safer trip if you drive a car you are comfortable with and accustomed to.

ira

Hi L,

I think that the best places to rent are www.novarentacar.com and www.autoeurope.com.

They are brokers who arrange for your car at discounted rates.

You always run a risk of an AT car not being available.

What's your itinerary?

Lavande

We've always used AutoEurope - you can either book online in the U.S. or via phone and they will get you the best deal on a rental car (as Ira said, they're a broker and search for the best deals to pass on to you). Going through AutoEurope, you may end up with a Hertz, Avis or Europcar rental but they will inform you of which one you're booked with well in advance of your trip. Do make it a point to tell them that you must have an AT - there's no use in your being uncomfortable driving a stick shift throughout France.

Robespierre

No one at the other end of an internet connection can tell you whether you should or shouldn't try learning to use a manual transmission. Every person is different.

If you're towards one extreme of the motor coordination scale, you might pick it up immediately. If you're near the other extreme, you might practice for weeks and not get very good at it.

If you think you can't handle it, you're absolutely right. If you're a "dare to fail" kind of personality, acquiring this skill could save you time, money, and aggravation.

wally34949

I rented a "Smart Car" in Europe. Not totally automatic, one needs to shift it but there is no clutch. It was rather fun to drive and easy to catch on. The car was rather "smart."

Christina

I got a car like that, too, Wally, only it was an Alfa Romeo. I really liked it. It was rented as an "automatic" though (through Europcar, actually), and it was a good compromise. I know how to drive manual, though, so it was easy for me once I figured out what was going on -- they didn't tell me I still had to shift by hand, I just observed it.

I don't think it is very good advice to tell someone to rent a manual transmission in a foreign country if they don't drive one regularly and well. I especially disagree with the advice that you can learn to drive one well in a couple hours. I can drive one, but do not regularly, and don't like them, so always rent automatics in Europe. It is difficult enough when you are in a strange country, on roads you don't know, with signs that may be different, and in a strange car, without throwing in a manual transmission if you don't drive one a lot in all kinds of traffic. A lot of people can't drive one very well.

I also don't think you are going to save yourself all kinds of money or other advantages, if you do not regularly drive one after you learn. First, you have to learn somehow. Most driving schools where I live won't even teach it, and they charge $25-50 an hour for lessons, anyway. Or, you have to find someone to teach you who has a car they are willing for you to drive. As I said, it doesn't cost that much more to get an AT in France that you are going to save a lot of money, if any, from doing that, depending on how much time and money you spend on learning. Some people may not value their time, and think that is free, so consider it free if someone spends hours teaching you to drive.

It's not free to me (time), but I have a friend who did that for another friend as they were going to rent a manual car and travel a lot in a foreign country, and she wanted a relief driver. This woman had never driven a manual, to my knowledge. Well, they spent hours at this (certainly more than two), and then she never ended up driving anyway, because the roads were so bad, and the traffic, that the idea of her driving in that country with only a couple hours of experience was ridiculous and my friend would not have trusted her with the car (since it was on her credit card). So my friend wasted a lot of her time on those lessons.

Also, if you don't drive a lot with a manual afterwards, you aren't going to be such a great driver that you can then rent a manual again in a few years on a vacation.