Sue4

I hope everyone reads this thread who is contemplating renting a manual car versus automatic in Europe. Most Americans today have no idea how to drive a manual (except for us "oldies")! As Klondike so aptly stated, it's all about the HILLS! In traffic! Just driving around for a couple of hours at home before the trip just doesn't cut it. If I were you, I would definitely try to get the automatic car. Maybe the semi-automatic would do (I'm not familiar with them).

portiaperu

I've been driving a manual all my driving life and rent a manual whenever we travel, most recently, Greece, England, Italy, and France.

I join in recommending you learn to drive a manual before taking to the roads in France. Thoroughly learn. The last thing you want to do is stall on a steep hill with a fall off of who knows how many feet out your window, impatient drivers behind you, and anxiety building. (I have a dearly loved aunt once got out of her car to exclaim "I'm a new driver" to the crowd building behind her.)

The hill towns are challenging, even for someone who regularly drives a manual.

The savings may not be worth the trouble. And, this is one instance where learning on the job is not recommended.

bratsandbeer

Maybe the car rental will give you a lesson in driving manual transmission. Ha! Wonder if they will rent a car to you if you tell them you don't know how to drive a manual transmission.

Two years ago we rented a manual car in France and drove from the west coast to the Vezelay area. No problems but we have driven a manual car before.

Think you should stick with an automatic - you will both enjoy the ride a lot more - less stress.

We do rent an automatic when driving in the UK - less stress when driving on the "wrong" side of the road.

Guenmai

You need to practice before you get to France. I've only owned manual cars since my first car around 1971, at the age of 16. My parents said that I would not get a car until I was proficient in manuel driving. So, I had to not only learn how to drive, but learn how to drive on two types of manuals; American and non-American. Then they bought me a manual VW bug.

I even bought my new Subaru SUV, a few years ago, in a manual as I made it clear to the internet car agent that I would not accept an automatic. There was no problem in finding me one.

Once you learn to drive one, you'll probably love it, as you really feel connected to the car. And it keeps you alert and awake on the roads as you will have to shift. I can't even imagine owning an automatic.

Now, if one were to be in a manual in a country where one drives on the opposite side of the road, then it could present a problem having to shift with one's left hand if one isn't left handed. But, if one is right handed and the shift is to one's right, then it shouldn't be difficult to learn.

I don't know where you live, but there are driving schools that give lessons. I'm in L.A. One can rent a manual here in California. It took me less than 10 minutes to find a place, in Northern California, that had many, every day car, manuals when I was doing research on it a couple of weeks ago. I had friends arriving from Europe last weekend and thought they might need a car as I knew that after they left L.A., they would be heading to Northern California. They have never owned an automatic. But, they kept the car that they rented when they landed in another state and drove it here to L.A. which I wasn't aware of until they got here and I went, last weekend, to pick them up at their hotel to tour them around.

The manual rental car place, that I called, did ask if I knew how to drive one as it was at first thought that I was the person interested in renting one.

If I were in the situation of not knowing how to drive one and could either get to a driving school that teaches such or ask a friend, then I would. There were tons of friends and family members teaching all of us how to drive one back when we learned and none of us stripped any gears or wrecked anyone's car.

I absolutely would not want to be held hostage to having to be able to rent an automatic wherever I am in the world as it's quite common for manuals to be available on lots of other continents outside of North America. So, I personally look at, learning how to drive a manual, as a driving investment into future travels. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

Fashionista: LOL! The part of taking one's heels off before driving a manual. Back in the 70s, I took someone out for a manual lesson in my car and the person showed up in heels. I told her that she'd either need to drive barefoot or go home and change into some sensible shoes and that there was a reason that "driving" shoes were invented, not that she needed to go off to Tods and purchase a pair of "driving" shoes or anything, but at least arrive to her lesson in flat shoes and preferably rubber bottom ones, so that she could really feel the clutch pedal. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

Hetismij: What? Refuse rental of manuals to people just because they have a U.S. license? Oh, so I would be refused to rent a manual although I have "only" owned manual cars since I first started driving in 1971. And I drive, on average, 15,000-20,000 miles a year and grew up in the mountains and drive a lot of mountains and hills here in L.A. County.

I was just out, with my European friends, last weekend driving them around, in my manual, for 12 hours; 5 people total in my car and driving through canyons, on winding canyon roads, and in bumper-to-bumper freeway traffic, etc. There are plenty of Americans that I know who can drive manuals. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

As for all of those "well-trained" European drivers, well they were also once "beginners" when it came to learning to both drive and to also drive a manual. And I'm sure they stalled and rolled backwards just like the rest of us did when we learned. And as far as driving in Europe, my two main concerns would be driving among so many speeding drivers and also, as in any other place that I might drive in, I'm always concerned about drivers under the influence of alcohol. Happy Travels!

portiaperu

Yes, there are many of us driving manuals in the USA. Many hours and many miles. And, we're having a blast driving! (Does "blast" date me?)

My family has two manuals and we are teaching our adolescents to drive manuals although their driving instruction is on automatics. Their driving school didn't offer instruction on manuals. We've acquired an automatic until they are proficient on the manual.

I prefer a manual for the fun of driving and for the greater control on the snowy roads in New England.

I echo Guenmai, happy travels to all!

Guenmai

Rvieyra: I just noticed your July 14th post at 1:48PM, about driving schools. I didn't notice it until now. But good luck to you with learning how to drive a stick and I'm sure you'll find the experience very rewarding. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

Portiaperu: Good for you to teach the adolescents to drive a manual so that they won't be automatic dependent. My best friend's daughter had a boyfriend, a few years ago, who was around 17 at the time and had a little compact manual car that they'd zip around in. Someone in his family also required that he be able to drive a manual. Happy Travels!

CarolA

(Bow old is "oldies" who know how to drive a manual?)

I don't think of myself as "oldie" and sitting in front of my house in Atlanta, GA is a Saab 9-3 with a manual transmission.

And I grew up and learned to drive it in East Tennessee. So hills aren't really an issue

I admit I cursed my parents when they made me learn to drive it, but over the years I have thanked them many times. (Including every time I have gone to Europe)

cferrb

We rented a manual for our trip to Europe. The only real problem was in the parking lots, where we would get stuck on a ramp waiting to get out, and then have to get started as if on a hill. Driving around the towns was never a problem. However, we did not drive much in hilly towns, so we were not dealing with hilly starts at all on the street. Definitely get some practice before you fly.

Ann1

Learning to drive a manual is IMO a necessity. Even though we only had manuals in my family, my dad always said, "If you're ever in a manual car and for some reason the driver (at the time meaning dates that might have had too much to drink) can't drive the car, you need to know how." According to the postings here, there are many people who have only manuals. That's not counting traveling in Europe.

Nottingham

Hey...go to my query reg my friends needing to rent an automatic for their upcoming trip because NONE of them knew how to drive a manual....look at all those responses I got...then MAKE a WISE decision regarding YOUR trip needs.....BE SMART in your decision making!!!
My" advice seeking query" was posted in early July.

stormbird

Downunder if you go for your license in an automatic car that is all you are licensed to drive - you cannot legally drive a manual car. I'm thinking that's not the case in the USA but what is the situation in Europe - do they check that?

Bokhara2

I sincerely hope never to be on a hill behind anyone whose initial driving experience in a manual is when they pick up a rental vehicle in a foreign country.

It's tricky enough negotiating unfamiliar roads, road signs etc., even if you're driving on the same side of the road as your home.

Add in the joy of using a clutch for the first time while trying to remember where the next gear is - not safe, sensible or any way to start a holiday, imho.

See if there's an Advanced Driver training facility in your district. They very often have manual vehicles. If you can't become comfortable with all the aspects of driving a manual before you go, I really think you'd be far better off absorbing the extra expense of an automatic.

Even I had difficulty finding reverse the first time I rented a little Italian flivver. There was a button on the gear stick that I didn't know about. Got stuck at the boom gates of the airport carpark. And I've been driving manual vehicles since before I hit double digits. Very embarassing.

nona1

As for all of those "well-trained" European drivers, well they were also once "beginners" when it came to learning to both drive and to also drive a manual.

Yes but all those absolute beginners are sitting in driving school cars usually (very few people start off being taught by friends/family), and even if they are practising in a non-driving school car, it is mandatory to use L plates. So other drivers keep clear and expect problems. A car hirer will look like a competent driver, completely different scenario

Christina

As for the semi-automatic, I had one of those once in France and really liked it. It was an Alpha-Romeo and got great mileage. I had just rented an "automatic" though, and that is what I got. They aren't that common in France at agenices, I got that one at the Marseille airport. I think the issue is that I had no problem with it, but that's because I knew how to drive a manual (even though I didn't rent one and was rusty at it, I knew the concept of when to shift, which is what you need to know). It was just easy as there was no clutch and no issues with that. In fact, the agency didn't even tell me it was a semi-automatic, I just figured it out myself as it wasn't shifting automatically when I knew it should, and I figured it out that I had to shift it.

It's not hard to use, though, you just need some instruction on the concept of shifting and when you should do it.

I just rented an automatic in rural France and loved it, it was a Mercedes A diesel. Great little car. I had no problem getting one at Marseille train station and it didn't cost me that much more than renting a manual. It was a whole lot less than the cost of renting a car to practice (which you can't do where I live) or paying for lessons. I think I spent about $20 a day more for the A/T than a comparable small manual.