Tall men who rent cars. Please help.
 

I'm posting on behalf of a friend (David) who must rent a car in Italy on a budget. David is a former manual transmission owner. David is very concerned that he won't fit into any of the compact/economy cars available in Italy. David stands 6' 4" tall (1930 mm) but due to some physical restrictions, he requires specific interior headroom and legroom measurements in order to safely operate a car.

For the head, anything between 39-40 inches (990 mm - 1016 mm) will work as long as the door opening is generous at the top and the driver seat sits low enough that he won't hit his head as he enters the car.

For the legs, 42 inches (1930 mm) is ideal to prevent his right knee from hitting the steering column as he uses the clutch.

I don't rent manual and/or this class of car so I need to hear from a tall man who understands the issues. Is there anybody out there who can help me with recommendations?

Thank you in advance.

Most cars have drivers seats that can accommodate a tall man. It's the rear seat passengers that suffer more. That being said, there will be some cars he wont fit in.

For comfort, you can always check the dimensions of the cars, online, that are listed in the class that he wants to rent. There really is no other way except to take your chances since rental companies only guarantee a car class, not a specific car.

As a final resort he could complaint when he gets there that he ahs a physical condition and needs a certain size of car.

6'5"

The husband and I are tall - he is 6'3 and I am 6' in heels and I always wear heels. We have no trouble with compact cars. As mentioned above the seats are adjustable.

Without knowing what his special circumstances/needs are, it is hard to make a real reccomendation that will for sure work other than suggesting he rent a car at home for a day and try out the compact to see if it works. It wouldn't hurt.

The headroom is a tough one. I have the same problem. Unlike the leg room, cars have either little or no satisfactory headroom adjustment capabilities. I go with a backup plan in my pocket.

Aramis explained the problem: No matter if he finds out at home that he will fit into a Ford Focus but not into a VW Golf, that knowledge is of no use since the rental car is not required and will not have a certain make available.

If the station he plans to rent from is a big one, he could explain his issue at the counter and ask they would let him "test" another make if the one pre-assigned does not fit.
But if the choice is limited, he may have to upgrade to a bigger car class - and I doubt that the rental car company will necessarily do that for free.

I have over thirty years of travel experience. I'm fully aware of the limitations. Knowledge provides an opportunity to react smartly when a dilemma presents itself. Some people prepare, others don't. My hope is to hear from more people like Greg, who truly understand the issue.

<i><font color=#777777>"Most cars have drivers seats that can accommodate a tall man."</font></i>

Seat adjustment is NOT the issue. David has a list of American rental cars that he cannot drive because he can't enter and exit the driver's seat safely. The list is large and it includes many medium to full-size vehicles. I'm 6" tall and I cannot fit through the doorway of a Ford Escape Hybrid NYC taxi without banging my head. If one stops, I've learned to flag them away.

It's not a question of whether the front seat is adjustable. Btw, who doesn't know that? The safety dilemma is getting in and out of the car without incurring neck strain. The car needed is for a single driver. The back seats are irrelevant. However, David cannot drive the car if the front seat requires too much recline. Therefore, the roof has to be high enough and the seat needs to sit nearer the floor. Too bad Auto Europe doesn't have a forum.

We're working on a Plan B. There's no rush. I have the local numbers for several rental locations. I would like to put forth a choice (if one exists). Upgrading is not a safety net because a larger, more expensive car does not guarantee the driver's door opening will fulfill the required measurements. I'm plan to cull a list of medium size cars as well. These measurements aren't easy to find for all car models and it's impossible to know how reliable they are by viewing a diagram.

I need to hear from tall men who own or have experience driving the Fiat Punto, Fiat Bravo, Ford Focus Wagon, or the Peugeot 207. Thank you.

"I have the local numbers for several rental locations."

Don't give them measurements in mms as you did in your first post. Either in meters as in 1.93m or else in cms. Millimiters make no sense to Europeans in this particular instance.

I'm 6'2" and rented a Fiat Punto last year. I understand the headroom problems because of the way my body is proportioned I almost always find it lacking.

I didn't have any problems but I seriously doubt that there was an extra two inches of headroom available. As for inclining the head while entering/exiting, I have to do that in nearly every car so I assume I had to that on the Punto as well.

Okay - snob - you're on your own now.

You go knock yourself out on this one

Ok, I've suggested it before and I'll suggest it again - a Renault Kangoo, or Citroen Berlingo. Lots of headroom since they are based on a small commercial vehicle, and leg room too. Easy to get in and out of too for the same reason. You sit up higher too, and have a better over all view. European car rental companies often have these in their own special rental group, and they are not hugely expensive to rent.

Have you ever seen BBC's Top Gear programme with Jeremy Clarkson - he is 6'6 inches tall so if you see him in a car it gives you a good idea of what it would be like for your friend.

Lots of Dutch people are very tall, and they all manage to drive European cars safely. Not the smallest models maybe, but most are suitable for tall people. Our friend is 2 metres tall and he can drive pretty much any car in the range you mention, though he personally drives a Berlingo.

I meant to add that my sons who are both 1m 90 tall can comfortably drive an old model Ford Ka, which is a tiny car.

I agree with you Aramis, the Snob needs an attitude adjustment if he/sh expects people to put themselves out by posting suggestions. I had what I thought would be valuable information, but if I risk getting snapped at like that --- forget about it.

:-(

You can't fit into the new cabs? Yeah, they are a pain to get into as are the SUVs I sometimes get when using car service. But I can get in and I certainly wouldn't waste time waving them off.

Anyhoo, you laid out the issue more specifically. Good luck.

Good grief. Where on earth was the snap? You want to talk about rude and having attitude? If you don't have an answer to my question or even something smart to add to the discussion, then don't assume if you post worthless blabber it will go unchallenged. Fodor's is famous for people who just like to hear themselves talk. Fodor's is also famous for smart, generous, detail-oriented travelers who know how to how to find difficult information. The latter are the people I respect.

Thank you, Hal8999.

hetismij, I've never seen the program. I'll take a look. I will also check out those two cars. Thank you.

<i><font color=#777777>"Don't give them measurements in mms"</font></i>

I'm using http://www.whatcar.com/ that another Fodorite was so gracious to offer. It's a British site and I copy and past the mm measurements and then convert them to inches. However, certain makes and models don't offer headroom and legroom measurements. I wish someobody could tell me what unit of measurement is being used in the car graphic. I'm hoping if the research goes well enough I won't have to mention numbers to a rental agent at all.

<i><font color=#777777>"You can't fit into the new (NYC) cabs?"</font></i>

Of course I can "fit" but pretending to be sausage meat as I enter is not my idea of fun and nor is it ladylike. I've learned to scope out the Crown Vics. Boy do I miss the Checker's.

NYFSnob -- it makes absolutely no difference what you think of the comments so far, and it makes no difference if you DO find a car that meets those specific requirements. No rental agency will guarantee a specific model. Even IF an agency offers the one or two models that might work, they have many other cars in their fleets. So the odds are most likely your friend will not receive the specific model he wants.

Maybe you'd do better to advise your friend to use the trains instead of snapping at those who've tried to help you . . .

And what are you famous for, my gracious friendÉ

You either gave yourself that name or someone else did and you just `love it!` so you decided to keep it.

You can look at some of the cars the rental agencies are offering then go to the car company web site to get specs. I would imagine that the chance of an economy care fitting those specs if slim to none.

My beau is 6'3" and I'm 5'9" and we always rent a midsize or larger to have something comfortable enough for several hours driving.

And don;t forget that the same car size in europe will be small than the size in the US (what we call midsize like an Accord or similar - they usually call full size).

Also - remember there is no guarantee of any specific car - you need to check the smallest car they have in each category - since that is what he may end up with.

<i>"There's no guarantee! There's no guarantee! There's no guarantee!"</i> Good grief. Would the cynics begone from this thread, please. And the snob haters can find an available stall in the Lounge, thank you. I'm looking for a few, good, tall men with experience (what else is new). :-)

I have negotiated specific automatics in Italy before and I know how to do it. That's why I keep the local numbers. So please don't tell me what can and can't be done. Of course, there is no 100% guarantee, with anything, but I know how to narrow the field, work the deal, and keep a few options open. I simply need more information (on the cheaper cars) before I set out to put my plan in place.

<i><font color=#777777>"You can look at some of the cars the rental agencies are offering then go to the car company web site to get specs."</font></i>

Sounds logical, doesn't it? Been there, done that. Not all manufacturers offer headroom and legroom measurements. The length and width of a car doesn't tell me what I need to know.

<i><font color=#777777>"we always rent a midsize or larger to have something comfortable enough for several hours driving."</font></i>

Long drives are not required. But short ones in and out of the car are. If David doesn't get lucky with a rental, he will not take the job. He will not take the job if the rental expense exceeds the work budget. Someone else who fits in the small cars will take the job.

As I said earlier, midsize and larger cars don't guarantee spacious headroom or easy head clearance but I will investigate those choices, too. I remember shopping with my dad for SUVs and I was startled by how small the entry space was on a few models. A friend owns a Hummer and I have to duck my head significantly to clear the top edge of the doorway. For tall people, everything depends on the design of the car and how low the seat sits. If you're not tall, you can't possibly understand.

Somehow I knew from your first post.....

I'm 6'3", and I still do not understand.
I assume one has to bang one's head against a Hybrid cab's door a few times to understand. Few people here seem to be willing to undergo that experience to reach the necessary level of enlightment, though.

I'm short and my husband is tall. SUV - I must be a klutz as I smack my knee on the dashboard getting in/out every time, not enough headroom for DH. Midsize fine for me, not enough leg room for him sometimes. Chevy (Opel) compact in Europe - fine for both. Go figure. Don't get me started on getting into the back seat of a Lexus ES!! Just awful design! Unfortunately I think David is going to have to try different rentals to see how it goes. Even with measurements it doesn't sound like you'll know how getting in/ out wll go. But I'm sure there is something in the stable that will work in his budget. Every car is designed differently and some are designed really badly for ingress/egress. He needs something with a square doorframe and small header. And no, not everyone can adjust the seat enough in many cars to not feel cramped in the front seat.

NYCFS - I don't understand why the posters are so pissy. Bad weekend maybe. I really like the black cabs in London. Hate the mini vans in NY.

I hate getting into the minivans too, though getting in ain't no big thang. Besides they provide less interaction with the driver. Sounds like "David" will never win on the car front.

To quote you said you could not fit. And bending down is not the same as being a stuffed sausage for an average person. Just sayin'. Then again, I don't know everything like some people and I'm also not old enough to sad over a lack of checkered cabs. Just going on experience which I thought the question in hand.

I wish "David" luck with his car choice anyhow.

Why doesn't he hire a rag top. At least there's no issue with head room, unless it's raining.

I guess I don't understand his "issue" as it is. My son, who is 6'4 1/2" drove an Ford Escort all through college. He had the seat scooted back and the back of the seat was reclined somewhat, but he was able to drive it comfortably. His only problem was if my wife drove his car for some reason, he couldn't get in without adjusting the seat back. His ability to drive the vehicle comfortably was never hindered.

I guess I just didn't understand the 42" legroom and 39" headroom. That's 81", or 6'9".

<i><font color=#777777>"Unfortunately I think David is going to have to try different rentals to see how it goes."</font></i>

That's much easier to do in an English speaking country. He's done the homework here in America. I will try to help him in a way that offers less risk and a need to speak Italian.

<i><font color=#777777>"He needs something with a square doorframe"</font></i>

Initially, I thought the same thing but it turned out not true. His current rental success in America is the Nissan Altima. There's nothing square about the door design but the upward slope of the door frame allows safe and easy in-out access. Altima's headroom is 40.6 inches and its legroom is a very generous 44.1. I doubt he will find such generous legroom in an economy/compact car in Italy but the Fiat Grand Punto comes close at 42.3.

For those who don't understand, you're not helping by contributing to this thread. So, please, resist cluttering the bandwidth. I used the words "physical restrictions" in my opening post. Is that not enough information for you to think outside the box? Comparing the skeleton of a college-age student to a middle-age man who must find a way to work with "physical restrictions" is ridiculous.

The VW Touran appears to have a maximum headroom of 1020 mm in the driver's seat, and I would expect similar models from other manufacturers (Opel Zafira, Citroen Picasso, Renault Scenic) to be much the same for headroom. These are all tall models, as are the Renault Kangoo, Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner suggested by hetismij above.

These are not budget choices, but they would be a lot more comfortable and also give you more luggage space. Bigger again, and so more expensive again, are cars like the Ford Galaxy, Ford S-max, Renault Espace, Peugeot 807, etc.

Whay is anyone helping this social miscreant?

Let him go do his own research. He is obviously the only one up to the task of satisfying his needs.

Instead fo cluttering up this bandwidth justifying your prissy attitude, perhaps your time would be better spent writing each rental company in Italy and asking them to send you the dimensions of both the door opening and interior of their entire fleet. I am sure they would be happy to do that and then you can just pick!

FYI the Nissan Altima is considered a midsize car in the US rentla market - and would probably be a fullsize in europe.

Obviously this person has very special requirements. People are trying to be HEELPFUL in pointing out the realities. And my beau is 6'3" with long legs - although not a college student - without any physical restrictions and can't comfortbley drive or even sit in small or economy cars in europe. Even many txis are a squeeze.

If the auto web sites don't list specs, nor the rental company - you're going to have to rely on the kindness of locals who own those cars to mesure them for you. Perhaps you should post with a request for people to do that.

Thank you, chartley. 1020 mms is 40.1 inches. Near the goal.

<i><font color=#777777>"These are not budget choices"</font></i>

It is interesting that shorter people get the best car rental deals. I'm going to check into these cars and I appreciate your list. It's very important for a customer to know what to ask for.

<i><font color=#777777>"FYI the Nissan Altima is considered a midsize car in the US"</font></i>

I guess I shouldn't have to say we already knew that.

<i><font color=#777777>"Obviously this person has very special requirements."</font></i>

Special, perhaps, but not "very" special. It's not like he has one leg or works in a wheel chair.

<i><font color=#777777>"People are trying to be HELPFUL in pointing out the realities."</font></i>

To point out obvious realities to a smart, experienced traveler suggests the traveler is stupid. That is rude and insulting. But some Fodorites will never see that and nor will they care. I've been helping people with travel for well over 30 years. I know sincere help when I see it. I also recognize those who like to hear themselves yap and those who have nothing to offer but worthless breakwind that contributes to global warming.

<i><font color=#777777>"And my beau is 6'3" with long legs...without any physical restrictions and can't comfortably drive or even sit in small or economy cars in europe."</font></i>

Interesting. Yet there's a lovely contributer at SlowTrav, married to a man 6'6", whose husband has had great luck with Renault Clio, Opel Corsa and Fiat Punto. I'm keeping an open mind.

<i><font color=#777777>"you're going to have to rely on the kindness of locals who own those cars to measure them for you."</font></i>

Well, no. If there is a standard, the website measurements simply provide a research gauge. Hearing from a tall man with lots of experience renting is the best source of yea or nay. That's what these forums are for. (Minus the trolls who think this is their own personal chat room.

Talk to some of the people in Tall Club International. Men over 6'2 and woman 5'10, most have issues with head room. I'm 6'10 and my wife is 6' and I drive a 2002 VW passat because I fit! All the new Crossovers have a downward sloping roof that ruins the use of the 2nd row for any of my family! My shortest bro is 6'6, good friend Lessa is 6'4, and her husband is 6'6. we can't ride together if my wife is in the front seat.
It sucks but we are left with hatchbacks larger suvs and some trucks. In my case the second row is useless, I'm sure lots of other tall people understand the frustraion.

I would suggest the VW Golf, the honda hatchback,and vw rabbit for compact.

Subaru forester and outback are ok but not allot of head room.

My brother has a very comfortable chevy truck but gas millage isn't good. The diesel version is not bad though!!

I'm searching for a company that sells aftermarket seats for Subaru that sit lower and go back further. Does anyone know of a company?

curious, you recently joined. How did you find this old thread, newbie?

what a tall family. My late husband was just under 6' 5"
but we always managed with a small car in Europe.

could he take the train??

jhawk2tall, I could care less when you signed up with Fodor's but I'm sure many tall people are glad you did. This thread isn't <i>that</i> old and its age does not matter because this problem will exist for tall people who rent cars no matter what year it is.

<i><font color=#777777>"My late husband was just under 6' 5" but we always managed with a small car in Europe."</font></i>

And how is this helpful?

<i><font color=#777777>"could he take the train?"</font></i>

The job requires a car.

I will be in Italy soon and I have an appointment to visit a rental car lot. We'll see what I find. In the meantime, my stat list is growing. I may post it in the future.

Probably too late, but we rented a Fiat Qube which is shaped like a box and has lots of head room.