Rental Car Rip-off
Discussion
Last thread about service stations reminded me of a bugbear. Why is it twice the price to rent a car in the UK with automatic transmission? I have to visit in March and checked many sites and all of the usual rental companies (Avis/Hertz/Europcar etc) all charge double the price for the same model of car with automatic. I realise that in Europe there are less automatic cars, but twice the price??? The only one which doesnt is EasyCar.
This is a con. Here everyone drives an automatic car, whereas in Europe less so, so I would expect maybe $20 premium or something rather than the price to double! What do you think?
This is a con. Here everyone drives an automatic car, whereas in Europe less so, so I would expect maybe $20 premium or something rather than the price to double! What do you think?
I agree, thats a rip off. I guess its mainly because of the high percentage of manual cars here Vs Auto's. Auto boxes seem to have a bit of a stigma here, every one always questions why I bought mine in an auto. I reckon we'll see more autos in the future as technology improves and costs come down.
Hi Porkster - you are probably right, I expect it is because there are less of them in the UK and therefore these companies think they can rip the likes of me off. EasyCar gets a big thumbs up for being the only company that doesnt engage in this practice! Good for them I say.
It is odd to hear that there is a stigma associated with automatic tranmissions in Europe - for me, it is normal to have automatic, there are no manual cars in this country. A manual transmission is a thing of the past I believe. I do have a few friends in England, and all of them have automatic, so maybe it is now getting more popular there. I am guessing you have a Porsche? If so, you definitely did the right thing in ordering the auto version. I have never seen a manual one but I would guess it would ruin the smoothness and performance, plus be more stressful to drive. I commend you on your choice !
It is odd to hear that there is a stigma associated with automatic tranmissions in Europe - for me, it is normal to have automatic, there are no manual cars in this country. A manual transmission is a thing of the past I believe. I do have a few friends in England, and all of them have automatic, so maybe it is now getting more popular there. I am guessing you have a Porsche? If so, you definitely did the right thing in ordering the auto version. I have never seen a manual one but I would guess it would ruin the smoothness and performance, plus be more stressful to drive. I commend you on your choice !
MotorFan said:
Hi Porkster - you are probably right, I expect it is because there are less of them in the UK and therefore these companies think they can rip the likes of me off. EasyCar gets a big thumbs up for being the only company that doesnt engage in this practice! Good for them I say.
It is odd to hear that there is a stigma associated with automatic tranmissions in Europe - for me, it is normal to have automatic, there are no manual cars in this country. A manual transmission is a thing of the past I believe. I do have a few friends in England, and all of them have automatic, so maybe it is now getting more popular there. I am guessing you have a Porsche? If so, you definitely did the right thing in ordering the auto version. I have never seen a manual one but I would guess it would ruin the smoothness and performance, plus be more stressful to drive. I commend you on your choice !
Really? I think you missed the It is odd to hear that there is a stigma associated with automatic tranmissions in Europe - for me, it is normal to have automatic, there are no manual cars in this country. A manual transmission is a thing of the past I believe. I do have a few friends in England, and all of them have automatic, so maybe it is now getting more popular there. I am guessing you have a Porsche? If so, you definitely did the right thing in ordering the auto version. I have never seen a manual one but I would guess it would ruin the smoothness and performance, plus be more stressful to drive. I commend you on your choice !
, no?The other issue to consider is that rental companies will seek to get as much paid-for use out of their cars as they can. A car with an automatic gearbox may be less popular, therefore in less demand. A car sitting idle is a car which is generating cost but not income. This pushes the company to charge more to hire it, in order to make up that "loss".
Also, there is the cost of servicing. Worn clutches, snapped clutch cables, leaking slave cylinders are all sorted fairly easily by garages - automatic gearboxes generally require (expensive) specialist servicing.
That does not preclude the possibility that companies are just ripping people off in Britain. It would be interesting to know if the situation is the same in, say, France or Germany.
Also, there is the cost of servicing. Worn clutches, snapped clutch cables, leaking slave cylinders are all sorted fairly easily by garages - automatic gearboxes generally require (expensive) specialist servicing.
That does not preclude the possibility that companies are just ripping people off in Britain. It would be interesting to know if the situation is the same in, say, France or Germany.
Madscanner said:
The other issue to consider is that rental companies will seek to get as much paid-for use out of their cars as they can. A car with an automatic gearbox may be less popular, therefore in less demand. A car sitting idle is a car which is generating cost but not income. This pushes the company to charge more to hire it, in order to make up that "loss".
Also, there is the cost of servicing. Worn clutches, snapped clutch cables, leaking slave cylinders are all sorted fairly easily by garages - automatic gearboxes generally require (expensive) specialist servicing.
That does not preclude the possibility that companies are just ripping people off in Britain. It would be interesting to know if the situation is the same in, say, France or Germany.
You could well be right! Maybe they dont get as much rental time, so the company makes it up like that. Still, its a con! I come from a country where everyone drives automatic and there are no manual cars on the market. So here, there is one price - not used to being charged double..Also, there is the cost of servicing. Worn clutches, snapped clutch cables, leaking slave cylinders are all sorted fairly easily by garages - automatic gearboxes generally require (expensive) specialist servicing.
That does not preclude the possibility that companies are just ripping people off in Britain. It would be interesting to know if the situation is the same in, say, France or Germany.
However, EasyCar have same price regardless. They get big brownie points!
All large rental cars are auto so I assume you must be referring to small autos. The new market for these is very small and almost zero for the usual sub 12mth old ex rental cars which are freely available. So in addition to less rental income, (although income can be made letting them out at manual rates), far higher depreciation is the main culprit.
Why is it our colonial cousins are unable to drive manuals?
Why is it our colonial cousins are unable to drive manuals?
I see you are based in Israel Motorfan. Is it true that there are no manuals in your country as even the auto loving Americans have manual cars.
I would imagine that in the UK the rental fleets would have autos available but only on the larger luxury models so if you are comparing a small manual vs a large auto there would be a big price difference.
Most of the time when I have had to get a rental there has been no real difference in what I pay, whether an auto or a manual, but then we are looking at big estates and MPVs.
I would imagine that in the UK the rental fleets would have autos available but only on the larger luxury models so if you are comparing a small manual vs a large auto there would be a big price difference.
Most of the time when I have had to get a rental there has been no real difference in what I pay, whether an auto or a manual, but then we are looking at big estates and MPVs.
MotorFan said:
I am guessing you have a Porsche? If so, you definitely did the right thing in ordering the auto version. I have never seen a manual one but I would guess it would ruin the smoothness and performance, plus be more stressful to drive. I commend you on your choice !
Sorry mate, but hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaJust had to get that off my chest.
matthias73 said:
MotorFan said:
I am guessing you have a Porsche? If so, you definitely did the right thing in ordering the auto version. I have never seen a manual one but I would guess it would ruin the smoothness and performance, plus be more stressful to drive. I commend you on your choice !
Sorry mate, but hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaJust had to get that off my chest.
Have another
Seriously thought he was taking the piss there, has he got the right website?
MotorFan said:
You could well be right! Maybe they dont get as much rental time, so the company makes it up like that. Still, its a con! I come from a country where everyone drives automatic and there are no manual cars on the market. So here, there is one price - not used to being charged double..
However, EasyCar have same price regardless. They get big brownie points!
Since when have there only been automatics in Israel? I've driven several rental manual cars in Israel, and only one ( a sHowever, EasyCar have same price regardless. They get big brownie points!
t Chevy Impala) was an auto. Back to the UK side of things, I had a motorcycle accident a while back when I was still a learner - caused by a drunk driver (he's in for four years now)! For the first couple of months, my body was so sore that I requested an automatic courtesy car as opposed to a motorcycle because I couldn't even drive my manual car without incurring a lot of pain. Avis were used by the TP insurer to hire me the vehicle, and the smallest auto that they had available was a 120d M Sport - so that's what I was driving for 3 months - in exchange for a 125cc bike!
Edited by DaineseMan on Tuesday 10th January 12:55
Madscanner said:
Also, there is the cost of servicing. Worn clutches, snapped clutch cables, leaking slave cylinders are all sorted fairly easily by garages - automatic gearboxes generally require (expensive) specialist servicing.
Most rental cars will be very young so stuff like this will be covered under warranty.Apart from that, I bet more clutches go than auto transmissions on new cars. Auto's tend to break when the cars get quite old (way after any rental company has them). If they did go wrong, they'd just punt back to the manufacturer, they wouldn't be getting specialists repairers in.
Your other points, however, are true.
Small manuals are cheaper than autos.
DaineseMan said:
Since when have there only been automatics in Israel? I've driven several rental manual cars in Israel, and only one ( a st Chevy Impala) was an auto.
Back to the UK side of things, I had a motorcycle accident a while back when I was still a learner - caused by a drunk driver (he's in for four years now)! For the first couple of months, my body was so sore that I requested an automatic courtesy car as opposed to a motorcycle because I couldn't even drive my manual car without incurring a lot of pain. Avis were used by the TP insurer to hire me the vehicle, and the smallest auto that they had available was a 120d M Sport - so that's what I was driving for 3 months - in exchange for a 125cc bike!
Were you formerly DianeseGirl as we have not heard from her for a long time. t Chevy Impala) was an auto. Back to the UK side of things, I had a motorcycle accident a while back when I was still a learner - caused by a drunk driver (he's in for four years now)! For the first couple of months, my body was so sore that I requested an automatic courtesy car as opposed to a motorcycle because I couldn't even drive my manual car without incurring a lot of pain. Avis were used by the TP insurer to hire me the vehicle, and the smallest auto that they had available was a 120d M Sport - so that's what I was driving for 3 months - in exchange for a 125cc bike!
Edited by DaineseMan on Tuesday 10th January 12:55
I used to have similar issues getting an auto rental car, we had an account with avis and had to give them 3 days notice for an auto but 3 hours for manual.
On the bright side after a discussion with my local branch, they only had one auto and it was a Vauxhall Omega, no matter what size of Auto I paid for thats what I got.
Prevailing market forces would apply, i'm sure we would have trouble hiring a manual anywhere other than europe, but at least the transition from Manual to Auto is easier...
On the bright side after a discussion with my local branch, they only had one auto and it was a Vauxhall Omega, no matter what size of Auto I paid for thats what I got.
Prevailing market forces would apply, i'm sure we would have trouble hiring a manual anywhere other than europe, but at least the transition from Manual to Auto is easier...
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