Rentals: why not autos as standard
Discussion
I rented an Opel Astra estate overseas recently and they gave me an auto when I'd asked for a manual.
Sure no problem in fact I preferred it as it was all city driving, it's a boring box why need a manual. Of course ask me to pay more for one and I will decline thanks very much.
It got me thinking though, why don't rental companies give you an auto as standard? No matter what you do you can't wreck the box in an auto, but even in the short time companies keep their cars I'm pretty sure a number of clutches or even boxes have required replacement.
Anyway just a thought, but I'm sure it comes down to cost/benefit or supply/demand.
Any insight?
Side thought, it was a petrol 1.4 turbo which was fine for its needs but I couldn't get over how much it sounded like a diesel. So much so I had to double check the agreement when I filled up because I suddenly panicked that I'd misheard. Same thing on a VW tiguan 1.4t that I rented. Anyone else think this?
Sure no problem in fact I preferred it as it was all city driving, it's a boring box why need a manual. Of course ask me to pay more for one and I will decline thanks very much.
It got me thinking though, why don't rental companies give you an auto as standard? No matter what you do you can't wreck the box in an auto, but even in the short time companies keep their cars I'm pretty sure a number of clutches or even boxes have required replacement.
Anyway just a thought, but I'm sure it comes down to cost/benefit or supply/demand.
Any insight?
Side thought, it was a petrol 1.4 turbo which was fine for its needs but I couldn't get over how much it sounded like a diesel. So much so I had to double check the agreement when I filled up because I suddenly panicked that I'd misheard. Same thing on a VW tiguan 1.4t that I rented. Anyone else think this?
xRIEx said:
Mr2Mike said:
peatmoor said:
No matter what you do you can't wreck the box in an auto,
So shifting it into reverse or park at 70mph will cause no damage? 
t if they don't.At one time automatics were more to insure. I wonder if that is still the case.
It's expensive enough to rent a car, let alone adding significant extra fuel costs by forcing people to have something the majority of people dislike!
I drive a lot of automatics as part of my job, and the variation in quality between gearboxes is incredible, and far worse (in standard cars) than manuals.
I drive a lot of automatics as part of my job, and the variation in quality between gearboxes is incredible, and far worse (in standard cars) than manuals.
Morningside said:
xRIEx said:
Mr2Mike said:
peatmoor said:
No matter what you do you can't wreck the box in an auto,
So shifting it into reverse or park at 70mph will cause no damage? t if they don't.At one time automatics were more to insure. I wonder if that is still the case.
Atrevetetete said:
It's expensive enough to rent a car, let alone adding significant extra fuel costs by forcing people to have something the majority of people dislike!
I drive a lot of automatics as part of my job, and the variation in quality between gearboxes is incredible, and far worse (in standard cars) than manuals.
Fair point I suppose for my purposes an auto in a dull car particularly on dull roads makes no difference to me sometimes even an advantage in that I have; one less thing to worry about in a strange car and on strange roads.I drive a lot of automatics as part of my job, and the variation in quality between gearboxes is incredible, and far worse (in standard cars) than manuals.
I used to have somewhere around 8-10 hire cars a year for a weeks work at a time and I got an Insignia SRi/ Elite auto diesels about 3 times in a row. What a superb car. 40MPG overall and the box was matched perfectly to the narrowish powerband. I also liked the way D was at the bottom of the selector, so switch on, lever all the way down, off you go (also the only time the elec. handbrake made sense, too). For escorting purposes it was spot on.
Had a couple Mondeos too and they were always manuals. So I guess make and model as well as what deals they can wangle come into it.
Maybe the manufacturer would like them to buy a certain percentage of autos?
Had a couple Mondeos too and they were always manuals. So I guess make and model as well as what deals they can wangle come into it.
Maybe the manufacturer would like them to buy a certain percentage of autos?
peatmoor said:
It got me thinking though, why don't rental companies give you an auto as standard? No matter what you do you can't wreck the box in an auto, but even in the short time companies keep their cars I'm pretty sure a number of clutches or even boxes have required replacement.
If your average renter is someone who has never/rarely driven an auto (s UK) - then I would expect the accidental damage and time off road caused by hitting accelerator instead of brake or brake instead of clutch would exceed the replacing of clutches/gear boxes It's not because the autos are hard to sell. It is because these days autos are prime retail stock so manufacturers off load unwanted manuals to the rental fleets.
Rental companies tend to have what manufacturers want to off load cheaply or on a cheap lease rather than any particular spec requirements from the rental company.
Rental companies tend to have what manufacturers want to off load cheaply or on a cheap lease rather than any particular spec requirements from the rental company.
Why do they charge extra for an auto anyway?
All Enterprise had available last time I booked was an Auris Hybrid OR I could wait 2 hours and have an Hyundai i30 manual (I asked for a manual Focus)
Couldn't wait so HAD to take the Hybrid... they still charged me for an AUTO
even though I had no other option.
All Enterprise had available last time I booked was an Auris Hybrid OR I could wait 2 hours and have an Hyundai i30 manual (I asked for a manual Focus)
Couldn't wait so HAD to take the Hybrid... they still charged me for an AUTO
even though I had no other option. Edited by leafspring on Monday 19th August 19:18
JimmyTheHand said:
If your average renter is someone who has never/rarely driven an auto (s UK) - then I would expect the accidental damage and time off road caused by hitting accelerator instead of brake or brake instead of clutch would exceed the replacing of clutches/gear boxes
Do people really do that?Anyway I would have thought it better to put nervous drivers in an auto even if they are used to a manual especially if its a car they don't know.
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