One of the slurs Boomers use against the younger people of today, is the fact that they “can’t drive a stick”. Whether you want to prove a point, learn how to drive in Europe or Africa or another country where people still use manual transmission cars, or whatever the reason may be, if you need to rent a stick shift car, we can try to point you in the right direction.
What are Stick Shift Cars?
Unless it’s a classic or exotic car, manual transmission cars are usually less expensive to buy upfront, and cheaper to repair and maintain than automatic cars, which feature complex parts and functionalities that can fail. Of course, this will depend on your driving style. Many people are completely satisfied with the durability of their automatic cars.
In a car with an automatic transmission, you have electronic, hydraulic and mechanical parts that work in harmony to provide you with a smooth gear shifting experience. A stick shift (or manual car) relies on you to engage the clutch and shift the gears as needed.
Both manual and automatic cars require periodic replacement of transmission fluids. The cost depends on the vehicle and the mechanic’s hourly rates, but in most cases, automatic transmission fluid replacement is typically more expensive. Repairs vary depending on the vehicle and the problem. While a small leak can be a few hundred dollars, it will cost much more to take the transmission apart to look for the problem. That’s why many repair shops often recommend that you have the transmission replaced instead of wasting time on diagnostics, taking it apart, and rebuilding the transmission.
How to Rent a Stick Shift Car
Within the US, you will have a hard time finding a stick shift car rental. However, if you’re planning on traveling abroad, we recommend that you rent a stick shift. Why? Because they are more common in some countries than automatic transmissions.
It’s also a great idea when you’re faced with European gas prices.
If you want to rent a stick shift car in the USA, you can try the following:
Car Share Services – Like AirBnb for homes, there are companies that allow you to rent your car out to the public. Simply place it in a publicly accessible parking lot after signing up with the company you chose, and watch your profits grow.
This is a great option if you don’t use your car all that much and you’re looking for some easy part time income.
At Car Rental Reviews, we aim to bring you the quickest, cheapest solutions that don’t compromise your customer satisfaction.
If you can’t use a car sharing program, be sure to head to Alamo, the one company that offers a range of affordable manual transmission cars, including:
- Economy special cars with manual transmission, such as Suzuki Ignus or similar.
- Compact manual transmission such as Suzuki Bolero or similar.
- Compact with manual transmission, such as Hyundai I30 or similar.
- Compact special with manual transmission, including Mini Cooper or similar.
- Standard car with manual transmission such as Skoda Octavia or similar.
- Standard Wagon with manual transmission such as Volvo V60 or similar.
- Compact wagon with manual transmission, such as Opel Astra Wagon or similar.
- Intermediate with manual transmission, such as BMW 116, Fiat Tipo or similar.
- Intermediate special with manual transmission such as the Mini Countryman or similar.
- Full size car with manual transmission such as BMW 320 or similar.
- Premium car with manual transmission, such as BMW x3 or similar.
- Luxury car with manual transmission such as Mercedes E200 or similar.
- Compact SUV with manual transmission such as Suzuki Jimny or similar.
- Intermediate SUV with manual transmission such as Suzuki Vitara.
Alamo also offers standard vans with manual transmission, including Renault Grand Scenic and full size vans such as the Fiat Talento in manual transmission.
Renting a stick shift or manual transmission vehicle is much easier than most people realize!