Stick-shift

[gregop100]

Hello All.
Going with family of four to New York in early August and would like to find a car rental (preferably mid-town Manhattan) which is stick-shift/manual and not automatic.
Any bright idea?
Patrick

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I'm sorry to tell you that with the exception of high end exotic sports cars, or other specialty rentals of that nature, you're just not going to find what you are looking for.

The Rental Car market in the US deals entirely with automatic cars. In fact, even to purchase a manual car is getting quite difficult in the US. The only cars with it even sold are generally the base models of lower end cars and trucks.

The best you're going to find is that many cars with an automatic transmission now have a "feature" where you can control the gear you're in. Its not nearly as nice as actually having a manual transmission, but it does give you some control.

[gregop100]

Hi Michael.
Appreciate your reply -- and so quickly! Oh dear. Looks as if I'm done for right from the word go. Better knuckle down and learn to drive an automatic. (I know, I know. They're meant to be easier. I just find it confusing....)
Patrick

[Midwest Michael]

I will say that I prefer driving a stick shift, but there really isn't anything to learn when it comes to an automatic. You just put it in drive and hit the gas and go, what are you confused about?

[Southwest Dave]

Much, much easier than going from an Auto to a stick shift.

The one thing you have to remember is not to use your left foot ! It has been "trained" to deal with the resistance of the clutch, and touching the brake pedal with it normally resembles something like an emergency stop ! Other than that it is right foot on brake, select drive [or reverse] and remove foot from brake and you will creep forward, touch the gas pedal a little lighter than you would in a manual and your off. Time to stop or slow, resist the temptation to use that left foot as the brain starts to tell you that you should be declutching by now ! Lol.

Honestly, you have nothing to worry about and within a few miles you will settle into it.

[gregop100]

Dave's right, Michael -- that's what the "confused" is about! I trained myself to drive the manual all those years ago and the (two) times I've tried riding an automatic since I have found it difficult to turn off that part of the brain which controls the left foot. I keep doing these emergency stops....then hit the gas....then stop again....and so I kangaroo along the road. A bit embarrassing.
But I'll take his word for it and see if I get used to it after a few miles! Thanks both.

[Foy]

I'm one of the oddballs who goes seamlessly between a manual shift and an automatic, and the transition is even odder since I'm a "left foot braker" in an automatic trans vehicle. My son's pickup, which was my daily driver for a couple of years, is a 5-speed manual, while everything else I regularly drive is an automatic. Even hopping into his truck on occasion nowadays, I go into "manual transmission" mode and brake with my right foot.

What I do think would take much getting used to would be shifting gears with my left hand and driving on the "wrong" side of the road!

Foy