OT: automatic van hire - possible?

Automatic vans do exist, but can I hire one? I had a quick look at some online van hire websites, and the transmission type specified was manual. Any ideas please, thanks a lot.

Reply to
cdr
Loading thread data ...

Sigh. For some time there has been an auto only driving licence. To get that changed to a 'manual' one which allows you to drive either would require taking the driving test again.

So the sort of answer we've come to expect from you.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I'd try looking in the Yellow Pages etc for local hire firms, rather than the national ones. You might be lucky. Autos are certainly around in the smaller vans - not so sure about the biggest ones you can drive on a car licence.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I've seen auto box Vitos in the past, rare as hen's teeth. it may be easier to hire a large MPV such as the Merc V class and remove the rear seats not a good idea if the purpose is to move cement but good for most other things.

Reply to
Steve Firth

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

And some people (eg my Dad) have disabilities which mean they can't drive a manual car.

Quite.

I think best bet is ringing around local places. I've never come across them, I guess they are more expensive, so not likely many hire places will have them. Somewhere might have one though

Reply to
chris French

I haven't seen any indication of where your father lives. Is this place of any use to him? They have two auto vans, a Renault Traffic and a Renault Master.

formatting link

Reply to
Steve Firth

online van hire websites, and the transmission type specified was manual. Any ideas please, thanks a lot.

Hire companies have to have automatic cars if they hire out to americans (few can drive a "stick-shift"). I wonder if you can find one that does vans - maybe at an airport which takes transatlantic flights?

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

That's much less so than it once was.

But in any case, the majority of 'executive' cars in the UK are autos these days.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

and quite a lot of smaller saloons as well. Its not such an MPG guzzler as it used to be.

Frankly i'd say 80% of drivers would be safer driving autos.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

In London, 80% of drivers would be safer on the bus. With cyclists and motorcyclists, make that 99%.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

In message , harry writes

I'm sure if you like to repair the brain damage that has left my dad with out the use of his left arm and leg he would have happily taken full test so he could drive a manual.

It's pretty clear who the git is here.

Reply to
chris French

Thanks very much for everyone's interesting replies. I visited that bucksv= ehicle website, and found 2 interesting pages. The "Vans available page" c= ontains 2 Renault automatic transmission vans, and their "extra's page" (da= ted May 2010) says -

"Automatic van hire is not widely available in the UK. Most commercial vans= have always been made with manual gearboxes only. This often causes proble= ms for drivers who are only able (or willing) to drive automatic vehicles -= whether due to licence entitlement, health and mobility restrictions or pe= rsonal preference.

The good news is that automatic vans are now a reality. Technical advances = mean that vans can now have automated gearboxes and these are becoming incr= easingly widespread."

Reply to
cdr

What makes you say that? In 35 years of regular visits to the USA, I've noticed no increase on the numbers of those who can drive "stick". 97% of vehicles sold in the US are autos.

Reply to
Huge

Don't be silly Chris. harry will never let facts get in the way of one of his posts.

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Hire a car and a trailer.

Reply to
dennis

I think there are probably more manuals about in the US these days (compared to say a decade ago) - but it's still a very small proportion. Personally I'd much rather have a manual, but they're not so easy to find.

I'm not sure if it's typical of the whole US, but around here (northern MN) it's normal for people to have to find a car to learn to drive (and take their test) in - driving instructors are few and far between. That means there's still a lot of inertia in the system; parents typically learnt to drive an auto, so they end up buying an auto, so their kids learn to drive an auto...

cheers

Jules

Reply to
Jules Richardson

No, he's a dick.

Reply to
Zapp Brannigan

Complete nonsense. Automatic vans have been around for a very long time - most ambulances for example are autos, and are van based. Same with many police vans. Local authorities too often have all auto fleets.

Of course a hire fleet may well not want to pay the extra for one.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

In message

, cdr writes

Vans have had auto options for years - I had a VW Transporter auto in

1999.

Many of them end up as motor caravans. There s a move now to DSGs in cars which are really auto gearboxes for people who insist they must have a manual

Reply to
hugh

It's common in the US to call a DSG type box a manual. Even although simply by starting the car, plonking it in gear and pushing the accelerator, it will move off from rest and upwards to its top speed.

If it look like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.