Why are all Automatics 50% higher priced than Manuals?
intrade,
Oct 19, 2:06am
automatics cost more to buy new
brapbrap8,
Oct 19, 2:11am
They will have very few automatics available because in europe most cars are manual.
curlcrown,
Oct 19, 2:44am
I believe they cost significantly more to insure than manuals.
socram,
Oct 19, 3:33am
Always in short supply. Even if you book one on line, there is no guarantee they'll actually have one when you arrive, so beware.
geedubu,
Oct 19, 5:38am
Be very very careful about add-on extra costs when you pick it up, after you have booked on line, whether it is manual or auto. Europe & the UK are a den of thieves for visitors from NZ.
tamarillo,
Oct 19, 5:49am
where does that belief come from? Thinks it's supply demand as others say.
remmers,
Oct 20, 5:54am
According to economy rentals an economy manual car is $217.32 (Hyundai i20) and an automatic same class is $223.23 (VW Polo), both fully inclusive pick up and drop off Heathrow for 7 day hire.
unideck,
Oct 20, 8:06am
If you are collecting the car when you land, book it on the phone. Reason is if you collect the car inside the airport you will pay more. When I travel I simply call Budget direct and do the booking on the phone. Manchester Airport has a shuttle from the arrivals gate that takes you direct to the car rental building - all the car hire are in the same area. Last time I was over in the UK (last year) the manual was actually cheaper but was difficult to pin down as they didn't have many manuals. I actually booked the Ford Focus ST and on arrival told me it wasn't available and the only other option in manual was an Astra! Ended up in a Jag haha. Watch out for the excess too, its a fortune, approx a thousand pounds no matter who is at fault. I think the waver was an extra eleven pounds per day.
On a side note, if you get speeding fines (like I did - all 15x of them) just contest them. They drop them due to "too hard basket" to deal with ;)
nightboss,
Oct 20, 8:40am
Going for next size up and booking through Avis or Budget, will be 28 day hire. About $750.
remmers,
Oct 21, 3:09am
Hyundai i20 is $640.69 for 28 days ex Heathrow but remember that INCLUDES all insurances. Car delivered is usually Avis, Europ car or Hertz.
remmers,
Oct 21, 3:14am
Not sure where you see that price, Avis site wants GBP526.96 for 28 day Hyundai i30 hire ex Heathrow, so about NZ$1100.
nightboss,
Oct 21, 4:00am
Booking through Air New Zealand site.
remmers,
Oct 21, 4:13am
Yes that is car rental.com which seems to be the same as economy rentals.com. Shows it pays to book with the rental car brokers rather than the 'names'. You end up with the same car for half the price.
socram,
Oct 21, 4:18am
Speed cameras in town or stopped by the police? Surprised you copped so many! In all my visits over the last 30 years and always hiring a car for anything up to 6 weeks at a time, not a single ticket, despite one memorable 300 mile run averaging 75mph! (Daytime too.)
nightboss,
Oct 21, 4:19am
Budget, Seat Leon NZ$801.68 for 26 days.
remmers,
Oct 21, 4:33am
If you are happy with a compact 4 door manual hatch then best deal seems to be VW Polo at NZ$590.76. However to your original post, if you need auto shift, then cheapest on economyrentals is NZ$1068, Opel Astra. Maybe they do not keep automatic drive cars in the mini or compact classes.
geedubu,
Oct 21, 5:37am
I found easycar to be good if you were meticulous about their conditions. One memorable booking in France when we had to drag our suitcases through a crime ridden hell hole to get to the depot (in the wee hours of the morning, lucky to escape being robbed and murdered but that car was cheap enough)
unideck,
Oct 21, 10:39am
One on the M62 at the 606 merging lane, goes from 70 to 55 and a sneaky camera at the side of the 55 sign! Then a heap on the Dewsbury Moor cutting, 5 cameras within 1 mile, all timed - by the third flash I just booted it, so frustrating on a dual carriageway for sure. Maybe iv been in the Coromandel too long! no cameras, traffic lights and a hand full of cops haha. One ticket was for 33mph in a 30 - like 3mph! what a laugh. Needless to say Ray, I don't miss all the traffic, BS and big brother cameras but it was different 25 years ago when I left :)
socram,
Oct 21, 8:06pm
My jazz hero got caught up north last year on the M6. Clocked at 98mph on the way up, 96mph the following day on the way back. He was 83 years old at the time.
Five cameras within 1 mile is a bit rugged so presumably it is a cash gathering scheme! Must head over to see you some time. thanks for the heads up about the local situation.
unideck,
Jan 10, 8:28am
Look forward to it Ray ;) Heck everywhere I traveled in Yorkshire was just covered in cameras! wasn't even one when I left. I must be getting old is all I can say. To be honest round here if you get passed 100kms your dicing with death, few good straights now and then but so much fun on a nice day. I tend to ride the bikes more now, the Ducati's are too much fun round here. I may have to look at another project soon but kinda have my hands full right now. Just doing a re-furb/rebuild on a Bedford TK, now I know that will make you smile :) its only done 60,000 from new - boys and toys aye, wife reckons iv lost the plot lol
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