So much for THAT plan
Have you tried, in recent years, to rent a car with a manual transmission?
I hadn't until last night, seeing as I only drive automatic and never learned the other one. Now, I can recall a time when I had to request automatic, and the prettiest cars never came with one.
However, I've been toying with the idea of learning to drive stick, especially since xyon has a manual car. (I know, you're thinking, "Good for him; keeps his wife from driving his car!" But, this is very unfortunate when Jeremy drives somewhere and then acquires a headache or desire to take a nap. I'd like to be able to say, "Don't worry. You just close your eyes while I drive back.")
Anyway, today is supposed to be one of our last few non-rainy days of the year, so I figured it was time to jump in: rent a car, have Jeremy take off work to show me the basics, and then drive on empty roads all day.
Problem: You can't do that.
I started with Avis (because we have membership discounts). They claim to have a Mini Cooper Convertible in stock (and a Chevy Camaro) which may or may not have a manual transmission. (This isn't me saying: "Oooh, convertible!" It's me saying, "This is the only car that doesn't advertise its automatic transmission.) But when you click the "reserve this car" button, you can't reserve it. It doesn't exist anywhere near us at all.
Hertz, Enterprise, it's all the same.
If nothing else, you'd think that sports car rentals would come manual.
I hadn't until last night, seeing as I only drive automatic and never learned the other one. Now, I can recall a time when I had to request automatic, and the prettiest cars never came with one.
However, I've been toying with the idea of learning to drive stick, especially since xyon has a manual car. (I know, you're thinking, "Good for him; keeps his wife from driving his car!" But, this is very unfortunate when Jeremy drives somewhere and then acquires a headache or desire to take a nap. I'd like to be able to say, "Don't worry. You just close your eyes while I drive back.")
Anyway, today is supposed to be one of our last few non-rainy days of the year, so I figured it was time to jump in: rent a car, have Jeremy take off work to show me the basics, and then drive on empty roads all day.
Problem: You can't do that.
I started with Avis (because we have membership discounts). They claim to have a Mini Cooper Convertible in stock (and a Chevy Camaro) which may or may not have a manual transmission. (This isn't me saying: "Oooh, convertible!" It's me saying, "This is the only car that doesn't advertise its automatic transmission.) But when you click the "reserve this car" button, you can't reserve it. It doesn't exist anywhere near us at all.
Hertz, Enterprise, it's all the same.
If nothing else, you'd think that sports car rentals would come manual.