Stick-shift vs automatic for learner

I ended up going automatic for my test about five years ago. From my perspective, I did most of my lessons with gears but I honestly really struggled. I think it was a mix of autism at play and just learning at an older age. It was more of a pain to get a reasonably priced automatic that wasn't an import back then but that's drastically changed in the last few years.

I can honestly say that I'm not at any particular disadvantage at this stage. If it's an option to learn on a manual then definitely encourage it but for various reasons that wasn't gonna work for me at the time.

The pain of it is the price premium that some car hire providers hit you for. A quick look on Kayaq for Girona in mid June indicates €26 a day for a small manual, their cheapest auto at €35 per day.

While I agree for the most part. If you're younger, you have a lot of potential career directions. So an 18 year old could easily end up pursuing a trade etc. But equally, they can always learn later on if they need to.

take an ev then, usually the cheapest option, i see a fiat 500 e is 26 a day.

id argue for a learner there is little less fun than fumbling around with gears and a handbrake trying to get going on a hill with a load of cars behind you.

EV’s are great but not for a holiday rental.

never had a problem personally, didnt work out for you?

I've finance and economics degree, CIMA, QFA, worked in finance for a good few years out of college and I work for a business now as general manager where I do jump in manual vans for different reasons, dropping one off yesterday for windscreen replacement and collecting new ones we buy.

Drive autos only for a long time myself ever since I used to pick up cheap bmws with the big tax back in the 2000s and 2010s, I much prefer driving autos and obviously now with EVs even better.

Not a normal circumstance but I'd be limited by having an auto only licence. I just think a little extra effort now would be worth it, you never know what's in store.

Learning is never a burden and knowing how to use gears is a positive thing. Most young people have no problem with learning and should try manual. Maybe some nervous types are better in an automatic and should take that choice.

I haven't driven a manual for more than ten years but am glad that I have the skill, no worries about driving any vehicle.

Do car rentals allow you to drop back an EV and bill you for any kWh less than when you picked it up?

EVs should be easier for them, they can charge onsite (using cheap overnight rates) instead of having to bring an ICE to a petrol station?

And most daily rentals would be doing less than the range of most EVs, so renters wouldn't need to plan a fuel stop, giving them more time in their day compared to an ICE.

Personally I think Hertz could see the price war starting with Tesla and Chinese competition and decided to get our before they lost too much in depreciation.

Probably a big ask getting someone with no experience of EVs to get one as a rental. Then they aren't used to super fast cars and have accidents.

They just don't suit as a holiday rental not least the requirement to drop them back fully charged.

Had the exact opposite experience got a much better car than the ice Alternative and the same as here fast chargers are relatively plentiful in urban areas. Anyway some of you seem wedded to manual gear boxes, you probably keep a horse and cart just in case as well 😂😉 I've no problem driving a manual myself but I won't be pushing my kids to unless they really want to.

Driving around looking for a charger then waiting an hour reads like something from the anti EV fud guidebook tbh.