US trip

The other half and I are planning on heading to the US in December of this year. It will be Christmas in New York for about a week, then down to New Orleans for a few days, on to Jamaica for a few days more, then spend the last week doing a drive round the south west, starting in Phoenix and ending in LA. I'd like to have something moderately interesting to drive (in Kiwi terms) such as a Mustang with manual transmission. However, web searches seem to suggest that autos are pretty much standard fare over there. Any one know of any of the larger companies (Avis/Hertz/Budget etc.) that hire manuals, or am I pissing into the wind?

Thanks,

Brian.

 

[Mark]

There's someone in California, I'd like you thump for me please, while you're there.

 

[David Morton]

Mark,
Are we talking about the same ----er. I can still get cheap flights so I could go over and snap his typing fingers. Actually there is more than one.
Dave.

 

[Jeff Young]

Uh, this thread is not about Jim. Give it a rest.

Brian, no, unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to find a manual tansmission here at a rental agency in the US. In fact, it is impossible. They just don't do it anymore.

You may be able to get a flappy paddle 911 or something, but that won't be cheap.

Your only choice would be the very high end exotic car rental agencies that rent Lambos/Ferraris/Audi R8s, but even those are almost all automated manuals now.

Sorry man.

 

[Keith]

Well, colour me curious, but I could not imagine anyone wanting to drive a stick in the USA or anywhere else for that matter (unless competing of course). Since I took the plunge in road cars some years ago, I must have saved thousands in suspension, gearbox and engine repairs/wear & tear.

But I suppose I'm just jealous really..... :shifty:

 

[Bob Fechter]

There are some smaller car rental establishments in Los Angeles you may wish to inquire with, such as "Rent A Wreck." Seriously, they are a company, and started out by renting good used cars. Don't know what they do now though.

p.s. Keith, I converted my Bronco to a stick and love it. Now, I'm the only one in the family who can drive it. :~)

 

[Keith]

That's because you like control :evil: .. I do think Euro auto boxes are less 'slushy' than the US variety so I do understand, however, many Euro boxes in performance cars just work as clutchless manuals.

Rent a Wreck was a brilliant idea - glad to see it's still going..

 

Thanks guys - thought that might be the case. Had a look on Rent a Wreck's website and they may be a possibility, but their cars appear to be more run-of-the-mill.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Brian, best thing to do is just shrug and drive an automatic. Drive it to Annapolis and I'll lend you something with a manual gearbox.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

If you are driving South fron NYC, we are not too far off the beaten path. Come by and I will take you out to dinner.

 

Brian, best thing to do is just shrug and drive an automatic. Drive it to Annapolis and I'll lend you something with a manual gearbox.

Ha - very, very tempting Jim, but we are flying from NY to New Orleans. Not picking up a car until Phoenix.

 

[Jac Mac]

Brian , have you looked into buying something in AZ & then shipping it home when you arrive in LA, anything in the ~1965 thru 1975 era should be saleable here in NZ, stuff from AZ is usually fairly rust free, risks would be reliability for your trip around the south west area & theft with that sort of car in any area, plenty of shippers around to handle LA to Dunedin.

 

[Randy V]

Be very careful in buying cars from the southwest... I can't tell you how many people have bought cars in TX, AZ, NM, NV only to eventually find out that they spent the first twenty years of their lives rotting away in New York, Minnesota or some other place up here in the rust-belt..
It's a common practice these days to see transport trailers headed south with our rusty crap from up here. How do I know this? One of my best buddies was in one of these rings where they gave cars their southern pedegrees. Ship from MN to TX where it was re-registered, cleaned up a bit and then moved to NM or AZ where it was re-titled again. Nothing illegal about the activity at all.. Just deceptive.
One sure way to tell a south western car is to look at the paint and the interior. If the paint is faded and / or sandblasted and the dashboard cover looks like a Taco that's been burnt and peeling up on both ends AND the exhaust system looks like new - you're probably looking at a southwestern car...

 

Great idea Jac. However, time is short for this trip as it is and I can't see Carmen being very keen on spending some of it trawling around car yards in Phoenix...

 

[Mark]

I'd rather go car hunting than to the opera mate! You Kiwi's going soft all of a sudden