Manual vs Automatic Cars in Europe: The Costly Mistake Travellers Make

So, you’re looking at car rentals for your European summer trip, and you see two prices. One is €25 a day, and the other is €60. The only difference? One has a stick shift. 

On paper, it looks like an easy way to save $400 on your trip, but before you click “book“, you should understand the difference between renting an automatic vs a manual car, because the latter could be a total nightmare.

Price difference between manual and automatic car rental

First off, why is there such a gap in price?

In the US, Canada, or Australia, manuals are rare. In Europe, they are the standard. Because they are cheaper to buy and maintain, local rental fleets are packed with them. Automatics, on the other hand, are treated as a “premium” add-on.

If you rent a car in Portugal, Ireland, or Greece, choosing an automatic can double your rental price. We’re talking a 40% to 100% markup! 

If you’re on a budget, that manual looks tempting. But here’s the thing: most “Economy” cars in Europe are strictly manual. To even get an automatic, you often have to upgrade to a larger, more expensive SUV, which means you’ll also be paying way more for gas.

The risks of driving a manual vs an automatic car

Now, let’s talk about the risk. If you haven’t driven a manual in five years, the Amalfi Coast or the narrow streets of Lisbon are not the places to relearn.

European roads are narrow, steep, and often paved with slippery cobblestones, like in Rome or Tuscany.

Europe is famous for its roundabouts, and you don’t really want to stall in the middle of a busy one; the stress would be immense.

Honestly, if you aren’t 100% confident with a manual car, navigating a foreign city with foreign signs and changing gears is a recipe for disaster. And don’t get me started on hill-starts in a tiny medieval village with cobblestone streets.

The $2,000 “Hidden” cost of a manual car

Here is the biggest “hidden” risk: The Burnt Clutch.

In most rental contracts—even if you have Full Coverage Insurance—mechanical negligence is not covered. Besides, insurance is getting more and more expensive; luckily, I have some good news for you later in this guide.

If you rent a car in Portugal to drive around the beautiful hills in Madeira, or if you visit Crete, or you have a road trip through the amazing mountains and lakes around Milan, and you burn the clutch out, the agency may claim “gross negligence”, and the Full Coverage doesn’t cover that.

For your information, the repair bills range from €500 to €2,500 for a clutch replacement. The rental company will argue that you didn’t know how to drive the car properly, and because it’s a mechanical failure rather than a “collision,” your standard CDW insurance won’t help you. 

While I’ve been lucky enough to avoid this, I’ve heard horror stories from a few travellers who were caught in the ‘Burnt Clutch Scam‘ run by shady providers who charge for a full transmission repair that was actually due to years of wear and tear.

My biggest tip here, rent an automatic if you are not used to a manual and you plan to drive through hills and mountains. Hill-starts are painful, not great places to learn new skills with a car that you are not used to, as well.

How to save with automatic cars

I previously mentioned that the price difference between manual and automatic can be quite substantial. However, if you book well in advance, you can still find some amazing prices, and I mean here 3 to 6 months in advance.

Consider also that most booking platforms allow free cancellation, like my favourite comparison website called DiscoverCars, up to 48 hours before pickup.

And I love DiscoverCars because every provider is ranked between 5 and 10 stars based on real customer feedback, real people who actually booked the car there. It’s basically the Airbnb of car rentals.

I usually filter above 8 stars to shortlist only the most trusted operators, companies that are less likely to pull the “burnt clutch scam” on you compared to the shady, low-rated operators that rent old cars.

Finally, I filter based on the “Transmission” to be Automatic, as easy as that, and I book from there.

Personally, I also make sure to add full insurance for just 8-9 Euros a day just for my total peace of mind.

The British and Irish challenge

And now an important tip here.

If you’re heading to the UK or Ireland, the challenge doubles. Not only are you driving on the left, but the gear stick is now on your left-hand side.

It can already be a challenge even if you are used to manual gear, let alone if you have driven mostly automatic cars.

Honestly, for your first trip to the UK, I almost always recommend paying the so-called “Automatic Tax” just to keep your sanity.

Imagine driving on the other side of the road, approaching a roundabout with traffic moving in the opposite direction, changing gears with your left hand, looking to your right side traffic to enter safely in the roundabout…..I know, very confusing.

Key takeaway

So, should you risk it?

If you drive a manual daily at home and you’re staying in Europe, then take the manual and spend the savings on a great dinner. 

But if you’re rusty, if you’re heading to the UK, or if you’re doing a lot of city driving in places like Rome, then I usually suggest paying for the automatic.

The peace of mind is worth every cent.