8 Places To Rent a Manual Car Near Me – Learn Stick Shift First

Owning a new car or used car isn’t cheap. As of 2021, Americans paid over $40,000 for a new light vehicle. Then factor in insurance and maintenance costs like wheel alignment or oil changes, and you’ll see why the car rental industry is booming. Rental cars have gotten expensive because companies like Hertz tried flipping cars for a profit during the pandemic, and now there’s a shortage of available cars due to an imbalance.

Rental cars are a blessing to frugal consumers who have given up the cost of car ownership. They provide an excellent opportunity to enjoy the convenience of a new, well-maintained vehicle on a pay-as-you-need basis without shelling out thousands of dollars to own and maintain.

However, manual transmission cars are hard to find. So you have to search harder to find a place where you can rent a manual car. According to CNBC, only 13% of new car models sold in the United States come with a manual transmission. The main reason is that only 18% of Americans know how to drive a manual transmission car.

That’s not good news for manual transmission drivers. They say, “You aren’t driving a car unless you are in a stick shift!”

Lee También¿Están permitidos los caninos? ¿Se admiten perros de la ESA?

That’s why many Americans still ask: Where can I rent a manual car?

Short Answer: Despite the sharp decline in the popularity of manual transmission cars in the United States, a few car rental companies still carry them. Top manual transmission car rentals near me include Alamo Rent A Car, Budget Car Rental, Thrifty Car Rental, Payless Car Rental, and Rent-A-Wreck.

There are also peer-to-peer and rideshare companies like Turo, Getaround, and HyreCar. Individual car owners list all sorts of manual transmission cars for available booking.

However, you may still find it difficult to find a stick shift car rental in your area. Most companies avoid manual transmission car rental because they can easily get damaged and become a liability when rented out by unseasoned stick shift drivers. Instead, they prefer to keep a fleet of automatic transmission vehicles that anyone can drive. 

That said, you should only consider manual transmission car rental if you are confident in your ability to drive a stick shift car. It’s because if something happens and the drive-train gets damaged, you’ll be liable for it.

Some companies may even ask you to demonstrate your ability to drive a stick car before renting and signing the documents declaring yourself an experienced stick shift driver. So if you want to rent a manual car to learn, make sure you let the company know.  

Lee TambiénHow To Sell Stocks On Webull? (and Buy) Penny, OTC & Partial Shares

Recommend Read: How to Become a Pilot Car Driver.

Where to Rent a Manual Car?

Peer-to-peer rental companies like Turo are great places to rent a manual car. They typically have lower rates than traditional car rental companies, and you’ll find all sorts of manual transmission cars up for grabs on the site.

You can also opt to rent a manual car from a traditional car rental company. The most popular rental car company to rent stick shift is Alamo Rent a Car. They list various manual cars on their site for booking, from sports cars to luxury models.

Manual transmission car rental costs vary by location and the type of car you want. You may also be charged fees for additional drivers or renters under 25. In some states, like Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, Missouri, and California, spouses are included as drivers at no extra cost.

Here’s a list of 8 places that offer manual transmission car rental near me.

1. Alamo Rent A Car

Alamo Rent A Car is the largest car rental agency that caters to budget-conscious leisure travelers visiting North America. The company has around 250 locations, most of which are in Florida, California, and New York. It also has 24-hour stores that allow car rentals at airports and elsewhere.

Lee También40+ Gift Cards Sold at Sheetz (and NOT Sold) Online

They offer various manual car transmission rentals, including sports cars, exotic cars, performance cars, and luxury cars.

Age Requirements: The minimum age requirement to rent a manual car at Alamo Rent a Car is 25 years. Younger drivers aged 21-24 years may also rent a manual transmission car at an additional charge. However, some vehicle classes aren’t available to younger drivers.

What are the Alamo Additional Drive Requirements and Fees?

There’s an extra fee of about $12 per day for additional drivers who must meet the exact age requirements as primary drivers.

Does Alamo Have Promo Codes and Deals for Rental Cars?

Alamo offers different car rental deals to help customers save money, including Plan Ahead Specials, Last Minute Specials, Free Rental Car Upgrade, and partner deals like  Government & Military Official and Leisure travel discounts. Visit the website to browse available Alamo deals.

Lee También¿Es TJ Maxx barato para los mayores? Edad, ubicación, día, opositores

Find a nearby Alamo to rent a manual transmission car.

2. Budget Car Rental

Budget Car Rental has over 1,400 locations and is an excellent place to rent sports manual cars. It typically rents manual sports cars, but you can also find other vehicle types depending on the location you visit.

Age Requirement: Though the minimum age is 21, you’re better off renting when you’re 25 or older. It’s because customers between 21-24 years are subject to a daily surcharge of $27, which may also vary by state. You must also present a valid driver’s license and a credit card. Debit cards without a PIN, money on your Reliacard, PayPal, Venmo, personal check, activated Amex gift cards, nor cash is accepted when renting. Some states may also allow a minimum age of 18, probably at an additional surcharge.

What are the Budget Additional Drive Requirements and Fee?

Additional drivers must be 25 years and above. Fees may vary by state, but it’s usually $13 per day or up to $65 for the entire rental period. Some states may not charge additional driver fees.

Does Budget Have Coupon Codes for Rental Cars?

Lee También10+ Places That Offer Free Appliance Removal Near Me (Fridge, Washing Machine…More)

Budget Car Rental offers promo codes and deals for car rentals on its website. They list budget car rental coupons for both weekly and local car rental deals, upgrades, and more. Customers can save between 5% to 35%.  They also partner with retailers like Amazon that sell gift cards. Visit its website to get an Alamo car rental coupon code. 

Find a nearby Budget to rent a manual transmission car. 

3. Getaround

Getaround prides itself as the largest connected carsharing marketplace. You can find, book, and unlock a car using your iOS or Android device, no matter where you are. They have operations in about 22 states, including California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, and Illinois. Cars on Getaround have a standard daily mileage limit of 200 miles, after which additional mileage fees apply to the driver. Given the mileage limit, you don’t want to use the vehicle for jobs like getting paid to advertise on your car while driving, using it as a Curb taxi, or messy side jobs with a pickup truck,

Getaround is also a good way to start a carsharing business. Simply list your car and get paid anytime someone books your vehicle. Per their manual transmission vehicles policy, they expect your clutch to last 20,000 miles for high-performance vehicles, 60,000 miles for regular vehicles, and 40,000 miles for performance vehicles.

Age Requirements: The minimum age is 19 years, but drivers under 21 must have a clean driving record with no violations or accidents in the last three years. Again, guests under 25 face an additional guest insurance fee of 5%-75% of the trip price.

What are the Getaround Additional Drive Requirements and Fees?

Lee También18 formas fáciles de comprar carne más barata (cerca de mí)

Except in the UK, the primary driver can add secondary drivers through the Getaround mobile app. Secondary drivers are subject to the same requirements as the main driver.

Find a nearby Getaround to rent a manual transmission car. 

4. HyreCar

HyreCar is a good service to rent a manual transmission car in all 50 states. It’s a carsharing marketplace for ridesharing that brings together car owners, businesses, and drivers. Mainly, the platform is aimed at Uber and Lyft drivers.

You can also share your car on the marketplace and get paid anytime your car is booked. Requirements vary by state, but your vehicle must be 10-15 years old or newer and must be a four-door car, truck, or minivan. 

Age Requirements: The minimum age is 21 years and above.

Find a nearby HyreCar to rent a manual transmission car. 

See our related article about hotels that allow 21 and under.

5. Thrifty Car Rental

Thrifty Car Rental has 472 locations in the United States and Canada, making it a great place to rent a stick shift car. The type of manual cars you can rent at the company vary by location, but you’ll mostly find luxury sports cars in most cities.

Age Requirement: Drivers must be at least 21 years, but customers in the 21-24 age groups are subject to an underage fee that varies by location.

What are the Thrifty Additional Drive Requirements and Fee?

Additional drivers are also accepted at an additional fee, which varies by location. In addition, secondary drivers must meet the minimum age requirement, and those in the 21-24 age group will also face an under-age fee.

Does Thrifty Have Deal Codes for Rental Cars?

Thrifty offers deal codes to help customers save on car rental costs. They offer exclusive AAA Rental Car Discounts, weekend and weekly deals, corporate partner deals, and rental car association deals. Customers can save 10%-15% off the base rate. Also, visit its website to browse available Thirty deals.

Find a nearby Thrifty to rent a manual transmission car. 

6. Payless Car Rental

Payless Car Rental Company has about 167 locations in the United States, Europe, Canada, and South America. The availability of manual cars varies by location, but mostly, you’ll be able to rent luxury or sports cars.

Age Requirements: Drivers must be 21 years and above. However, customers in the 21-24 age group face an additional surcharge of $25 per day.

What are the Payless Additional Drive Requirements and Fee?

Additional drivers are accepted at an extra fee of $13 per day. In addition, they must meet the minimum age requirement and have a credit card in their own name. Car rental companies require a credit card, unlike hotels that you book without credit cards.

Does Payless Have Deal Discounts for Rental Cars?

Payless offers discounts for AARP members, America Travel Motor Club, Fuel Rewards members, Hilton, Hyatt, Sears associates, Southwest Rapid Rewards, Spirit Airlines, and more.

Find a nearby Payless to rent a manual transmission car. 

7. Rent-A-Wreck

As the name goes, Rent-A-Wreck is a car rental company that rents cars previously owned by individuals or other rental companies. Thus, it’s a great place to rent a cheap second-hand car. 

The company is known for accommodating younger. Rent-A-Wreck has about 54 locations in 22 states.

Age Requirements: The eligible minimum age varies by location. Some locations welcome drivers as young as 18, while others have a minimum age requirement of 25 years. Drivers under 25 may be required to rent with a credit card or an unexpired debit card. Also, younger drivers may be subject to a per-day surcharge of $150-$250, which varies by location.

What are the Rent-A-Wreck Additional Drive Requirements and Fee?

Additional drivers are welcome at an extra fee as long as they meet the minimum age requirements. Fees vary by location.

Does Rent-a-Wreck Have Deal Discounts and Coupons for Rental Cars?

Yes, Rent-A-Wreck offers discounts & coupons to customers. To get exclusive specials and discounts from Rent-A-Wreck, join the Rent-A-Wreck email deals club.

Find a nearby Rent-A-Wreck to rent a manual transmission car. 

8. Turo

Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental company where individual owners list their own cars for people to rent. Depending on where you live, you can find all types of manual cars on Turo, including regular cars to luxury or sports cars. And the good thing is, you’re more likely to rent a stick shift car at a lower price on Turo than other traditional companies.

Its pickup and return hours are dependent upon each owner.

Age Requirements: You must be 18 to rent a car on Turo and 21 or older to rent a car whose value is above $20k. 18-20-year-old drivers are subject to a young driver fee of $50 per day, while drivers in the 21-25 age group face a young driver fee of $30 per day. Only drivers over 25 can rent Deluxe Class. Super Deluxe Class or specialty vehicles are only available to drivers 30 or older. 

How Much Does Turo Additional Drive Cost? 

Guests can add up to eight additional drivers at no extra charge. However, additional drivers must pass a Turo verification process before being added as secondary drivers.

Does Turo Have Promo Codes for Rental Cars?

Unfortunately, Turo doesn’t offer discounts or promo codes to first-time users. In addition, coupons and promo codes found on third-party websites are also invalid.

Find a nearby Turo to rent a manual transmission car. 

Recommended Read: Get Paid to Deliver Cars.

Places That Don’t Rent a Manual Car

Most car rental companies avoid manual cars due to the risk of damage, especially when inexperienced stick shift drivers book them. Instead, they opt to keep a fleet of automatic transmission vehicles that anyone can drive. It helps knowing places that don’t rent manual cars so that you won’t waste time.

Here’s a list of car rental companies that don’t offer rent manual transmission cars:

• Avail Car Sharing
• Avis Rent A Car
• Budget Car Rental
• Dollar Rent A Car
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Fox Rent A Car
• Hertz Rent A Car
• National Car Rental
• Sixt Rent A Car
• Zipcar

Can You Rent A Manual Car To Learn?

You’ll struggle to find any car rental companies that will rent you a manual car to learn. Most companies will require you to demonstrate that you can drive a manual transmission car or sign documents declaring yourself an experienced stick shift car driver before renting it out.

If you want to rent a manual car to learn, ask a friend. At least, individuals from your inner circle may allow you to trash their vehicle’s clutch a bit in the learning process. But companies are in business to make money, and any damages hit their profit margins. So if you lie about your ability to drive a manual car and something goes wrong, you’ll be liable for the damage.

Recommended Read: Places To Sell Used Car Batteries For Cash.

Do You Need To Clean a Rental Car Before Returning it?

You don’t need to wash a rental car, but you cannot return it dirty. If your kids are throwing cheerios around the backseat or your service dog is shedding hair in the vehicle, I’d suggest getting an auto carpet extractor or searching for gas stations with vacuums nearby, so you don’t get assessed a fee.

Carsharing companies, like Turo, also expect guests to return a car without excessive dirt, crumbs, or sand. They suggest you wipe any spills or spots during your usage.

Can You Rent a Car With an Expired License?

No, you can’t rent a car with an expired license. Drivers with expired or suspended licenses cannot use the car. The signed rental agreement will be invalid from the beginning if you don’t have an active drivers license.

You cannot rent a car with an expired license during COVID unless your state offers a formal extension. Nor can you rent a car with a permit because car rental companies need a valid licensed driver to sign the agreement.

You only options to rent a car on an expired driver’s license include:

• Someone else drives – Have a friend or family member drive the car for you
• Change rental date – Select a date either before your license expires or a later date after you’ve renewed it
• Cancel your rental reservation – Check your rental policy terms. Some policies allow same-day cancellation while others require at least 48 hours. Also, rental cancellation policies can vary on whether you booked directly or through a third-party travel site like Southwest Airlines travel deals.

Places To Rent a Manual Car Summary

Renting a car is a great way to enjoy a new vehicle without the cost of owning it. You may want a stick shift on a business trip, visit your folks on the weekend, or just want to appear in a brand new luxury or sports car at a conference or a friend’s party.

Due to the dominance of automatic transmission vehicles, you won’t find many manual car rentals nearby. Luckily, a few peer-to-peer sites, ridesharing companies, and even traditional companies still offer stick shift transmission car rentals to die-hard drivers.

Renting a car saves you money on maintenance, including replacing the cabin filter, searching for free air for tires, powder coating your wheels after several years of damage, or replacing buying a new deep cycle battery every couple of years, especially if you use it to charge your phone or other devices regularly.

Don’t return a dirty car, so you aren’t assessed a cleaning fee. Even if you aren’t returning to a place with a 24-hour car rental, they’ll charge you a cleaning fee the next day. In many cases, it’s more flexible than the Walmart return policy.

Finally, you can rent a car without insurance because the cars are already insured. Though, you will be responsible for any damage to the vehicle if you don’t buy any additional car rental insurance.