How can I rent a minivan with automatic transmission in Germany?

Question

most have manual transmissions. The automatics are $300 per day.

Answer 1

renting will not be a problem but with automatic transmission can be. Germans prefer 'stic' / manual cars.

But still try

Sixt, Avis, Hertz

I recommend Avis.....

Answer 2

It will be difficult and exspensive. Besides your daily rental costs, fuel will cost you$$$$ A liter of gas is about 1.27 Euro.

For a better deal you can try going thru AAA, or the one rental car company I have been lucky with 'Automatic wise' has been EuropaCar. Also maybe a travel agency could give you info?  

I went thru this same situation when my Brother and his family came over for a visit. Lucky for me, he Wanted to drive a stick shift!

Every time I go to rent an Automatic I hear that same thing about Germans driving 'manual'. OK, part of it has to do with fuel economy and Global Warming, but since Customer Satisfaction is a joke in Germany the rental car companies do whatever they want. If you do end up renting a station wagon MAKE SURE that is what you get. Most German Rental Car firms consider a station wagon and a 4 door sedan the same class of car! AND what ever you do; DO NOT RENT FROM AVIS. They are exspensive and no matter what form of reservation(Preferred or other) you have you get whatever they want to give you.

Where will you be traveling? Parking in Europe is not easy and not designed for large cars.

All I can say is good luck!

Answer 3

An automatic is always more expensive to rent in Germany-- the majority of the cars there are manual/stick-shifts.  Add to that that most of Europe tends to perfer smaller cars, and you're going to have an expensive rental.

I have heard many people recommend going through this rental agency, called Gemütlichkeit:  http://gemut.com/

Answer 4

Can't confirm your findings.Just checked Hertz at Frankfurt Airport, they want 58.48 € for a Mercedes A-class or 86.17 € for a Mercedes E-class car (ok, its not a van, looks like they don't have any there)

per day, both with automatic transmission.Thats more or less the same as for other cars too.

Avis offers an Opel (thats GM) Astra with automatic transmission for 87 €, but wants 180 € for a van (with manual transmission)

Looks like its not the automatic transmission that makes them expensive but being a van does.Maybe you could settle for a smaller car?I think 86 € for a Mercedes E-class sounds reasonable...

If you want to check for yourself :

http://www.avis.de/avisonline/de/avis.ns...

https://www.hertz-europe.com/index.cfm?p...

(second link is in english)

Answer 5

I always rent from autoeurope.com....

http://www.autoeurope.com/carsplash.cfm

you can rent a GPS and cell-phone too!

Answer 6

Have you called Hertz, Avis? Oh, the cost.

Well, Europeans love manual, so they charge more for automatic.

Not much you can do. Sorry.