MAN car pickup: best day/time for US driver?

if you are heading west you will have the sun in your eyes in the afternoon

By the way, we normally refer to an airport by its name here, not an acronym. If you go up to somebody in the street and ask for directions to MAN, you will likely get an answer like, "Which man? What does he look like?"

Thank you.

Other travel forum I participate in use the IATA three letter designator for airports, and spell out cities. I didn't know that was not there convention here.

I would not, of course, ask someone in the streets about MAN -- would anyone do that? -- but would say "Manchester Airport." Duly noted.

for the avoidance of confusion, I was not speaking about the Forum, but here in England.

Central Manchester is congested and seems to be in a constant state of rebuilding. Try to pick up your vehicle somewhere outside the core. You certainly don't need, or even want it in the centre. You will be lucky if you have enough time to visit the huge technology museum, gearhead heaven in a birthplace city for the industrial revolution. Manchester is also a prime environment for South Asian food, from cheap currey to upscale tablecloth banquets.