Manual or automatic?

I didn’t learn to drive until I was in my 50s. I gave up twice because I found it too challenging so I tried for the third time in an automatic and passed my test first time. DH always had a manual car for work but when he retired we decided to just have one car and we bought a new one. I said I was happy to let him do all the driving if he preferred a manual car but we had spent a lot of time in the USA and Canada for holidays and most cars over there are automatic which he enjoyed driving so we have had three automatic cars since he retired 14 years ago. We had a new car last year and since I don't enjoy driving these days I asked him if he wanted to go back to a manual car but he said he wouldn’t ever go back to a manual car.

Spangler I was taught by my husband to double declutch. Long time ago though. Used it too.

Vickysponge Mon 02-Nov-20 19:53:34
I love the old vintage cars- so beautiful. Our car is automatic. Very easy to drive

That depends how you define old. My vintage MG doesn't have synchromesh gears, so to avoid the gears crunching you need to know how to double declutch.

Automatic cars of twenty years or more ago were much more fuel thirsty than manual but with the advent of the computerised gearbox today's automatics are actually more fuel economic.

Whether you your daughter goes for manual or automatic is academic because the future is electric cars. Most electric cars are automatic, and likely will be in the future. This is because an electric car doesn’t require a clutch due to its inability to stall like a petrol or diesel vehicle. Therefore, adding a clutch and various gears might not make much sense. However, some companies have been trying to produce electric vehicles that do still have a five- or six-speed gearbox, to maintain some form of normality for UK drivers who are used to manual vehicles.

When you drive a manual vehicle and you come to a complete stop, you must use both the clutch pedal and the brakes to prevent stalling the engine. However, as stated above, electric engines cannot stall in the same way, which is just another reason why the clutch isn’t needed.

Not only are electric cars missing a clutch and various gears, but the braking system is different too. Regenerative brakes are used, which convert the heat produced from your vehicle’s brakes back into energy for the vehicle’s battery to use.

I’ve had both manual and automatic cars, and can switch without thinking.
However, if anyone really needs to learn in a hurry and gain confidence quickly, then I’d go for the automatic - it’s a good deal easier to learn.
Of course it means you’d have to take another test for manual, but maybe that would never be necessary.

I am pretty dyspraxic and struggled learning to drive. I transferred to automatic and took my test in an automatic and passed first time. I drove an automatic for a year or so to gain confidence and then had a few lessons in a manual and took a further test in the manual and passed.

I always had company cars which were manual and enjoyed driving them. Now, however, I have gone back to automatic. Less strain on the wrist.

We went over to automatic late last year and haven’t regretted it. If it was me, though, I would take lessons and a test in a manual car and then all options are open to you. Automatics are easy to get used to.

Learnt in a manual, but I wouldn’t want to give up my automatic, the last time I drove a manual I crunched and leapfrogged down the driveway, horrid.

I drive both. If I was learning again but was not confident, I would opt for an automatic as it takes away the stress of learning gear changes.

Took my test on a manual (a long while ago) and have driven one for years. DH got an automatic and when I drove it couldn’t believe how much easier it was. So I have donated my manual to middle GD who is learning to drive and have bought a Jazz automatic. Really lovely, wish I had done it earlier.

I love the old vintage cars- so beautiful. Our car is automatic. Very easy to drive?

Crossed posts J52

I used to love driving and that meant having a manual. However in recent years We’ve had all automatics, it was the only option if we wanted a hybrid. Now I wouldn’t go back to a manual from choice. They are great in heavy traffic and round town.
I think in the not too distant future cars will be electric and automatic. It is useful to be able to drive a manual as you never know when you might need it.
That said I was taught to double de clutch “in case I needed it” but I’ve never used the knowledge.

I enjoy driving, so it has to be a manual, as others have said, test in Manuel then license is for both.

I drive a manual car and enjoy the driving experience. I remember the days on my elderly first cars where you had to double declutch!
However, DH is looking to change his car and most of the models he’s looking at are now automatic, especially if they are Hybrid.
The way forward seems to be electric, which of course have no gears or clutch.

I learnt to drive in a manuel aged 50 and at 82 mine is still manuel. When visiting Australia and having hired a car was terrified to discover it was an automatic. It was in fact very easy to drive but not for me because just steering is not driving and so boring.

I think that cars in the future are less likely to be manual.

DD2 gave up driving lessons on manuals but then needed to drive for a new job. She passed her test in an automatic and has never looked back.

I passed my driving test first time but lost confidence almost straight away. We’ve always lived in places with good bus services but don’t need them now OH has retired. Obviously Covid would make public transport more difficult.

I would say automatic nowadays. Years ago there was not many automatics but now many car manufacturers do automatics. If you want to just use the car for personal use and not into hiring cars which would have to be automatic that’s fine. If you think that you may be looking at being able to drive for example work vehicles it probably is best to be able to drive both. One think to bear in mind is if you suffer from back problems then I would go for automatics as they are easier on the knees and back in my opinion.

Once you've got the hang of it, manual's are so much more fun. I think the hardest part of driving is learning all the stuff outside the car. Road awareness, signs etc.. Making a car physically move doesn't take much learning.

Thank you all for your comments. I think she would find it easier now in an automatic and I am thinking about paying for a "crash course" (excuse the unfortunate pun!) in order to help her. It would really be useful for her to be able to drive now but money is a bit tight with two children and I would love her to find her freedom, as I did when I was in my early thirties. I think automatic is the way for her to go.

You reduce your options if you take the test in an automatic but does that matter?
I love my automatic.
Cars will be driving themselves soon then automatics will seem very old fashioned?

I live in the mountains, so would never have an automatic. Especially on steep roads with hairpin bends- I have to be in full control of the car. Although OH has an automatic where he can over-ride and get into lower gear.

I would always advise having lessons and the test in manual car- and then change to auto at later stage. Although stats indicate that many accidents with older driver are related to confusion about pedals.

I would have an automatic. My reasoning is Why have three pedals when two do the same job!

But, I would learn to drive in a manual for the test.

My son came to driving late being in his 40s he couldn’t get the hang of gears no matter how hard he tried. A friend took him for a lesson in his automatic and he said it was a revelation, he passed his test in an auto a month later and never looked back. It is better to pass the test in a geared car in case you need to drive one in an emergency but if your daughter feels comfortable learning in an auto there’s nothing wrong with that.
I prefer a manual myself but I think my next car will be an auto.

I learned to drive on an automatic many moons ago, but passed my test on a manual and drove one for many years. I have now gone back to an automatic, and I don’t regret it one bit. Brilliant in slow moving traffic. With all the things you have to think about in traffic, one less is good.