Changing from a Manual car to an Automatic after driving manual for around 50 yrs

I was 'forced' into it when the courtesy car I booked turned out to be automatic. 'I can't!' I cried to the girl on the desk dangling the keys. 'It's easy,' she said, 'I'll show you.' As I sat in the drivers seat, full of trepidation and knowing I was at least ten miles from home, ' she said 'Just forget you have a left foot.'

Off I went, scaredy cat, and after a mile I was converted. So easy to drive, coasting along, no worries, I was sorry to reach home and was already looking forward to the return journey.

Go for it. I definitely would if only him indoors would agree.

Rosie51

I found myself constantly going to put it in first gear when pulling away for a couple of weeks, after that I'd adjusted. From hating the concept I now love my automatic.

Ha that was me too😂

I’ll never go back to driving a car with gears, easily the best thing I ever did was switch to automatic.
My neighbour said she likes to drive a proper car- one with gears 😂
Maybe a bit of jealousy going on.

I’ve driven all manner of manual gearbox vehicles including HGV, PSV, RRV for over 50 years……resorted to an automatic when my mobility started to decline and I had concerns that I might not be able to execute an emergency stop…..wasn’t going to take any chances.

I liked my manual sports car - holding it in gear etc to get the best performance, but DH was already driving an automatic, so really I was driving both, but the auto was so much easier in heavy traffic. When I changed my car, I opted for automatic, although it also had ‘flappy paddles’ which I never used. Interestingly the sports car had the handbrake down the right hand side - soon got used to that.

DH changed his car for an automatic last year.

I have driven it a few times, but not really keen, mainly because it is a bigger vehicle, and if it were up to me, I would now be happy to drive a very simple, small one.

I very rarely drove his previous car either though, and it was a manual.

We have another one which is ‘my’ car. It’s manual.

When I first started driving automatic cars I kept pressing the brake with my left foot (to change gear which wasn't there) and came to several emergency stops! I rectified this by tucking my left (clutch) foot under the seat and never made the mistake again.

I’ve driven a manual for 50 years but had my first experience of automatic when I borrowed my daughter’s camper van a few years ago. I was surprised how easily I took to it. Also, if I spend a few days at my son’s I often drive their automatic. In the unlikely event I change cars I’d happily have an automatic.

My daughter has rheumatoid arthritis and due to shoulder pain finds an automatic much more comfortable as she was finding the gear changes painful on her left shoulder and elbow.

Glad you are now open to the idea, OP.
I changed to an automatic two years ago and I love it. I was very scared to start with and drove round an almost empty car park before I dared tackle the journey home, but it didn’t take long to get used to it.
I have a hybrid, no plugging in, and petrol last ages.

Quite honestly if you’re buying new or late reg, I think you’d struggle to find a car with a manual gearbox.

We had an automatic back in the late seventies but when we changed it, DH went back to manual because he said he said he got better performance out of a manual car. We didn’t switch back to automatic until we got our first hybrid. Neither of us had any difficulty adjusting to automatic and I wouldn’t go back to a manual car now. One thing less to think about and easier on the legs on long journeys.

Interesting replies thankyou all

I was adamant not to go automatic so only looked at manual earlier today.

But think I will pop back with an open mind on my second visit.

Yes going to a pretty local well know dealer in my area who I trust.

Thanks again every one for your input. happy driving

I resisted for a long time preferring manual for 40+yrs but living as i did then in an extremely busy part of London I was sick of sitting in heavy traffic changing up and down gears so I then bought an automatic Corsa as I'd driven both for work I had no problem but now I wish I'd done earlier and would never go back now.

Oh, and the mileage per gallon was good.

Looking at small automatics for £25k you can get a new VW Polo Auto - it's a DSG gearbox, gears change electronically.

Or for the same cost Toyota Yaris hybrid more economical cheaper to tax, very good reliability I would have the Yaris

Plenty of cheaper small cars new and S/H, choose one with a good dealer locally.

David49

Small cars aren't really suited to automatic, my wife had a Kia
Picanto automatic and MPG was awful, so many are self changing manuals or hybrid.
Hybrids are a very good choice because they are cheap to tax and very economical

I suppose it depends what you mean by small? I drove a corsa automatic for many years without a problem, and I’d consider that a small car.

OK, some years ago now, but I never had any trouble going from my manual car abroad, to the automatic dh would hire when we were back in the U.K. for a month or so every year. I had never driven an automatic until the first time this was a necessary.
I now have a manual and am fine with driving dh’s automatic now and then.
I’m sure you will find it easy, but a test drive (preferably on quiet roads!) will help to reassure you.

We have a larger automatic and a very small automatic. I thought I would hate it but really love it. Really easy to adapt to it.

Ours is a Fiesta, so a small car. We changed sine years ago and wouldn’t go back to manual even if someone paid us. The joy of no more hill starts alone is worth it.

We’ve been driving a manual cars for over 50 years too. We went to buy our fourth Mazda and were told it only comes in automatic, we both looked at one another in horror we hadn’t realised .
We went home to think about it, our family and friends were telling us how easy it was and how much we’d love it so with a bit of trepidation we went for it.
So here we are two months in, I won’t say it’s been easy because it hasn’t, some of that though is because this car also has more gadgets than the other.
DH put his foot on the brake a couple of times thinking it was the clutch, which could have caused an accident, thankfully it didn’t. I’m still reaching for the gearstick and handbrake occasionally but apart from that we love it and wouldn’t swap back now.

I much prefer an automatic now but it took me a while to stop reaching for thr gear lever.

Small cars aren't really suited to automatic, my wife had a Kia
Picanto automatic and MPG was awful, so many are self changing manuals or hybrid.
Hybrids are a very good choice because they are cheap to tax and very economical

Yes
After being resistant for some time, I did give in and buy an automatic and much prefer it.

I like a manual car, but then I like the ‘real’ driving feel.
However, if I had to get an electric car in the future, I’d book myself into some automatic lessons.

I found myself constantly going to put it in first gear when pulling away for a couple of weeks, after that I'd adjusted. From hating the concept I now love my automatic.