Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Learning to drive, driving, and using public transport

Moderator: Moderator Team

Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Manual Car
22
55%
Automatic Car
18
45%
 
Total votes: 40

And27
Getting settled in
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:04 am
Location: North West

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by And27 »

I have been learning to drive in a manual car for just over 12 months and I've decided it's time to give automatic a go. I really can't get my head around the clutch pedal. I can feel the bite point, I can hear the change in the engine but can I keep an even pressure to hold the bite point?! #-o We tried a hill start a few weeks ago on quite a steep incline and trying to get one foot steady on the clutch and the other steady on the gas was impossible. My gear changes are shocking too, even when I remember to take my foot off the gas! :Eek:
It is so frustrating because one week I might do ok then I'll have a few weeks of being rubbish. My instructor was great though and gave me the low down on Automatic instructors in my area. It might cost a bit more for the lessons but I think everyone will be better off if I don't have to deal with the clutch anymore ;)

Can anyone tell me about insurance? Is that more expensive for automatics?

And xx
Ldyalb
Regular Poster
Posts: 69
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 9:47 pm
Location: London

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Ldyalb »

And27 wrote:I have been learning to drive in a manual car for just over 12 months and I've decided it's time to give automatic a go. I really can't get my head around the clutch pedal. I can feel the bite point, I can hear the change in the engine but can I keep an even pressure to hold the bite point?! #-o We tried a hill start a few weeks ago on quite a steep incline and trying to get one foot steady on the clutch and the other steady on the gas was impossible. My gear changes are shocking too, even when I remember to take my foot off the gas! :Eek:
It is so frustrating because one week I might do ok then I'll have a few weeks of being rubbish. My instructor was great though and gave me the low down on Automatic instructors in my area. It might cost a bit more for the lessons but I think everyone will be better off if I don't have to deal with the clutch anymore ;)

Can anyone tell me about insurance? Is that more expensive for automatics?

And xx
The clutch was one of my problems too, I could get the bite but not maintain it. My tutor was really confused by that but I just couldn't help it! I got better with the gears before I quit learning but at the expense of things like steering and keeping my eyes on the road... :whistle: I also couldn't release the handbrake, I needed the instructor to do it for me every time. And yet people still won't listen to me when I explain I simply CAN'T drive... (I also spectacularly forgot how to stop the car one time so had to use an emergency stop. perhaps that was when my instructor gave up).
Dyspraxia - Dx Jan 2010, borderline ASD as well plus strong Dyscalculia overlap.

Fibromyalgia - Dx Jan 2011.
Hypermobility - Dx April 2011
Willis-Ekbom Disease - Dx November 2011

I also have Eczema, Rosacea and Trichitollomania. Oh joy :)
And27
Getting settled in
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:04 am
Location: North West

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by And27 »

I have my first automatic lesson tomorrow. I'm not nervous because I've had so many hours on the road in a manual but I am curious to experience the difference. Wish me luck! Driver
cpr02
Regular Poster
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:46 pm

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by cpr02 »

Good Luck !!! :D :D Driver Driver
Creative
Super poster
Posts: 542
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:46 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Creative »

Good luck. :D
And27
Getting settled in
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:04 am
Location: North West

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by And27 »

Thank you! The lesson was really good except for one thing... while we were driving to the quiet place to practice we went down a rural road. There is a lot of wildlife in this bit of my town and a phesant came from out of the bushes and darted across the road at top speed. It was clipped by the car in front of us and I think it was killed outright, it happened so fast the poor driver couldn't really do anything. It was horrible, I've never seen anything like that happen before and I can't imagine how I would have felt if I had done it. Poor thing.
Remus
Regular Poster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:48 am
Location: Birmingham, UK
Contact:

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Remus »

Glad your lesson went okay. Poor bird, I would hate to see something like that.
Image

Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute G. B. Stern
Alex
Power poster
Posts: 199
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:38 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Alex »

Automatic citren saxo manual to many things to do for me
Shadwell
Moderator
Posts: 932
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:24 am
Location: Bridgend, South Wales

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Shadwell »

well after so many years of driving a manual car 17 years, July this year I ended up having to buy an automatic due to the fact that I had 2 cars die on me. the first was with a snapped clutch plate, or springs. and the 2nd one was the timing chain. but now when I jump into a manual car I forget what the extra pedal is for as such!! as so used to the automatic now. but as with a car of age, then the drivers seat springs have gone/non-exsistant in the first place if you ask me, as the car has only done 26,000 miles in 16 years. so it isn't like from usage!!

it is a great little car, but high on the fuel side of things, as won't change to 2nd gear at all until 20 mph when cold. and 3/4 of a mile before it gets into 4th when cold. it is like come on! I would be thinking of 5th ages ago. but it does do the job, and get me from a-b, and even though I don't like automatics, it allows me to concerntrate less on what gear I am in, not that I did anyway. but more on what I am actually doing, and other road users.

so yes I would say if your having real problems driving, then go for an automatic. but myself personally I miss having the gears, and clutch, as it feels to me more like I am actually driving, rather than basically sitting in the passengers seat!! as there isn't much interation with the car, and feels more like being driven somewhere rather than driving yourself.

but like I said I do have 17 years of driving experience in a manual car. so don't be surprised if you find it hard going. but I can see why they suggest people with Dyspraxia should learn in an automatic. as it is like 10 - 20 times easier.

but for myself, then I can see myself buying another manual car before a year of owning this car. just mainly because of the drivers seat. plus the fuel consumption for short distances.
Shadwell
Moderator
Posts: 932
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:24 am
Location: Bridgend, South Wales

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Shadwell »

Yahoo I can't wait!! well I got to :( but getting a new car in about 2-3 weeks, and it is going to be a manual car. if the garage try flogging me an Automatic I will personally stick it.....hmm better not say here!! but put it nicely I will walk back out of the garage without signing anything.

as I have had enough of throwing money out of the exhaust pipe because of un-ness. gearing for my journeys. like 3rd gear for 60% of my 3 mile drive to my parents place. like in a manual I am in 3rd about 20-25% of the time. and I know my mother is heavy. but not heavy enough to force a car to change down to 2nd gear for a pretty steep hill while maintaining 30, while you can't get away with 4th legally, you certainly don't struggle at doing 30 in 3rd gear.

so while the days aren't numbered for the car, they are for me owning it, as it is only a run around town car, tried doing South Wales to the Isle of Wight, and back, and Bristol Airport and back, and both times had to have another driver with me, as the seat was too uncomfortable to drive 100 miles in.

dunno how to explain it to the cat, as she likes this car, maybe not as much as the previous cars I had this year. but it is time to stop looking at 2nd hand cars, and time to go brand new. maybe won't have such rotten luck with cars then.
Shadwell
Moderator
Posts: 932
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:24 am
Location: Bridgend, South Wales

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Shadwell »

I now got a manual car again, well actually got manual, and Automatic atm, as taking the Automatic to my friends place later.

but picked up the Manual car from the dealership earlier, so been testing it out, it drives really good, and got shed full of features...most of them have been tested, like taken it along the motorway for a spin to test out the cruise control to see if that would cause any problems holding 70 mph. but glad to report even with the cross winds, the uphill into the strong winds, it out performed, and also maintained 70 on the downhill. but cruise control is no good for down hill at less than 50, as tried it in a 30 zone, and the car sped up down the steep hill.

also tried the bluetooth on my phone to the car radio, and able to select tracks on my mobile from the hand controls. so going to look into getting a larger memory card for my phone now instead of using, and having cd's in the car.

only disappointment was citroen decided to put the fuse box in the glove box, so haven't even got enough room in the glove box for a pair of gloves.

climate control works lovely, and cooking quite nicely even in this weather!!

my friends have looked at all storage options, and one friend found a cubby hole to get into the boot from the back seat. so yeah I think we can safely say everything has been tested.


and now my friend wants a bluetooth radio for his car!!
cazzzzy
Getting settled in
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:03 pm

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by cazzzzy »

i drive a manual car...a suzki jimney and love it...i loved driving my works mini bus bigger the better lol :banana:
jordan-
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 1:35 am

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by jordan- »

Surprised to see so many people who've learnt to use a manuel car! Had one lesson using a manuel car- Never trying that again! I struggled so much with the clutch and changing into gear. Found automatic much easier!
Kenrik
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:42 pm

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by Kenrik »

Manual to provide more car control up or down the gear to slow down or speed up. Automatic car, you pick the drive, reverse, park, and the need for neutral as between. Automatic transmission will be for you to move up and down the gears.
phoena
Getting settled in
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:34 pm

Re: Do you drive a manual or automatic car?

Post by phoena »

Automatic cars enable drivers to concentrate on the more important things, such as planning ahead and steering. But don't take the fact that you are driving an automatic car for granted, if you lose your focus you may get in a car accident, not only can this harm you.
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