Manual or Automatic to learn to drive?

audbod38

Kimberley wrote: »

That means you had 28 lessons? Well done you, it took my brother 40 lessons hee hee

Yeah well 28 hours lol he only worked in 2 hour lessons and i hated it but stuck with it, maybe you should try it again just to see how you go.

Paradigm

To be honest I love "autos" There is nothing better when stuck in traffic & lets face it that's most of the time in the UK!

It wouldn't worry me one jot if I passed my test in an auto now.

Most leading truck manufacturers have been offering an "automated manual gearbox" for some time with some companies seeing up to 10% improvement in fuel economy on these.

With the way the "green issue" is going I can see car makers going down the same route within the next 10 years or so, VW DSG is an automated manual as I understand it (could be wrong)... expect more of the same in the next few years.

Oldernotwiser

terryya wrote: »

When ever you read about drivers driving into shops/through peoples gardens/off multi-story car parks etc etc it is always someone driving an automatic!

Mainly because the people who do this are elderly and this group is overrepresented in driving automatics.

Oldernotwiser

Kimberley wrote: »

That means you had 28 lessons? Well done you, it took my brother 40 lessons hee hee

I passed my test in an automatic after 8 lessons and a reasonable amount of practice and I was nearly 50 at the time. If you're really motivated you can get your licence really quickly in an automatic.

Humphrey10

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Clutch control is just a small part of driving, if you can't manage that confidently then you shouldn't be on the road.

I passed my test with no faults and you tell me I shouldn't be on the road?

I see so many people saying 'manuals are so much more fun' 'driving a manual makes me feel so powerful and in control' 'people who drive automatics are silly little women who should be at home breeding and cooking'. I can't stand it.

However, with a manual licence you can drive any car, so won't have problems if you have to drive a friend's car or a van or something. I really don't see why people don't just point that out, instead of saying things like 'drive a manual, then you will feel like a real man'.

jeannieblue

Kimberley wrote: »

Oh yes, i'm going to learn and pass in an Automatic and then go for the manual when i've had a year or two on the road.

Good for you! Glad you took your own advice

jeannieblue

custardy wrote: »

its not having a go its sensible advice giving a more future proof licence
ive known a few people over the years with auto only licences and it often caused hassle with the likes of renting,courtesy cars

A 'future proof licence' ?? Is that a well known term or something that you made up?

As I've said before, I have never ever had problems renting an auto car abroad. Re courtesy cars - I work for a small independent garage - and two of our courtesy cars are automatic. Its not as unusual or difficult as you are making it out to be. I really can't understand this silly prejudice against automatic gear boxes!

Kimberley

jeannieblue wrote: »

Good for you! Glad you took your own advice

Thank you I shall keep you all updated when I pass and how long it took me lol

jeannieblue

Kimberley wrote: »

Thank you I shall keep you all updated when I pass and how long it took me lol

You'll be fine and do very well!

moneysaver12

Good luck to the op. I too am wondering wether to learn in a manuel or auto. A few years ago i spent about ten months learning to drive with bsm in a manual and twice was suppose to go for my test but each time the instutor said i wasn't ready. I felt that i got to a point where i wasn't really progressing and i had spent a lot of money and couldn't afford to do it anymore. I wonder if i would be better off learning in a auto. I really want to be able to drive and currently spend over three hours a day travelling to and from uni.