Automatic Cars

Lord_Lardington

I wouldn't go back to a manual now without a very good reason. Sure, a manual is great fun on the 1 time in 300 that you get to drive a nice quiet country road, but for the other 299 times that I'm stuck in traffic with everyone else, its got to be an auto every time. I know increases my (phrase of the moment coming up) carbon footprint but ... errm ... no excuses other than selfish ones.

melancholly

Lord_Lardington wrote: »

I know increases my (phrase of the moment coming up) carbon footprint but ... errm ... no excuses other than selfish ones.

i didn't know that! i guess i have a little car (yaris) so it's pretty fuel efficient so that must cancel it out.... or something!

lucy_w86

melancholly wrote: »

i didn't know that! i guess i have a little car (yaris) so it's pretty fuel efficient so that must cancel it out.... or something!

I am hoping to get a Yaris although I notice they are quite expensive

iolanthe07

but my gear lever has a button that has to be pressed before it can be put in reverse or one of the 3 manual gears

Quite. That's what I meant by 'fail-safe.' But they're not all like that. I have a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer that has a sequential + and - on the left hand side of the gate. It is possible to push the wrong way when you are in sport mode, and putting it into second accidentally at 70 would over rev the engine. I actually did it once (only it was quite a bit more than 70!), but the computer coped with my stupidity and no damage was done.

msmicawber

I don't understand why you're touching the gear lever at all when you're driving at 70, Iolanthe. It all sounds like scaremongering for the OP. I didn't have any problems whatever with the transition to automatic after only driving manuals for 20 years other than a tendency to reach for a non-existent clutch with my left foot for a couple of days. I can't say I've ever heard of anyone else having had problems either.

Inactive

iolanthe07 wrote: »

How?? You're worrying me now - it seems infallible to me..? But maybe I'm doing it wrong?

Modern automatics have fail-safe devices to override things like accidentally putting it into reverse at 70 on the motorway! The only real damage you can do is by putting it into 'park' when it is still moving. That can shear the pin that locks the transmission.

Indeed, the point I was trying to make, by putting the car in to park with the wheels rotating can be expensive.

jackieb

I used to wonder how to drive an automatic too. My sister has one and if she can do it (she's a dippy driver!) then anyone can. We got one 2 years ago and it's so easy to pick up. So much easier on the legs when you're sitting in traffic too. I occasionally drive my son's manual, and where I don't have any trouble changing between the two, I do take ill with it.

I've never had the cruise control on though. And ours also has 6 gears, which I don't touch. Dh uses them for overtaking. I can't get used to the idea of changing gears without a clutch!

amandada

We have an automatic V/hall Astra and a manual Audi A4. Neithe my dh or I have any problems swapping between the 2, and although I mainly drive the Audi, the automatic Astra was fantastic for me in the later stages of pregnancy!
Because I don't drive the automatic that often, I find I'm very conscious of what I'm doing when selecting gears,but I suppose if I drove it more then I'd be less so.
My dad drives automatics (has to because of a disability) and reckons that now he's had automatics for about 12 years, he'd not go back to a manual even if he was physically able to.

Re what others have said about a few refresher lessons with a driving instructor-I think this is definitely a good idea, and could possibly make the difference between you being forever a nervous driver and being a bit wary (never a bad thing) and your confidence increasing

nelly_2

Automatics are som much more civilised.

What sort of nob wants to be messing about with a stick and an extra pedal when it can all be sorted for you. Its just a pity I cant get a transit van in auto as id buy one like a shot

tomstickland

I like manuals. They do what I tell them to, not what they think I want them to. I am easily entertained though.