Learning to drive - auto or manual

lassik

So this is a discussion that my brother gets particularly passionate about. My son will be 17 in a some months, he will be applying for his provisional license. When it comes to taking lessons my brother keeps advising us to make him learn in an automatic because "in the future all cars will be automatic", I guess he means electric cars, but as it stands I don't think we will be able to afford an electric car for a very long time, so my son will be driving a car that we can afford which is most likely going to be a diesel or petrol manual car. I mean I'd have to take into account how long it takes him to pass etc, took one of my sisters over 5 years and I think in the end 9 tests to pass. Being it late 2023 he starts to learn, ban on diesel and petrol coming in 2030...? Still 6 years. So, what do you guys think, auto or manual?

Grumpy_chap

lassik said:

So this is a discussion that my brother gets particularly passionate about. My son will be 17 in a some months, he will be applying for his provisional license. When it comes to taking lessons my brother keeps advising us to make him learn in an automatic because "in the future all cars will be automatic", I guess he means electric cars, but as it stands I don't think we will be able to afford an electric car for a very long time, so my son will be driving a car that we can afford which is most likely going to be a diesel or petrol manual car. I mean I'd have to take into account how long it takes him to pass etc, took one of my sisters over 5 years and I think in the end 9 tests to pass. Being it late 2023 he starts to learn, ban on diesel and petrol coming in 2030...? Still 6 years. So, what do you guys think, auto or manual?

Learn and pass the test in a manual.  

That still allows him to drive an auto.  Do it the other way round and he is restricted to auto 

The example of your sister taking 5 years and 9 tests to pass is an outlier.  I assume he will take formal driving lessons so expect him to have passed within a year.

Far more choice of cheaper cars for him to look at if it includes manual.  Also, if he ever needs to hire a car, or future employment offers a company car - default currently is manual vehicles 

Stubod

..no brainer, learn in a manual ..

Bigwheels1111

Manual test 100%.
Say your son falls in love with a sports car or needs to rent a van etc.
They will be manual for sure.
I passed my Bike, Car, Hgv2 and Hgv1 all first time not sure how.
All manual, After driving over a million miles I now have an auto.
Never want to drive manual again.
Could be an age thing but I have the choice.

vacheron

Manual all the way.

It may take a few more lessons to get the hang of gear changes, clutch control etc, but you are looking at probably 20-30% more outlay to be able to drive all the cars currently out there rather than about the 30% which are currently automatic at present.

IIRC, i think automatic lessons are more expensive too, so that would also offset some of the cost of the additional lessons.

Grey_Critic

When youngest moved to Los Angelas and looked for a car when he asked in the had any with manual transmission they were very impressed - You can drive a stick change = Wow! was the response - they were impressed.

Never mind about the future manuals will be around for a long time and of course being able to drive an automatic is great until the only vehicle available is manual.

lassik

I agree, manual it is. Don't think we will be able to afford and electric car for at least 5 years. vacheron said:

Manual all the way.

It may take a few more lessons to get the hang of gear changes, clutch control etc, but you are looking at probably 20-30% more outlay to be able to drive all the cars currently out there rather than about the 30% which are currently automatic at present.

IIRC, i think automatic lessons are more expensive too, so that would also offset some of the cost of the additional lessons.

I didn't know they were more expensive, I wonder why?

Bonniepurple

I want my children (14 and 16) to at least start off in a manual.  If they struggle, then they can switch.  With hindsight, I should have gone for an automatic after the first couple of failures- but there is a stigma about automatics.  Nowadays I have to drive an automatic due to injury, but I do still have a full manual licence which I am keeping for as long as I can.  I can’t drive the manual far, but I can drive it.

One of the reasons why I struggled so much with learning to drive were because I’m both autistic and dyspraxic (undiagnosed at the time I was learning).  I find an automatic so much easier.

DullGreyGuy

lassik said:

So this is a discussion that my brother gets particularly passionate about. My son will be 17 in a some months, he will be applying for his provisional license. When it comes to taking lessons my brother keeps advising us to make him learn in an automatic because "in the future all cars will be automatic", I guess he means electric cars, but as it stands I don't think we will be able to afford an electric car for a very long time, so my son will be driving a car that we can afford which is most likely going to be a diesel or petrol manual car. I mean I'd have to take into account how long it takes him to pass etc, took one of my sisters over 5 years and I think in the end 9 tests to pass. Being it late 2023 he starts to learn, ban on diesel and petrol coming in 2030...? Still 6 years. So, what do you guys think, auto or manual?

We had the opposite problem... I believed that all should learn to drive manual because it gives you choice. We however only owned an automatic and so whilst learning in the instructors car there was a choice at home it was auto only plus they wanted an electric once they passed their test.

Given the direction of travel in recent years, I'd be less concerned about a manual license unless there is a high level of hiring cars in Africa etc in the future.

ontheroad1970

I learned and took my test  in an auto silly for speed.  I am frequently out of the country for business so I had a three week window to pass the test, and did the crash course and passed in 10 days.  I'd never bothered to learn until in my 40's

photome

Manual, makes no sense the other way round, unless there is a physical reason not learn in a manual