AIBU automatic cars are easier?

I like a bit of fun in a car. We had a Lotus Esprit back in the day. Porsche 911s since. I don’t really need this type of car now but we still have a Cayman and Macan. Getting from A-B matters but we like to enjoy how we do it. We don’t own a manual car now and plenty of very sporty cars are automatic. I’m not into speeding as a girl or boy racer. We just like nice cars! EVs are quick but handling can be compromised due to that huge battery weight and its position in the car. Pootling not affected though!

We have one manual and one automatic that we inherited, rather than chose. It's a 2013 Fiesta so not sure how it compares to never cars but it is easy and reasonably nice to drive. It does take longer to get up the low gears but thats not terrible. Having a hand that is is less busy does help when you're trying to pass things to kids etc (not recommending that btw). I regularly swap between the manual and automatic which is fine, although I took have to take a quick moment to remember which one I am in sometimes!

I started learning manual but as a dyspraxic I swapped to automatic. I struggled to change gear without looking. My licence is automatic and I don't miss what I've never had.

Honestly they're great. You won't speed if you watch your speed. No gear box faffing etc- much more focus on the road. I also have very badly damaged ankles. I would struggle to safely drive a manual now I think. I have a sport mode on my car which is fun and sometimes handy for hills etc! I learnt in a mini with a manual mode and again, great to have the power but not the faff. Both my cars have been quite fast, but not all autos are alike. My mum had an auto seat mi for a bit and that thing was so slow. We all hated it.

I drove a manual for 20 years, switched to an Automatic a few years ago. I love it, so much easier and more relaxing, particularly in traffic. I’ve never felt any more likely to speed than in my manuals despite the fact that this car is more powerful, in fact I have much better control. When you first get one you need to firmly park your left foot on the floor or side block as you’ll keep trying to press it if you brake hard, but that urge quickly wears off!

I feel no desire to have my car be “fun”, have “soul”, or be “smoking”. I just want to easily get from A to B!

Driving a manual is a lot more fun and the driver feels a lot more connected to the road. However, the roads in a lot of England now are so busy, that "enjoying the drive" isn't likely to happen. Automatics are so much easier for multiple roundabout, traffic jams and when navigating unknown routes. Electric cars are far better in these situations as well, less splurging from the exhaust with every acceleration.
We live in an undeveloped country so really notice the difference between our massive Toyota at home versus automatic hire cars in the UK that need barely any input (and are all the same).

The keyword is 'average'.

The vast majority (94%) of the population of England and Wales lives in a built-up area and normally drives only short distances daily (average daily mileage is 18 miles; average annual mileage is between 6000 and 7000 miles per year).

I'll have to take your word on that.

Automatic so much better, it's impossible to stall, hill starts are easy as the car goes slightly forward when you take your foot off the brake...and you only need one foot to drive! I would recommend getting one with flappy paddles so you don't even need to think about the gearstick.

One of the amusements of an automatic is seeing the car in the outside lane panting to be away first at the lights, then seeing them drop behind as they change gear.

Obviously a more powerful manual will still smoke you though

I'd say you have an inappropriate use of speed - just the opposite problem.

@Shade17

I'm in a Golf GTi at the moment. The autos I drive are my Dad's and PIL's! Not a Porsche or BMW in sight!

I take your point though. I'm comparing my Golf to cars that are very different.

@mathanxiety

I live in rural Northern Scotland. The hazards on my roads are tractors, combines, log lorries, etc.

I've driven an auto since I passed my test 15 years ago and have never had a speeding ticket.

Acceleration can be faster in a like for like manual, but it will be an incredibly small amount of drivers that can achieve this as you have to both get the revs right for maximum power and also shift quickly. One of the amusements of an automatic is seeing the car in the outside lane panting to be away first at the lights, then seeing them drop behind as they change gear.

When you test drive an automatic for the first time, it does usually take a day of driving to get used to them and not trying to press both pedals at the same time. Please do not do this as it's usually the first thing and person who is used to a manual will do. I had a lift across a hillside in an automatic 4WD truck driven by someone who used his L foot for the brake pedal, depressing it before he was off the accelerator. He couldn’t understand why we kept nearly going through the windscreen. He wouldn’t have believed it had I told him, so I just hung on tightly and kept quiet.

It's like all the people who say you aren't doing it properly if you use a sat-nav instead of a map. Not the same thing at all

We can't get an electric car as a) we're poor and b) we don't have anywhere to park/charge it but my next car is def going to be automatic. I have always driven manual but recently started wondering why? I think automatic cars have got a lot better in recent years and it seems so much easier than twatting about with a clutch.

In that case she could a) turn off lane assist or b) give a tiny but definite movement of the steering wheel rather than just drift out or c) be aware of the car and that it will give a tug.

I passed in an auto for the same reason 9 years ago, and it has not ONCE been an issue or held me back in any way. They're super easy to drive. I tried manual for ages before I switched, so I fully recommend it. In the future, they'll all be auto anyway.

I drove a manual car for years as that’s what I learned to drive in. Then I moved to the USA and it was barely an option. When I moved back to the UK I reverted to manual & very quickly realised that it was, for me, the equivalent of a non automated washing machines! I’ve driven an automatic now for sixteen years and I will only drive manual cars under duress 😂

Recently changed from a manual to auto and have no idea why I didn’t do it before. It’s so much easier and I’m mad that I’ve not done it before.

Love love love my automatic. No brainer

I don't drive but my dh does. He was adamant when we bought our current car that is had to be manual. However, when he test drove it he loved the car and had the spec we wanted so being an auto was a compromise.
We have had our automatic car for almost 2 years now, and every day he gets in it and says he loves driving this car.
Shortly after we got it we had a long drive to the highlands and he says he would have been broken driving in our previous car, as he was getting increasing pain in his knee.