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Original poster

Changing from manual to automatic car.

55 replies

Bookaholic73 · 20/05/2019 14:34

Ok..I’ve never driven an automatic car before, always driven manual.
I’m getting a new car next year and it’s an automatic...how hard is it to learn?

OP posts:
IHaveBrilloHair · 20/05/2019 14:36

It takes about 10 secondsGrin

Original poster
Bookaholic73 · 20/05/2019 14:38

Lol, really?
I don’t understand when you would use ‘park’..is that like neutral?
And why is there a 1st & 2nd ‘gear’ if you don’t use gears?

And how the hell would I do a hill start?

OP posts:
lifesnotaspectatorsport · 20/05/2019 14:39

Incredibly easy! Just remember to put your foot on the brake when you put it in drive or reverse. Then lift up your foot and go. Simples.

ExpletiveDelighted · 20/05/2019 14:39

Go and have a test drive in one, the garage person will show you what to do and answer your questions.

ExpletiveDelighted · 20/05/2019 14:40

Although a bit unfair if you've no intention of buying it I suppose.

Boopeedoop · 20/05/2019 14:40

Hill start is easy. Take your foot off the break it won't let you roll back. Some creep forward slowly. I changed to auto because of joint problems. Love it.

Boopeedoop · 20/05/2019 14:42

The gears are for bad weather when you need to have more input. ie snow. Park stops the car moving in any direction forwards or back. It can't roll.

lifesnotaspectatorsport · 20/05/2019 14:43

The main difference is that if you're in drive or reverse, the car will creep forward slowly unless you have your foot on the brake. Hence when you park you put it in 'park' so that you can take your foot off the brake!

Most automatics have the option to use gears but I never bother.

Original poster
Bookaholic73 · 20/05/2019 14:44

Thanks. I’m definitely buying an automatic, as my son will be able to drive it too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bookaholic73 · 20/05/2019 14:44

Ah ok, so it sounds quite easy then!

OP posts:
lifesnotaspectatorsport · 20/05/2019 14:45

No such thing as a hill start! Just put it in drive and hit the gas 😁

Nesssie · 20/05/2019 14:46

Park is for when you are finished, so yes like neutral. Arrive at destination - into Park - handbrake - engine off

don't worry about the gears, I've only use it once when it was snowing and I needed grip to move.

The main thing to remember is that in an automatic, if you take your foot off the break, the car will go forwards even if you aren't accelerating.

So foot on the break when turning the car on, and when stopped but handbrake isn't on.

Hill start is the same as any normal start = engine on, into Drive, foot on break, handbrake off, slowly foot off break and car will go forwards. foot on accelerator to speed up.

SheeshKebab · 20/05/2019 14:47

Oh my god, it's so easy. I was so scared when we changed our car to auto a year ago. It is literally the easiest thing in the world. The only thing I found hard was I kept going to put the clutch down with my left leg and hitting the brake but I stopped within a couple of minutes. We have now changed to a manual again but that isn't the point!

Absolutepowercorrupts · 20/05/2019 14:51

It's really easy to change over to an automatic. Best piece of advice I was given is never ever use your left foot on the brake. I'm assuming it's a right hand drive btw.

Expressedways · 20/05/2019 15:00

Yes use only your right foot, never the left.
And this is the case for a left hand drive too, they don’t swap the peddles around! It’s so easy, you’ll be fine. I’m not sure if I ever want to go back to a manual now.

jackparlabane · 20/05/2019 15:03

Really easy, though took a while to stop fretting and trying to push my left foot down having forgotten the clutch didn't exist! Makes complex roundabouts so much less stressful.

Scienceforthewin · 20/05/2019 15:12

Tuck your left leg away or you'll be constantly trying to use it!

WhoKnewBeefStew · 20/05/2019 15:13

Tuck your left foot out of the way, press and go Grin

guessmyusername · 20/05/2019 15:17

I had the same questions when I went to an automatic (hybrid) a couple of years ago. It was so easy but my manual thinking brain had all these "What if" questions.

PlatypusPie · 20/05/2019 15:32

It feels a bit weird for a very short time but then very straight forward. Kept reaching for the gear stick for a while but then that fades into the past.

Park is complete standstill when you have finished or are in some very long traffic holdup. It’s not pause when you are at junction etc - that is just done by holding on foot brake. Many cars have auto electronic handbrakes as well, which come on when you put into park and are released by a light tap on the accelerator when you start off at the beginning from Park. My DH finds that light tap a bit tricky for some reason - big, flat feet I say !

Frazzled2207 · 20/05/2019 15:45

My car is automatic. I drove manual for 20 years. It is SO much easier. I do wonder why I bothered with manual for so long tbh.

CarrieBlu · 20/05/2019 15:47

My car is automatic. I drove manual for 20 years. It is SO much easier. I do wonder why I bothered with manual for so long tbh.

Same here!

Frazzled2207 · 20/05/2019 16:05

I think it's useful to be able to drive a manual.
As sometimes you hire or borrow a car and it will be manual.

But other than that for me a manual has no redeeming features.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 20/05/2019 16:16

I find that the hardest thing is stopping your left foot searching for the clutch and then finding the brake and hitting that instead Blush

Original poster
Bookaholic73 · 20/05/2019 16:22

Thank you everyone!
So, foot on the brake before starting the engine- got it.

OP posts: