Do you prefer driving an automatic or a manual?

[Kualma]

I recently changed cars and now drive an automatic. Wish I got one years ago - so easy to drive! What do other people prefer and why?

My last few cars have been automatics and I would not go back. Recently we had a manual loaned to us whilst work was done on our car (which dragged on longer than expected) and it really reiterated to me what a PITA manuals are in comparison.

yes there are a few times where clutch control would be useful but these aren’t in my day to day life.

All of this.

We have one of each. Manual is just more satisfying.

I can appreciate personal preference but can't understand how automatics are a pain on hill starts? They don't roll back so hill starts are a breeze?

EV. No gearbox at all to get in the way or break down, needing costly repairs. Just motors driving the wheels directly.

I don't trust it enough. A hill start without the ability to control it myself gives me the fear.

Manual for me. I drove an automatic for the first time recently and I really didn’t like it. I’m sure there’s one out there I’d enjoy driving but I’ve decided to stick with my trusty manual until I’m forced to give it up.

There’s no reasoning behind my preference for manual. I’m not a particularly confident driver either. I just wouldn’t continue swapping

Agree…. Which is why I had put “in the past”

I've never really driven Autos and those I have driven I didn't really like. I accept that my next car will probably be an auto though (electric). I'd imagine I'll get used to it.

Auto boxes are marginally less reliable and much more expensive to repair/replace

Not mad on the electric handbrake on my current car, most of the time it's good then it randomly releases too soon or refuses to release.

You still have the brake though? I just though there was something I was missing as I learned in a manual, but have really only ever driven an auto. Curious about how it affects parking too.

The brake doesn't help getting going on a hill though if I can't use the clutch to get to the right bite point before releasing the handbrake. Doesn't give me confidence the automatic is going to move forward by itself and I can't enforce it doing so. I'm sure automatics these days are very good. Still would make me nervous.

For parking it's about control too. If I'm maneuvering into a tight spot I want to have total control and not have to think about it creeping by itself.

Automatic now.

Clutch disengaged so you can roll back (or forward) with the momentum while parallel parking. Also a problem when passing vehicles on very narrow roads. This might not be a problem with newer autos?
It’s the idea that the car must always be under power or stopped that puts me off autos.

Hill starts really aren't a problem as they have assisted hill starts (at least my hybrid automatic does anyway). You can always use the handbrake for a bit of added security though if you don't trust it.

Automatic, after resisting the switch for years. I can't see ever going back. I don't understand the comments about about hill starts, parallel parking and country lanes being harder in an auto. I have found the opposite. And I live down a winding country lane in a very hilly area. The road that ours turns into is a 1:10 gradient and very bendy. Driving an auto is so so easy.

Manual cars will soon be an anachronism. No new combustion engine cars (with the exception of some hybrids) can be sold after 2030 in the UK and electric cars are all automatic. That's only seven years away so there will be fewer and fewer manuals on the road.

Agreed. I also drive an automatic Golf. It's the DSG version of the 2 manual Golfs I had previously. It's much easier to drive round the hilly, windy Pennine roads where I live.

Automatic.
It's better for my arthritis too.

I definitely don't feel any less in control of my car just because it's automatic. I find that's often something say when they've not really driven automatic before.

I have an electric car so manual isn't an option. It has no gears.

I live in a city which is really hilly. Automatics make hills much much easier. Parallel parking is also just as easy.

It sounds like you don't have much experience of driving a modern automatic car, as this - along with the whole under powered, less acceleration etc type comments - are quite outdated.

So long as it’s responsive and I can pull away quickly I don’t really care. Auto is better for city driving though no doubt.

I had to switch to an auto a few years ago after a serious injury to my left leg gave me no real choice. At first I was very unhappy about it, because I thought it would have most of the disadvantages people have mentioned here. Actually with time I have realised it was a lot more about anger over my injury and having to accept that it was not getting better. If I had just chosen my car because I fancied a change, I wouldn't have had those negative feelings.
Intially I was anxious about "not being in control" and thought it would be clunky and inefficient like some older autos I'd been in in the past.I was worried about not being able to change down before overtaking and hill starts seemed very strange. All my fears proved unfounded though. My car has a DSG gearbox and it changes gear better than I can, plus I can actually override it if I chose to do so. But I never do now that I have learned to trust it. I live in one of the hilliest parts of England and hill starts are a doddle. There is a long steep hill out of our nearest town that I used to hate driving up at busy times because of the amount of physical effort it would involve in my old car, crawling along doing 20 odd hill starts before I got to the top. These days its a breeze.
It does take a little bit of getting used to. In particular I found the lack of engine breaking a bit odd at first (though it does have some) but I got used to it. The technology is really very good and in reality it changes gear more smoothly and fuel efficiently than me. I did worry about how it would be in conditions when you might need to adapt your driving style but "snow" mode was great in the recent bad weather. On a twisty A road, "sport" mode does the opposite and changes down earlier, but to be honest, I leave it in "eco" most of the time as it saves a bit of fuel and drives absolutely fine.
The only real downside for me is that DSG boxes are notoriously expensive to repair if they go wrong, as of course they are a lot more complex than a standard manual gearbox, but as yet, we've had no issues and my car is nearly 5 years old now.
It's a reasonably high spec car, granted, and things might be different with smaller, older or less expensive autos I suppose, but I have basically had all my objections thrown in my face by my car, and if I suddenly had a miraculous recovery I wouldn't go back to an auto now - something I thought I'd never say!
Mind you, DH has just got an EV for his company car and that really is the next step up when it comes to being a high tech drive - it makes my car look positively agricultural in comparison and before we got the EV we both agreed thar mine was the smoothest, quietest car we'd ever driven.

I learnt in a manual and now have an automatic it is easier to drive. Never rolled back even on steep hills. I’d happily drive a manual but I’d prefer to buy an automatic if poss. I think when my DC have grown up they will be hard pushed to find a manual car.

Manual is my preference, but I can see them being phased out over the coming years. Auto only will restrict what can be driven, which won't be a problem if you don't want to become a lorry or bus driver. Also, it may restrict employment options, what if you get a job with a company car that is a manual, I know most company's would have an option for either, but mUbe not if the car is being handed down by the previous employee.

I have a modern automatic hybrid car.
Total convert to automatic now.
It has sports mode where you can override the normal automatic gearing and I find that useful for a bit of sharp overtaking where you need that extra oomf.
The only thing I've found tricky in it was reversing up a slope into a small parking space

I thought new buses and lorries are automatic as well. My dad used to be HGV driver and had automatic one.

I’m driving a smaller car, I prefer manual because it’s just more fun to drive a nippy little car like a Fiesta or Mini with a manual & rev it out through the gears.

If I’m driving a bigger, more powerful car, I prefer an automatic. Both my current BMW and my previous Mercedes are automatics and the transmissions work perfectly with the engines. They are smooth & relaxing to drive. If I put mine in manual mode and used the paddles to rev it through the gears, I would be doing 90 in fourth with four more gears still to go, which is obviously illegal…

I drive an automatic Lupo and Golf - when I was taking lessons ( manual) I read an article that stated that a combination of high traffic volumes (all types of road) and diminution of driver ‘proficiency’ would mean much closer attention on externals rather than clutch control etc would be needed - proven very prescient and so true 👍🏿☘️