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?

Well apparently that’s ‘bollocks’ 🤷‍♀️ Not sure why though!

Manual all the way. Much more fun to drive.

Automatic all the way.

Automatic.

Auto all the way, I drove manual cars for years & also a manual transit van/camper.

Got an auto Japanese import camper and was amazed at how easy it was, now we have an auto car.

Unlike PP, I find windy roads and hill starts so much easier in an auto (still have nightmares about hill starts in the camper when the hand brake was on the wrong side!).

Manual. I do actually enjoy driving though. I have a small sports car which is fantastic to drive (even stuck in traffic in central London, which sadly happens all too often).

I do enjoy an automatic when driving on unfamiliar mountain roads but find it dull the rest of the time.

Automatic all the way.

I switched to auto for my day to day car around 1990, so safe to say it is auto for me.

That said, some small underpowered automatic cars I have driven over the years have been horrible to drive, so I can appreciate why other people may have formed negative opinions.

I have a very quick (remapped from 110 to 136BHP) 5-speed sport manual 207 which is great for climbing all over the winding roads that lace the Pennines but I also have a VW Crafter campervan with an 8-speed automatic gearbox which is a dream to drive - I would have got (still might get) an automatic Skoda/VW perhaps - if I ever decide to trade in the van for a car/caravan combo.

Automatics are not what they were 20 years ago when I first drove a couple of automatics - one, my fathers top-end Nissan, another a Citroen which was a friends car (he was a rep and did a lot of driving) - even then I liked them for the extra peace it brings you when driving - it's one less thing to think about. The auto gearboxes are recommended and very popular for large vans and when pulling caravans - their clutch control is far better than even the most seasoned drivers - I don't miss or lust after the extra involvement/engagement from changing gear manually. The van's autogreabox has energy recovery and assists with breaking - the gear changes are almost inaudible/imperceptible but always exactly when I would want to make them - and I can change manually at any time if I want to - so far - never felt the need. I get up to 44mpg on a 3.5T van.

Next new thread is going to be "Dogs or Cats: let's prove which is THE best"

I've always driven manual, but test drove an electric mini last year, which was auto. It was like driving a go kart, was the quickest thing from a standing start I'd ever driven and made roundabouts immense fun. I ordered it, it comes next month 😂
I will still be driving a manual car occasionally, but the mini is potentially lots of fun.

Autos and cats for me. Perhaps there is a correlation, maybe dog lovers like manuals? Perhaps we should do a poll?

Automatic. Cannot beat them.

Automatic every time!

I'm dogs + manual so that works so far!

Now what about Marmite? I'm dogs + manual + love Marmite.

Toyota don't even make manuals anymore.

Really? They list them on their UK website…

Automatic all the way.

Anyone who prefers a manual is a certified freak.

Went over to a manual about 6 years ago after 20 years with automatics. Major differences in both fuel consumption and in road tax - my road tax went from £165 a year to £35 a year and my petrol car uses far less petrol. Rough estimate is that an automatic uses 10% more fuel, I believe. Automatic had a slightly larger engine but the more modern engine in my manual is smaller but equally as powerful. So on a cost and economy basis, I'll stick with the manual until I can afford an electric car.

Love my automatic

So good in stop, start traffic

Have both dogs and cats and love Marmite...

Unless you want to drive a lorry or a bus, your DH is right. Manual cars will be a thing of the past - EVs and hybrids are the future and are all automatic.

Busses have been mostly auto or semi-auto for years and years.

I was going to say similar! Honestly don't know anyone else who thinks that about an auto. Not that I talk to everyone about cars mind you!

Automatic all the way. Would never go back!

Love my automatic! Went from automatic to manual car- years of gear crunching when tired, can't be arsed, no performance benefits in that car at all (there were in my Saab), now back with a lovely high end automatic, so much better! Never going back to manual.

It depends on the auto.

Electric I would take all day long but when it comes to petrol/diesel I prefer manual.