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Original poster

First automatic

41 replies

mylittleyumyum · 12/09/2023 08:32

I'm picking up my first automatic car tomorrow.... I had a brief play with an automatic in the Tesco carpark the other night and the worst part was coming to a stop and thinking I was going to stall 😂 I literally drove round twice.
I need to be confident and 100% for mixed motorway and city driving on Thursday morning. Does it click quickly?

OP posts:
grannycab · 12/09/2023 08:33

Yes. And you will love it!

Prettypaisleyslippers · 12/09/2023 08:35

Just try to forget that you have a left leg. Leave it to the side, you will be fine

Lampzade · 12/09/2023 08:35

Yep
You will find it difficult to go back to manual.

SoupDragon · 12/09/2023 08:37

I have this looming on the horizon too! I'm terrified 😂😂 I know it's going to be absolutely fine and really easy but I've only ever driven a manual and I've been driving since 1985 😂

andyourpointiswhat · 12/09/2023 08:44

I’ve driven mainly automatic for 15 years and am sure the cars can do stuff I still don’t know about. Really wanted a manual like I was used to but when we moved to Aus automatics were much cheaper. I would suggest you are not like me and familiarise yourself with the car 😁

Volterra · 12/09/2023 08:44

I found it a little strange to adjust as hadn’t driven a manual before and been driving since 1987. I couldn’t get my head around the car not rolling back on hills and would be trying to clutch the non existent handbrake. The whole idea did scare me a fair bit for some reason, think it is the worry of not feeling in control.

Now I will never go back to a manual.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 12/09/2023 08:48

It took me about 10 mins to get used to it. You'll be reet, as we say in S Yorks.

Blarn · 12/09/2023 08:51

I drove one last night! Dh had an electric courtesy car. It was odd but not bad. I put my left foot firmly where the clutch peddle would be. They get up to speed fast but the only thing I didn't like was reversing as that also happened very quickly. I needed to reverse to turn in our cul de sac and came far too close to a neighbours bin!

eurochick · 12/09/2023 09:02

The tip I was given when I made the change was to tuck my left leg under rather than stretch it out in the clutch position so you will make it less tempting to use it, just until you get used to it.

Automatics are so easy. I was reluctant to change but now live ours. We have one of each and I much prefer driving the auto.

Original poster
mylittleyumyum · 12/09/2023 09:20

Thank you everyone, I'm feeling a lot less anxious now - you are all so positive.

@Volterra the hill thing was worrying me, so it just does it itself? I had some feature on my last car - there's a small incline coming out of my street onto the main road where I need to stop, but not engage the handbrake and it held. Wee bitty concerned about that.

Was anyone else a manual snob like me? "I like interacting with my car, properly FEELING it"

I'm reminding myself of the old snobby electronic music me, then latterly the "my children will never watch CBeebies" me. Sweet summer child....

OP posts:
Volterra · 12/09/2023 09:34

Mine holds on a hill, I do usually have my foot in the brake I think if it is a steep one I think. I do it now without thinking about it so I’m not quite sure. It was really painful to drive a manual before I swapped and it has hugely improved the quality of my life. Not sure now what I was worried about but I really was !

Blarn · 12/09/2023 09:39

mylittleyumyum · 12/09/2023 09:20

Thank you everyone, I'm feeling a lot less anxious now - you are all so positive.

@Volterra the hill thing was worrying me, so it just does it itself? I had some feature on my last car - there's a small incline coming out of my street onto the main road where I need to stop, but not engage the handbrake and it held. Wee bitty concerned about that.

Was anyone else a manual snob like me? "I like interacting with my car, properly FEELING it"

I'm reminding myself of the old snobby electronic music me, then latterly the "my children will never watch CBeebies" me. Sweet summer child....

I only started driving around a year ago and passed in December but I love changing gear. Enjoy certain bends on hills and getting the gear correct and then knowing when to change up to not lose any speed. I enjoy it! But also I learned to drive to make life easier and really I know that an automatic will make that easier still...

PurpleBananaSmoothie · 12/09/2023 09:43

DH was an auto snob and refusing to look at auto cars. He loves it and won’t go back to a manual. You’ll get used to it really easily. Our car has a little ledge for your left foot and you put it there.

Sometimes muscle memory does take over. So when I’m pulling up to a junction, I still reach for the gear stick! A couple of times with an emergency brake I’ve gone to press the clutch but there isn’t one but you don’t actually do anything to the car, just feel like a bit of an indoor. Our auto has a lot of control actually and there was something about overtaking someone and manually moving up the gears as quick as you could to successfully overtake. Our car has a sport mode, so you give the gear stick a little pull, it shifts into sport mode, gives a throaty road and you’re off.

xogossipgirlxo · 12/09/2023 09:47

I never drove manual apart from driving course and test, but my husband adjusted straightaway. Enjoy, automatic is great, I wouldn’t drive otherwise😂😂😂

Whereland · 12/09/2023 09:58

I've driven manual for 20 years and just switched to automatic- I love it! On occasion I drive my husbands manual and I feel aggrieved that I have so much to do 😂

Original poster
mylittleyumyum · 12/09/2023 10:14

I'm getting really excited now! There's paddles next to the steering wheel, I'll need to have a read and find out if/when I need to use them...

OP posts:
grannycab · 12/09/2023 11:00

The paddles are ususally incase you want to manually change gear...but I never do.

Original poster
mylittleyumyum · 12/09/2023 11:31

Ah, cool - I don't see myself doing that either.

OP posts:
Balloonhearts · 12/09/2023 11:52

Must be a pretty old car if it has a paddle shift. It'll likely sound louder than you're used to but you'll get the feel of it. Watch the revs and you'll get a sense of when it's about to shift up or down a gear.

Hill starts and stops are easy but don't just let go or it'll roll back a bit. Release the brake gently and it will just sit there without rolling backwards. If it does, just give it a tiny bit of gas. You'll feel the clutch catch it if you're paying attention. It does HAVE a clutch, you just aren't the one controlling it.

I wouldn't go back to manual now. I did originally intend to get my manual licence after a bit of road experience as my instructor taught both and I could switch easily between the two cars but honestly I found manual cars tedious after driving an auto.

Cazzovuoi · 12/09/2023 11:56

Be careful you don’t accidentally mistake the brake for the clutch and stand on the brake with the same pressure you would the clutch.

The seatbelt left a mark. Luckily we were in a car park so didn’t get rear ended. As someone else said, tuck your left leg so it’s harder to accidentally clutch the brake 😁

AnIndianWoman · 12/09/2023 11:58

Get a decent gear shift. One that doesn’t go into semi-automatic / manual mode.

munchmagic · 12/09/2023 12:02

eurochick · 12/09/2023 09:02

The tip I was given when I made the change was to tuck my left leg under rather than stretch it out in the clutch position so you will make it less tempting to use it, just until you get used to it.

Automatics are so easy. I was reluctant to change but now live ours. We have one of each and I much prefer driving the auto.

Yeah don't do this.
The safety measures of the car are designed around you sitting properly in the seat, if you tuck a leg out the way etc then you're not going to be properly protected in the event of a crash.
OP just put your left foot where the non existent clutch pedal would be (there'll be a footrest there) You will be fine and you won't look back, automatics are brilliant!

Jitterybugs · 12/09/2023 12:16

After 40+ years of driving a manual and refusing to try an automatic if I was hiring a car I finally had my first drive in an auto 3 years ago. I felt very unsure of myself but within 10 mins I relaxed into it and it’s so easy. The only problem I have is if I’ve been using an auto for several days and go back to my own manual it takes the rest of the day to get my feet/hand/brain coordination back for a smooth drive. I’m inclined to slow down and forget the clutch and stall the car. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Enjoy your new 🚘

TheBewilderedGoblin · 12/09/2023 12:18

Yes, and you will never look back! And it doesn’t matter if you think you are going to stall and if your left foot keeps depressing an imaginary clutch, cos you won’t stall and all will be well.

Dbank · 12/09/2023 12:34

You'll adapt quickly, although you will find your left hand will reach for the gear knob for a few weeks.

However, be aware that you MUST ALWAYS put an automatic in park when getting out of the vehicle. Otherwise you run the risk of pressing the accelerator accidentally when getting back in.

This is often the cause of people loosing control of their vehicle and crashing into shops / walls / schools etc.

Some more recent cars will automatically shift to "P" when you open the door, you might like to try check yours, if it's got paddles it probably will.

Depending on the car, you may find once you touch the paddles the car will remain in manual mode, so worth checking how to get it back into automatic before you start. (on my Merc you hold the right paddle and it goes back to auto)

P.S. You'll find it hilarious going back to a manual, stalling like a learner!

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