Have you bought an automatic car after driving a manual?

[MyCatTibby]

Can you tell me you experience of driving an automatic car after driving a manual car? I’ve driven a manual for 32 years and am thinking of buying an automatic. I’ve no qualms at all driving an automatic but I’ve only literally driven one a couple of times. I’ll be buying it on PCP over 4 years and I’m probably being silly but I’m worried I’ll be rusty after four years if I go back to manual then.

I had manuals for almost 30 years, and then bought a hybrid which had to be automatic . Took me no time at all to get used to it, and I still drive manual in our other car, so haven’t lost the skill. The automatic is a lot more restful to drive though .

I would never go back to manual.

Watch out that the car will move if you put it in reverse if you take your foot of the brake.

I have 12is years driving experience, passed my test in a manual car, drove 6 years manual - I now have an auto and it’s amazing. Never ever would I say this as I am a big fan of green laning and going gong off the beaten path, but for every day driving, automatics are superior

Ahh thanks for your input everyone. I think I’ll go for it! It’s reassuring that driving automatic sounds easy but if you go back to manual it’s like riding a bike! I’ve had reservations but your replies have reassured me. Thank you!

Pull it back against the front of the seat so you don’t get tempted to use it.

I drive both and have no issue going between them. I learnt in a manual a long time ago and remember being in the US aged 18 (in the late 80's) and my boyfriends father needed a truck moved for a family bbq and they were amazed when I moved it, the father was the only one in the large family who could drive 'a shift'. I like the automatic for easy driving but I like the manual if I'm heading out for a coast or mountain drive, its just more fun.

I learnt in a manual but have been using automatics every now and then (car clubs and hire).

The single best bit of advice I was given was to keep your left foot as far from the pedals as possible - otherwise you are much more likely to go into autopilot and use it (which is catastrophic - take it from me!).

Once I realised that - very straightforward, though I still feel they are not as nippy as a manual when you’re on city streets. Might be the quality of the cars I hire, mind :)

Yep! Like driving a go kart. I went down front an automatic to manual a few years ago as they get much higher miles per gallon - the inconvenience wasn’t worth the savings.

I have had an auto for over 10 years but quickly adapt to manual loan car when it’s in for service.

From an**

We have 2 manual and 1 automatic. The automatic is like driving a dodgem, just two pedals, dead easy. You don’t ever forget how to drive a manual, it’s like riding a bike.

I have been on two speeding courses, because you associate the gear you’re in with the speed you’re doing, it’s so easy to get carried away 🤪

I drove a manual for seven years before switching to an automatic, then back to a manual (exH thought manual shift was "more fun"), then an automatic again and I haven't looked back.

I can't think of a single advantage to a manual, and I don't think you'll want to go back to a manual once you've experienced the ease of driving an automatic, so the question of whether you'll remember how is moot.

I switched to an auto a few years back and absolutely love it. So much easier. I found it particularly useful with longer driving because if I was stuck in traffic / stop start, then I found my left knee started playing up.

Manuals have significantly better fuel economy.

I got an automatic in 2020 after nearly 30 years driving a manual. I’ll never buy a manual again, but I do occasionally have to drive my husband’s and it’s fine.

I switched about 5 years ago after 30+ years too, I love the auto and will never buy a manual again, lots of people I know have switched for the same reason which is the move to hybrid/electric, they definitely aren't an old person's car nowadays. I have no problem driving DH's manual which I do about twice a year, you don't forget.

I have had automatics for ten years, much easier, would not go back. Abroad and wanting to get a cheap rental for a weekend, went back to manual. No problems, but missed my automatic so much. Consider myself nothing special as a driver, the average driver easily switches about. Drive from need only and prefer to be driven, auto makes it much easier.

I have both an automatic car and a manual horse lorry, so drive both. Automatic is my preference any day.

That just sounds like a bad car, not that all automatics are bad!

Where’s the evidence for this? One of ours is automatic and I get 425 miles to a full tank, costs about £35 (unleaded).

Passed in a manual about 33 years ago and drove a manual Range Rover for a year or so. Then bought an automatic. Whilst I could probably still drive a manual if necessary, I’d always choose an automatic,

Passed my test on a manual. Mostly drove automatics afterwards. Agree with PP's about lack of problems switching.

However... if you buy a hybrid automatic Toyota Corolla (which is FAB) be aware that it also will NOT have a handbrake. That's properly weird, IMO.

I was dreading getting the automatic and in my head was leaving it for dh While I still took the manual.
I was converted within 24 hours and dh is left with the manual whenever I can, which is most of the time.

I have no problem driving the manual on the odd times I need to.

Automatic is better. Much easier, once you make the switch you won’t want to go back. I think driving a manual is like riding a bike, you never forget. That’s my experience anyway!

It's a bit of an outdated view that automatics are all necessarily less fuel efficient than manuals. It certainly used to be the case in the past - old style 3 speed auto boxes with torque converters were definitely a lot less efficient than the manuals of the day and there was a big difference in fuel consumption, but the gap is nowhere near as big now as it used to be.
Most modern autos are actually automated manuals which are much more efficient, and most have far more gears. I drive a Skoda Kodiaq with a 7 speed DSG box, so with 2 clutches and no torque converter. That eliminates a lot of the inefficiency of old autos, plus the computer pays a lot more attention to changing gear for maximum fuel efficiency than I would were I making the decisions, so even with it in "normal" mode I usually get around 45 mpg which for a car that big and heavy is pretty good really. And in "eco" it's a bit more efficient. It is a lot more economical than the manual SVU that I replaced. OK, it's not a direct comparison as that was a different make and model and older but they are in the same general ball park.
It was undeniably true that in the past autos were all a lot less fuel efficient than manuals but technology has moved on a lot and now it's probably truer to say that while some autos are a lot thirstier than the equivalent manual, many are only marginally different and a few are even slightly better. You certainly can't generalise in the way you used to be able to.