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Original poster

Have you bought an automatic car after driving a manual?

130 replies

MyCatTibby · 07/03/2025 21:58

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.

OP posts:

Longingforspringtime · 10/03/2025 15:43

@XelaM I think it's the combination of no engine noise, no clutch and no handbrake. I have to get used to it so I'll just have to get on with it. It feels like driving a toy car or a dodgem. I was taught to drive the old fashioned way of using the gears to slow down, so just braking seems so odd. I expect I'll love it eventually!

user5213768943 · 10/03/2025 15:51

We’ve had autos for decades. DH and I also hold lorry licences which have all been autos for ages. Eldest teen has insisted on learning in a manual and it’s been fine for me to drive. Wouldn’t want a manual for myself ever again though - so tedious changing gear every few minutes! Autos are so much easier, but you wont forget how to drive manual, it’s like riding a bike.

XelaM · 10/03/2025 21:05

DilemmaDelilah · 08/03/2025 09:10

We switched from a manual petrol car to an automatic electric car last year. Our new car is so easy to drive! It is so nice not to have to think about changing gear when I want to nip out of a junction, or when going uphill. And talking of going uphill, I think it's probably an electric car thing rather than an automatic car thing, (I have never driven an automatic car before) but it is so fantastic to be able to accelerate uphill rather than to have to worry about when to change down a gear so you're not losing too much power, and not to worry about having to get a bit of a run up to the hill. We have a couple of long steep hills where we live and it is really great just to be able to go up them easily rather than getting stuck behind a smelly lorry because we don't have enough power to pass it.

Yes! It's the perk of an automatic car that you can go up hill and not worry about rolling backwards

FNDandme · 10/03/2025 21:06

I had to swap to automatic due to disability after driving manual for 20+ years. You get phantom left foot the first few drives but quickly adapt (I plant my left foot on the floor)

Nottogetapenny · 10/03/2025 21:14

We have both. I have an automatic and my husband has a manual. We both drive each other’s car.

Before I got my automatic car. I hired a rental automatic for 3 days ti try it out. I absolutely love driving the automatic it’s so easy. I would definitely recommend.

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