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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think most folk still drive manual cars

399 replies

Bambambini · 14/04/2015 13:23

Curious to know how many here drive manual or auto. Also how many have never even tried an auto. Sort of mini poll as having words with a yank on another site. Your participation will be appreciated if not rewarded!

OP posts:
OurGlass · 14/04/2015 16:14

Manual. Wouldn't drive an automatic.

Psipsina · 14/04/2015 16:16

I don't like the sound of worse fuel economy. Sounds odd though. I always thought that changing gear correctly could save you loads. I always try to listen to the engine and change appropriately, ie when it sounds happy in a gear, stay there, when it wants to change, you change - while my Dad drives in a more sort of agitated manner and you can hear him sort of caning it a bit before he goes up a gear.

I learned to change gear smoothly on a bike and it carries over - so there isn't a 'jump', and in a car so it doesn't scream or grind.

If an auto doesn't do this properly then I'd rather not have one.

CapnMurica · 14/04/2015 16:16

I don't own a car at the moment but have mainly driven manuals. Automatics are so much better for city driving, which I would do a lot more of if I had my own car.

As it is, I hire a car when I need one and as I tend to do motorway driving I prefer a manual for that.

MagratGarlik · 14/04/2015 16:16

Btw can you imagine an auto motorcycle? that would be so weird.

No it wouldn't, they are called scooters. You see a ton of them on the road.

If you're thinking of bikes without the step-through of a scooter, Honda DN01 and Honda NC750 are automatics.

Wouldn't ride one though - I prefer the control of being able to change gears!

Annabannbobanna · 14/04/2015 16:17

I drive a manual and I live in the US, they are getting more and more popular here, I know lots of people who drive them and loads of kids learn stick nowadays.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 14/04/2015 16:18

Manual here, I've been driving for 30 years and have probably driven an auto on less than 10 occasions, never owned one, never considered owning one.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 14/04/2015 16:21

See, there are some features that once you've tried them in a hire car or whatever, you think, next time I buy a car I'd like that (air con, bluetooth, heated front windscreen etc). I've driven auto cars a few times and never, ever had that thought. If you do a lot of city driving there would be advantages, but I don't.

Patapouf · 14/04/2015 16:22

Manual. I don't know anyone except my grandmother who drives an automatic!

RufusTheReindeer · 14/04/2015 16:22

hazlenut

And you took the washing out with massive tongs

Excellent work out though, my very skinny mother had the grip of a pro wrestler

MrsKoala · 14/04/2015 16:23

I had a thread about this a year ago. I had failed my manual test 4 times and had been learning on and off for 20 yrs Blush I suggested to dh i learn manual and he was all against it saying the cars are shit and he wants a manual (only one family car). Everyone came on and told me dh was being a dick (he was) and i learned and passed (WITH NO MINORS) in an automatic.

We now have a Nissan Auto and DH loves it. I suggested learning with gears again in the future and he said not to bother he's happy never driving a manual again.

My parents drive autos too.

I'm still petrified of driving tho and astonishingly shit at it. After all it's just an automatic car not a fucking miracle machine! Grin

Psipsina · 14/04/2015 16:23

Ignoring the bit about scooters (heresy! Smile ) I didn't know about those new-ish Hondas.

Have you tried one? I think it would be very odd indeed to ride.

Plus I can't find out what the dual clutch transmission means. Any idea?

MrsKoala · 14/04/2015 16:27

*learn AUTO (sorry)

Psipsina · 14/04/2015 16:27

Thinking about it my main objection to holding an automatic license, rather than a manual one, would be the lack of versatility.

Say you are somewhere and you need to drive a car/bus/whatever at short notice - imagine not being able to. I mean in an emergency I want to be able to drive anything that's to hand.

It's a bit like my mother - she learned to drive years ago but refuses to practise or actually drive anywhere, so she is now no use whatsoever in a crisis. Like when one of the children was ill and I needed her to come over, Dad was away, she had the car but was too worried to use it (4-5 miles away).

That is really pointless.

Shamalamalam · 14/04/2015 16:29

I suppose it depends on where you live and where you drive.

I tend to drive short journeys to and in town, lots of stopping and starting, waiting in queues of traffic, school runs, picking children up from friends houses, etc. It's just one pedal for stop and one for go, what's not to love? Grin

DH does more motorway/dual carriage way/long distance driving so the manual suits him better.

MagratGarlik · 14/04/2015 16:31

The dual clutch transmission means it can be auto, but can be over-ridden and changed to manual. I haven't tried one - I don't think I'd like the twisties with an automatic Grin. I do know someone who owns the Honda DN01 though -it's huge, like a space ship!

Miele72 · 14/04/2015 16:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 14/04/2015 16:33

Dual clutch is iirc how most of the current crop of autos work. When you start driving and accelerating in 1st gear it preselects 2nd gear and gets that running up to speed ready to move into it and so on up through the gears which makes it smoother than a traditional auto. When decelerating it preselects a lower gear.

Miele72 · 14/04/2015 16:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flowery · 14/04/2015 16:34

Well, lucky you Soupdragon never having had anything unexpected happen while you were driving requiring you to slow down very quickly.

whitefluffything · 14/04/2015 16:34

Driven both and much prefer auto.

ShatnersBassoon · 14/04/2015 16:36

We have one of each. The automatic is definitely easier to drive, and I don't do any driving other than steady road driving so lack of control has never been an issue ie it agrees with me re shifting up and down moments. If I wanted to try rally driving I'd probably go for the manual though Smile

GiddyOnZackHunt · 14/04/2015 16:39

Slight clarification - each clutch is used by either even or odd years in order to do that alternation

GiddyOnZackHunt · 14/04/2015 16:40

years? gears.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 14/04/2015 16:43

Manual for ever! ... And partner too .. He drove autos while living in US, and hated them. Can see for some, eg with disability good idea.

Downside:
Auto cars are more over - represented in accident statistics... Both from electronic error, and also unintended acceleration . When in panic the accelerator is hit rather than the brake.
Here:

peltata · 14/04/2015 16:45

Learnt on a manual but now driving a auto as the car model only came in auto. Love it probably never drive a manual again