Husband bought automatic car and I'm nervous help!

[wishes1111]

Hi everyone

My husband has bought an automatic car, I'm very grateful, mine has broke completely after 7 years of having it (its 10 years old).

However, I've never driven an automatic before, I took it for a drive last night with him and I just cannot see me getting used to it 🤦🏻‍♀️ has anyone swapped from a manual to auto and can reassure me because now I feel like I've gone back to being an 18 year old nervous driver!

The automatic gearstick isn't there it's on the lever on the side of the steering wheel (in my old car it was the windscreen wipers).

We have an automatic and I was nervous to start with, but I love it now. The biggest change for me was starting it up and needing your foot on the brake first. Now I don't think about it. Not having to think about the clutch or the gear stick (other than to reverse) means my energy goes on watching the road.

I have an automatic and I just love it. It's my second and now prefer it to a manual.

You will be fine after a day. And then have the same issue going back to a manual.

My dad had a tip for moving from manual to automatic cars.

Take your left leg and throw it over your shoulder, now go.

Basically, plant your left leg comfortably and don't move it as there's no pedal for it to push. All pedal with is done with right leg.

Dh went auto about 8 years ago, I wasn't keen but occasionally drove his (and DDad's) cars having grown up driving manual (dad went auto about 12 years ago).

When my car needed changing a few years ago, I needed larger than my lovely mini but the best we found was an auto Audi estate so that's what I have now and it's fine.

Most cars we rent when overseas are auto so I'm happier now abroad as it's "only" the "wrong" side of the road to get used to.

I love automatics, ive driven them for years and would struggle in a stick shift (though id obviously get the hand of it with practice....lots of practice)

Hill starts (if you ever need to do them as most automatics can manage most hills) are a wee bit weird but again just practice

I drove an manual for 18 years, had my automatic 2 years and could never go back!

You won't need to touch the "gearstick" in an automatic. Put it into drive, and off you go. Leave it alone until you park

There's this thing called reverse you may have heard of? Also, many automatics do have other options for hills.

I recently switched from manual to auto and I love it! Felt so stranger at first but honestly if I have the choice I wouldn’t choose a manual again

I drive an automatic for work now. Absolutely love it! I’m buying one next time I get a new car!

took ma about a week will never go back to manualone,in fact had a car from garage with service done for the day it was manual the air was blue with me driving it ,never again

I honestly found it very easy. I’d never driven one until we returned to the U.K. after many years abroad, where I’d driven a manual. My ‘new’ car was automatic, but I’d still drive dh’s manual sometimes, and switch without even thinking about it.

Some years later dds, who’d recently passed their tests with manuals, would borrow my automatic and find it no problem.
An automatic is certainly easier if you often drive in heavy traffic.
I’m sure you’ll soon get used to it.

Hill starts (if you ever need to do them as most automatics can manage most hills) are a wee bit weird but again just practice
How do you do a hill start in an automatic? I assumed it just did it. What do you have to do?

I drove a manual for decades but have been converted to auto now. I do miss the fine control as a pp said and the feeling of engagement but an auto is so easy and the future of cars.
Oddly stopping was the thing I found hardest. Not at junctions but at the end of a journey. Plant your left foot on the floor and tell yourself you're on the motorway and travelling at a constant speed.

You get used to it quickly. Just keep driving it. I found it strange at first and now I'm back in a manual and found that a bit odd for a while.

I felt very nervous when I test drove our new car, as it was the first time I've driven an automatic.
However, we've had it a couple of years now, and I love it - so much easier than a manual. I was worried it would be a bit "boring" to drive compared to a manual, but it honestly isn't.
I haven't driven a manual for a while now, but when we first got the new car, I had a period of driving manual hire cars - definitely preferred the automatic!

Yes have switched to an automatic as we lived overseas a couple of times. An automatic is very easy to drive, we have a manual and an automatic now and swap easily between the two.

I’m more shocked that your have a defunked 10 years old car !. My Land Rover is 1979 vintage.

@Pyewackect

I’m more shocked that your have a defunked 10 years old car !. My Land Rover is 1979 vintage.

That is the beauty of a mechanically simple, robustly built vehicle.

I tend to switch every car from automatic to manual. Ive just had a manual for three years and are moving to an automatic.

Automatics are really easy to get used to.
I usually put my left foot behind my right leg for the first couple of drives. Then muscle memory takes over and my foot can come out.

Its just throw it into drive and go. No changing gears or anything

Hi @wishes1111, I had exactly the same situation last month. I put it off and put it off and eventually I had an event I needed to drive to which forced me to do it. I practiced with my husband a couple of times first and now I absolutely love the automatic car and much prefer it. It is so much easier to drive. Give it a go as I'm sure you will be the same and get used to it very easily.

I've had mine 7 years now and love it. It was a godsend driving across Europe for several years!
I'll be replacing it soon with another auto. DH's car is manual so I keep my hand in by driving that occasionally.

I was very nervous when I switched from manual to automatic. I was considering have a couple of automatic driving lessons as I was so worried but everyone I knew said it was easy. In practice, what happened was the guy who delivered the car let me drive it round the block with him in it and that was it. It's so easy. As PP have suggested, I tucked my left leg right next to the seat for a while just to avoid hitting the brake when trying to press the non-existent clutch pedal. I absolutely love it now and wouldn't want to switch back to a manual. DH has also switched to an automatic now.

My DMum (76) switched from a manual to automatic last year and she loves it. I took her to our local park and ride car park when it was really quiet and she practised there.

I have the same fears as you OP. DP has had an automatic for 6 years and I still won’t drive it. I’ve been out several times to the empty supermarket car park to practice but just can’t get over the feeling that my left leg won’t come into play at some point - and that’s with me wearing no sock or shoe on my left foot!

I know I have to, with electric cars on the horizon, and better to learn now than in a few more years time but, but...

Automatics are dead easy. You just point them in the direction you want them to go and they drive themselves! (Not quite, but they are really easy).

They are also the future, because other than the so-called "mild hybrids", hybrid and electric cars are automatics.

My husband passed on a manual but has only ever driven an automatic due to be given an automatic by his dad. For a while we had two cars, one automatic and one manual, and I used to drive them interchangeably and never go them confused but have only driven automatics for some years now.

Love the "very nippy bumper car" description. Very accurate! Less bumping, but very nippy

I struggled initially, especially at roundabouts, but now I would never go back.

It's soooo easy. It's like driving a go cart. I love it!