Anyone had success in an automatic car?

[Greengables4]

I've failed 9 times in a manual for various reasons. I haven't had any driving lessons/tests in 8 years now, I got sick of failing and it became expensive.
I've found automatic lessons at the same price as manual. Know a couple of people who've said they found it much easier than manual. I've also got medication from the gp to keep my nerves under control too.
Being able to drive would halve my commute times and open up a lot of work opportunities for me so it'll be worth it.
Just interested to hear any experiences.

You would probably get sent to a psychiatrist for eating a crisp sandwich in Switzerland.

Soon you won't be able to buy a new car with manual gearbox. Don't think twice, if you don't like manual, don't push yourself. I passed my licence and hated driving. I love it since having automatic car.

Well, lucky us it's the UK, not Switzerland.

go for automatic. I struggled with manual so switched to automatic and found it so much easier

I love driving. I can now drive manual (don’t know why I bothered) but much prefer automatic and there are far more automatics around than even 10 years ago

I got taught, and passed my test, in a manual, 35 years ago. Was brought up to think that proper drivers, good drivers, only drive manuals. Getting our first automatic was a revelation. I will never go back. It was annoying, when we came over here, how many cars were manual only! We specifically chose our vehicle on the basis of being an automatic. Bugger the faff of a manual, it's a completely, utterly, unnecessary, drag.

I passed first time on a manual and never had any issues driving them.
I still prefer my automatic, much easier on long journeys and in urban ones.
I can't imagine going back to a manual.
I would give automatic a go.

I passed in a manual but have an automatic and I swear a monkey could drive it.

They're basically dodgems!!

Give it a go, OP. No shame in it whatsoever.

I eventually passed my test in a manual, but if I'd known how much easier it is to drive an automatic I would have switched earlier! Will never go back to driving manual.

Go for it, pretty soon getting a manual will be rarer than getting an auto. Where DH and I live it's something like 99% auto and 1% manual for cars. Only trucks > 3.5 tons are manual.

I took my test here in a manual to get a local license on a Wednesday and it took the test center 20 mins to find the keys to the manual test car as it hadn't been used that week. This is a test center that does around 150 tests a day.

Given that all electric cars are automatics there will be very few manuals around in the future. Automatics are so much easier to drive. I made the switch about six years ago. I had a manual hire car last year and hated it. I will never buy another manual.

I've got a manual licence but got an automatic a few years ago and would never drive a manual again. It's like choosing to use a mangle rather than a washing machine.

I guess it depends on why you’ve been failing. If it’s minors/majors due to not being able to read the road or hesitancy for example then it doesn’t really matter if you try in and automatic.

if it’s the physical changing of gears or getting jumbled with what to do with gear stick/pedals at junctions or whatever then it’d be worth a god.

id look back at your previous test and see what your faults were and go from there.

I failed my first test in a manual. It was my 4th attempt at learning to drive. I did a 2 week intensive course and failed in the first 5 mins of the test, and refused to carry on with the test.

I then moved to automatic, and passed on my 4th attempt. I hated driving, and was very nervous. I cried every day on the school run for 2 weeks after I passed my test.

11 years later and I drive pretty much everywhere. I will never drive into London again, as that was horrific! I've driven wales-scotland.

It was hard, but the best thing I have ever having a car and having independence.

The only problem is when the car is in the garage, no one else has an automatic that I can drive!

I did try a few years later in a manual, so I could use the work pool cars. I had a couple for lessons, and still hated it.

I think you should, it's easier than riding a bike

I passed my test over 30 years ago in a manual car. Drove only manual petrol and diesel cars until buying an electric car 3 years ago.
We just changed the 2nd family car (manual diesel) to a smaller petrol manual Ford focus for teenager son to learn to drive.
Honestly I bunny hopped it home (v responsive brakes lol) and given the choice I'd always choose an automatic now.

It's definitely worth a last ditch attempt to see if you get on well with it. Hope it works for you.

I learnt and past my test in an automatic, it’s so much easier than a manual, and as you say there are plenty of automatic cars around.

It obviously depends what what you're failing on, if it's observations etc, it probably won't help, if it's control, then you're much more likely to be successful. I've driven automatic for years now and wouldn't switch back, manuals are a faff in traffic.

I learned in a manual and drove one for several years, comfortably enough but found it impractical in a built up area with lots of stop signs, and baby/ children in the back seat who sometimes needed a tissue or a little snack handed back. Switched to automatic and loved it. I've never looked back.

Your plan is totally logical one. Driving only automatic one is much more flexible than not-driving manual/both.

I had a great instructor and passed with manual, but I wasn't a confident driver and dropped it completely, I didn't really felt the need (my DP didn't drive either).
Years later I started with automatic, and it made all the difference. One thing less to worry about, all mind focused on the traffic (bussy city).
Yes, I theoretically can go back to manual, my license allows it. I originally planned to give it a try, but I just don't want to.

I passed in my own manual car (without power steering) 20 years ago now, after several failed attempts.

Although I loved the power of feeling the gears going up when I was younger, since having dd1 14 years ago and switching to an automatic, I never want to drive a manual again!

Dh is the same. He passed in a manual the year dd1 was born and drove my old manual car for awhile. Then he switched to an automatand has never looked back!

We prefer them so much, we always make sure to book an auto when hiring a car on holiday 😉

Go for it OP. I had a-few lessons in a manual car and struggled with the clutch, thought sod this and went automatic and never looked back! Had my licence for almost a year and so glad I did it. You can do this.

I drove manual for years OP but I went automatic in my current car and quite frankly will never go manual again. It is ridiculously easy to drive an automatic and takes probably half the thinking out of actually manoeuvring the car.

I would say go for it, it's night and day from driving a manual.

I passed in a manual and had various manual models. I've been driving an automatic since 2019. It's converted me, I love it.

Same. I hated manual and never got used to it.

That's a bit snarky. My first thought was 'wow really! No way! Ha, how interesting!'
thanks for sharing @brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I'm off to Google Swiss mental health culture. 🤣