AIBU to think DD might as well learn to drive on an automatic car?

[whiteroseredrose]

DD is 21 and has not yet learned to drive. The plan is to learn next summer when she finishes university.

Problem is that DH and I both have hybrid cars that are automatic. I couldn't find a hybrid manual car as they probably don't exist.

Rather than have DD take lessons in.a manual car with either no practice in between or practice in our automatics, take that test and then maybe do a 'conversion' at a later date.

Would that make sense?

Exactly, manual vehicles will be common for years to come.

"Eventually".

Assuming that other techologies such as hydrogen cars - some of which are manuals - and indeed ICEs don't ultimately co-exist alongside EVs as well.

It's barely, barely any harder to learn to drive a manual compared to an auto. So why limit yourself, unless you are just completely incapable of operating a gear lever?

It’s not just operating the gear lever though is it, it’s clutch control, avoiding stalling the engine,hill starts (you can’t stall the engine or roll backwards in an auto).

Thing is, none of that is particularly difficult, especially hill starts in modern cars. It takes a small amount of effort at the start of the learning process. I was a really nervous and reluctant learner, but gear changing was never my problem. It's interacting with other traffic that made the whole thing so hard for me. That's the same, automatic or manual.

People are getting caught up by the cars going electric debate. A number of manufacturers now no longer sell new manual cars in the U.K. I expect that more will follow. Now this means that in 5 or 10 years time the second hand market will be dominated by automatic whether you like it or not. See also hire cars etc.

Yes, in "5 or 10 years time" most secondhand cars might be automatic, but right now they're definitely not, and limiting yourself so much right now doesn't seem very wise.

All the cheapest new cars on sale right now are manual, I recently wrote a magazine article about them.

Acc to car deal magazine, 41% of used cars are automatics, though this varies by area so in the SE of Eng 65-75% are autos; in 2023 73.1% of new cars registered were autos, so the used car market will likely change to reflect the higher number of automatics that will have already have begun to enter the used car market.

So depending upon the area, OP’s DD should easily be able to buy an automatic new or second hand should she prefer to do so. At the moment the OP does not have a manual car, so chances are her daughter will start her independent driving in an automatic. Despite what some PPs say, driving an automatic is definitely easier - I drove a manual for 5 years before switching and will never go back. Hill starts/clutchwork etc make driving a manual more challenging. If you are ND (ADHD in particular), nervous, etc an automatic will also be easier. I will never have to drive a manual again - I’ve hired auto vans for furniture moves, or just opted for a man with a van. There is no real advantage these days to being able to drive a manual when autos are massively available.

What it should come down to is does OP think her DD would learn more easily in an automatic and will DD be in the market to buy a car very soon after passing her test? If not, will she only be driving the OP’s car? If so, then learning in an auto makes sense. Is OP’s daughter ADHD, likely to be a nervous driver, easily distractible, or have any other factor where she will find focusing on driving less natural? If so, then again she may prefer to start learning in an automatic. If at some future, hypothetical date OP’s daughter regrets it, she can have lessons in a manual and upgrade her licence.

I am really loving the parochial comments from people bristling to tell us all that driving is a 'basic life skill' and how 'its €20 a day extra to hire an automatic so your daughter should learn manual'.

I love it. It's like an automatic (excuse the pun) identifier label has been placed over the narrow minded on the site. Leaving the rest of us to deal with the real world where hiring an automatic abroad isn't an issue, and where automatics aren't priced as they were in the 2000s and are actually affordable.

Could you link to the article please @PrimitivePerson ?

I remember someone on another manual v automatic thread saying “I prefer to actually drive rather than just steer.”. I thought it was hilarious.

Dd has an automatic only licence. She tried to learn in a manual and couldn’t get on with it, to the extent her instructor refused to get in a car with her. Swapped to automatic and took to it like duck to water. Yes, she had to have an automatic car and it was more expensive/less choice but not the end of the world.

It's not online, I'm afraid.

Actually, as posted further up the thread, 55% of cars for sale on auto trader right now are automatic, so technically speaking most cars for sale are already automatic. And only a quarter of new cars are available with a manual transmission…

It's a mild hybrid. Not the same.

www.evanshalshaw.com/blog/difference-between-full-mild-and-plug-in-hybrid/

And if you cannot manage that you shouldn’t be on the road

My daughter is going to do automatic only as she has tried manual and can't cope with too many actions at once (ASD).

We think it's fine, 20 years ago I'd have said no that's a crazy idea but autos are more commonplace and future wise they will be even more so. It limits your second hand buying if small cars somewhat to start with but they do tend to be cheaper tbh for starter cars. Probably more to go wrong in them on the downside!

Those saying no reason to learn manual are missing the point of increased costs, running costs and insurance by a significant amount. That's how someone would limit themselves not being unable to drive someone else's car in an emergency. Even the insurance companies see it as a sign of incompetence.

I've only been driving an auto for a year - I regularly said my next car would be an auto but every time I made the purchase it was just so much cheaper to get the car as a manual and as a manual driver I didn't think twice about having to change gears etc etc. this car is a hybrid and a company car so I got as good as I was allowed. I felt uncomfortable at first but now enjoy it. I'd go for an auto if I wasn't paying myself but I can't say I'd definitely go for it next time. I am tight tho.

And if you cannot manage that you shouldn’t be on the road

Or you can drive automatic where none of those skills have any importance whatsoever.

Precisely. MN is very fond of declaring that perfectly competent drivers shouldn’t be on the road.

That’s quite ableist. Dd has dyspraxia so struggled with that. But passed her automatic test 4 years ago and never had an accident in 4 years so she’s fine on the road thanks.

I dont just have cars for commuting. We have lots of cars for fun - track days, events, race days.

You cant compare super cars to the average car people buy to use for daily “drudgery” either.

I'm quite sure that if OPs DD was seriously into cars and racing, she would make other choices. Most people use cars to get from A to B and do not desire to be in control of gear changes.

It is still the case though that manuals are cheaper to buy and maintain, and most rental/ courtesy cars etc are still manual and will be for the next few years at the very least.

Unless it's the difference between passing the test or not, it's still worth the effort to learn how to drive a manual car.

Right, fair enough, but I'm sure you understand that a person with 'lots of cars' is a bit of an outlier in a conversation like this. Most of us can only afford the one, if that. I'm sure if OP's daughter, who this thread is about, was an enthusiast planning on building a collection of cars for racing we'd know about it, and that would change the advice given.