Learning to drive... automatic vs manual

[poppymango]

I'm very late learning to drive and am frankly terrified of it, but I finally got my provisional license this year and really wanted to start lessons before Christmas.

I had planned to learn manual. It made more sense to me, even though apparently a lot of new cars are automatic.

The problem is the availability of instructors near me who teach manual. They only seem to have slots in the middle of the day when I’m at work, or very sporadically in the evenings - and I know if I only have a lesson every 2-3 weeks I will forget everything in between!

So I have booked myself in with an automatic instructor, just for one lesson. I have to admit I’m a little less scared of this anyway as it does seem less intimidating… so I wondered whether it might be good to do the first few weeks like this just to get myself used to being behind the wheel, figure out my spatial awareness, get used to the road signage and rules etc. I will probably switch to manual at some point as I do still think it makes sense to have the full license if possible.

Am I being daft? (Or, indeed, unreasonable?!😂)

I really just want to get on with it and get over this first hurdle!

Thanks in advance.

I learned automatic and passed last October. None of the "downsides" of automatic applied to me (I'll never rent a van, I won't rent a car, my husband drives an automatic anyway, I can afford the increase in car/insurance prices). My husband has rented cars abroad and here for years and never had an issue getting an automatic.

Do what makes sense for you and your circumstance. There's no real benefit to driving manual these days if you're just using your personal car day to day.

I did all my lessons in a manual then took my test in an automatic after I failed my manual test once. I'd have been on the road a hell of a lot quicker if I'd just done automatic from the start. And getting a licence of any kind was all that mattered to me.

I learned in an automatic and it's never been a problem. It gave me so much confidence doing it that way.

Learn so it works for you. You can always learn manual later if you really have to .

I’m not in the UK, but here‘s my experience:

I learnt to drive in my late 20s and only have a licence for automatic. I‘m dyspraxic and this made learning to drive possible.

The higher end cars are all automatic, as are electric cars. As my husband works for a high end car company, he gets an automatic as part of his pay package. Our second car has always been an automatic run around bought from a pensioner who looked after it well. Car 1 was scrapped at 17 years, car 2 was traded in at 14 years, car 3 is going strong at 9 years. I expect another 7 years from it.

The only time I had an issue was when someone rear ended me and I couldn’t get a courtesy car.

Once you’ve got a licence for automatic, you can do a conversion course for manual if you feel you need it.

Congratulations to you. May I, however, point out that driving trucks and juggernauts is probably not high on a list of priorities for what sounds like a mature woman learning to drive to... I don't know... drop her kids off to school. I got my license at 38 and the skill of driving was somewhat more essential than the skill of driving a manual truck through rivers while being ACE at it to show up my boyfriends.
Forgive me for being blunt but some perspective wouldn't go amiss.

I learned in a manual and have never owned or driven one since unless I’m on a race or rally track - which are the only places you’re ever going to be doing any “proper driving” anyway, however many people get all pompous about autos not being “proper driving.” If you mostly do urban and motorway driving autos are just a no-brainer. Whilst they used to be more expensive and scarcer, that gap has closed enormously over the last decade, and I even find it easy to hire autos when abroad now.

The most important thing is being a confident and capable driver, do that by whichever route you need.

Personally I wouldn’t want to feel restricted on what I’m allowed to drive. I imagine it would feel twice as hard to move from auto to manual than just starting with a manual.

There’s times I prefer manual, where auto lets you down e.g. times where engine braking is necessary- snow, ice, hilly roads. Also, the lag on some autos is frustrating.

I own and drive both.

People get very sniffy about automatics, one friend told me they were for old women

Younger people don't have this silly outdated view! We passed on my Toyota Corolla hybrid to my 25yo dd this year (her need of a reliable efficient car is much greater than mine, I got the 10yo diesel golf back in return). Her young friends are definitely not sniffy about it being auto!

If you live somewhere hilly get an automatic.
My dd regrets getting a manual car.

I think if you are very anxious, starting with an auto is a good idea. There's less to think about so you can focus on developing road sense and getting used to being in control of the vehicle. Depending on how you feel after your first few lessons you could always swap to manual lessons if you want to later.
There are some advantages to having a manual licence as have already been discussed but it would be perfectly possible to get through life never needing to drive a manual if you didn't want to, especially as EVs become more widespread. A lot of the prejudice against automatics is based on what they were like many years ago and they are much better, and far more widely available than previously. If you feel happier learning in an auto there is nothing wrong with that.

There’s times I prefer manual, where auto lets you down e.g. times where engine braking is necessary- snow, ice, hilly roads. Also, the lag on some autos is frustrating.

Doesn't yours have a 'B' option which adds engine braking as required? And no lag on ours, when do you get that? whereas on a manual, even the slickest gear change takes time.

Unless you intend to work in an industry that requires you to drive plant or pool cars like working on a nature reserve etc then I'd go for automatic.

I learnt to drive at 30, I found 1.5 hrs twice a week the best combo, it gives chance to practise what you did the week before, learn something new and put it into practice.

I had one standing lesson on Sunday morning when the roads were quiet and then my other I did whenever my instructor had a space. I wanted to do it this way so I experienced different road conditions. I had lessons for a full year before doing my test because I wanted to experience all weather conditions as I'd be driving with DD in the car pretty much straight away so didn't mind paying for road experience.

Yes point taken. I was simply pointing out that being able to drive manual opens up so much. No she may not want to drive lorries, but she MAY be in a situation I've been in where a friend says "oh just back my car up next to yours will you? I'm feeling ill" and the friends car is a manual!
But whatever, I wouldn't want her to be restricted.

Automatic. Most hire cars are mostly automatic, nearly all new cars are automatic or will be shortly and there isn't a big price difference between manual and automatic.

Don't make life harder than it needs to be.

Honestly the way the world is going, manual isn't going to be requirement for much, not like it used to be.

I learnt manual but took my test in an automatic (long story, health reasons, my instructor taught both and had 2 cars that I could switch between) and always intended to go back and take my manual test but never got round to it. Its never hindered me.

My car, like all autos now, has a neutral gear so can be towed if needed, was no more expensive than its manual equivalent, more fun to drive and is now 14 years old and going strong. Never broken down in its life. Plus it's a damn sight easier getting out at roundabouts. Autos are zippy. Sometimes I'm sitting there behind someone thinking Just fucking GO and have to remind myself they probably have a clutch to contend with.

In fairness, there is a wee bit of a lag on mine but it's not really a big deal. It is quite possibly because I am not flooring the gas pedal so it doesn't "change gears" as quickly as it would if I did.

You sound like you're older than the typical late teens/early 20's learner, I'd say go with what you're most comfortable with to pass the test and get mobile and independent.

Normally I'd have no hesitation in saying try and do the manual test, but if you're nervous and auto makes you feel better about it then just go with that.

This is a joke right?! I laughed reading it but I can’t quite tell…

I’m guessing though that as an older learner OP probably just wants to take her kids to school and do a supermarket shop. Shifting juggernauts through 10 gears to show her boyfriend how well she can handle a gearstick (is that a euphemism?!) not so much…

It's not about whether it's 'real driving' or not, it's about limiting your options down the line. Be it budget to buy a car, hiring a car abroad, borrowing a family/friend's car for something, hiring a van, etc, etc, etc. Always better to learn and pass in a manual than automatic.

However in OPs case I would suggest starting lessons in an auto and adding manual in later might not be a bad thing if it gets the ball rolling. Get past the fear of being on the road and figuring everything else out while waiting for a manual instructor to become available.

I've explained elsewhere my reasoning. No, the gearstick is not a euphemism - but one of my bffs would know exactly what you mean 😊

As many have said passing the test for manual will also qualify you to drive automatics. The reverse is not true
So it keeps your options open. My daughters all drive automatics and love them. I tried one recently and kept trying to change gear! Too many years driving manual. All my sons drive manual

I drive a manual and my husband passed his test in an automatic, so I can drive his car but he cannot drive mine which is difficult if we're out and about in my car and I get tired, he cannot drive it. I know people will say i should get an automatic so we can both drive it but even if I could afford to I don't want to. I love my car. I would go manual all day long, you then have options to drive any car and not just an automatic.

Plenty of autos have crap laggy gearboxes. I have a 2022 plate Hyundai and the gearbox is a nightmare at busy junctions. Foot down - nothing; foot further down - nothing; foot all the way down - loads of wheelspin and still not really going anywhere! Was much the same with the 2018 Volvo I had back then.
Also had an auto BMW around 2014 and that gearbox was great. 2020 Audi was somewhere in between the two

In your situation OP I would definitely learn automatic.

I looked into the stats when my DS (aged 17) was learning to drive, and (1) automatic drivers are less likely to pass their driving test (2) new driver insurance is more expensive (like for like) on an automatic car. But it's speculated that the reason for both of these is because older/less confident/less 'natural' drivers are more likely to learn in an automatic.

DS is learning in a manual (not least because we only have manual cars at home!) but I think automatic would make more sense for you.

DD is learning manual, because we've got a manual car and I'm not switching it just for her.

But if you're going to be buying your own can after you've passed, you may as well go automatic. The number of manuals is only going to keep dropping as petrol is phased out, so it's learning a dying skill.

Thanks all, this thread has made me feel loads better! I will definitely learn in an automatic for the first couple of months, and then try a few lessons in a manual next year to see how I get on.

Hopefully this won’t be quite so scary once the initial anxiety of being in control of an enormous death machine has worn off, and I have some spatial awareness and confidence. I’m really looking forward to the freedom it brings, and having the weight of it all off my shoulders.