Automatic driving lessons?

[Rainbow714]

So looking for advice and peoples opinions on automatic driving and lessons. After trying with manual over the years and hating every single lesson makes me now consider automatic and giving it another go. I was extremly nervous driving manual and finding myself getting confused all the time and having to focus on so much. Do people enjoy driving automatic? Are lessons much more enjoyable? How many lessons did people need before they were test ready?

I was learning on and off (when I could afford it, basically) during my late teens, then gave up for a while when I went to uni.

After I graduated, I ended up caring for my uncle who was very unwell, and I quickly came to the conclusion that I needed to be able to drive. There wasn't really time for any messing about, so I bought an automatic car, did my theory test, booked my practical, and crammed lessons (a family member used to be an instructor) and luckily passed first time.

I did it with the thought that I needed to be able to drive NOW, but I could always go back and learn manual if it was ever an issue.

5 years on and it hasn't yet been a problem. Automatics are stupidly easy to drive. I love mine.

Of course it's always 'better' to leave your options open and learn manual if you can, but to be honest, with the way things are going towards electric vehicles, manuals are going be phased out within the next 15 years ish anyway. So it's not as important as it once was.

If it means you can get your license, instead of carrying on struggling, go for it :). The only issue is if you need to hire a car or need a courtesy car and they no autos available, but depending on your lifestyle that might literally never be a problem.

So many people have said to me you need to learn manual and i hated it, which has completly put me off. But things are different now and it would make my life much easier if i could drive, it would only be a small car to get me to a and b. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Do it! I spent a long time trying to pass in a manual, went automatic, passed after 4 months of weekly lessons and haven't looked back. There are some outdated attitudes toward automatic licences leftover from the days when automatic cars were niche and hard to come by. These days the tide is turning fast towards automatics and as pp says, with the onward march of electric cars, manual cars will be a thing of the past. It's no longer hard to come by cheap second hand automatics and many people drive automatic these days regardless of which type of licence they have. No point making life difficult for yourself - you could always upgrade to manual in the future but there no point really as all the arguments for having a manual licence are becoming obsolete. Good luck with it!

I've recently bought my first automatic. I had a few refresher lessons in one as I'd only ever had a manual before and hadn't been driving for 18 months anyway. If you are used to driving a manual there are a few things that take a bit of getting used to but you probably won't have that problem. Ovetall yes, it is easier as there is one less thing to think about. Autos used to be expensive, a lot less fuel efficient than manuals and rather "clunky" as well as harder to come by, but that's all changed now. Modern automatics are much better and there's loads of choice now. Give it a go - what do you have to lose?

Many years ago when the only autos were the expensive cars I would have said learn on both. Now I would say if you are struggling to learn definitely try an auto. I love my auto. Did learn on a manual car but wouldnt choose one now

Thank you everyone for your positive opinions. Im leaning closer to giving automatic a try, here is hoping im not as nervous and don't panic too much. How many lessons did people have?

I passed in a manual and have very rarely driven one since. My cars have all been automatic. Very easy to drive.

I’ll never buy a manual car.

I didn’t learn to drive until I was 30. I passed in a manual but haven’t driven one since. Automatic is so much easier. More and more cars are automatics these days, amd not just the more expensive ones.

We’ve even decided that then the dcs learn to drive, a year or so from now, it will be in automatics because manuals will be obsolete within a few years.