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What are you? Always manual? Was manual now automatic? Would you ever go back to a Manual? What do you guys prefer? I’ve never driven a automatic but a lot of my friends are saying its so much easier and they wouldn’t go back to a manual. Some others say it’s more fun to drive manual.
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Automatic for me. I didn’t have a choice and still don’t but for 99% of the time I’d rather have an automatic anyway. The other 1% would be me driving some older cars that only came in manual just so I can experience it.
The only way you’ll know if you like it is by trying it. I would personally recommend one of the VW group automatics. I’ve had a few of them and never really had any problem.
If you did get an automatic I doubt it would be long before you were saying things like “I’d never go back to manual” I know plenty of people who have said the same thing
I have, some time ago, had manual cars with hand controls on to do the clutch. It worked well and muscle memory soon kicked in and I never gave it a thought.
Some automatics are better than others. BMW are sublime. My old (80’s) VW Caravelle autobox would let you roll back before it would kick in. The very worst is a 2016 Fiat Ducato auto box, which is dire. It tries to be a manual with an auto clutch. I wonder if anyone else has driven the Ducato?
Skoda Enyaq Race Blue
i would prefer manual from a driving point of view but have to have auto now ue to spine and knee issues.
left leg can lock or spasm without warning so doesnt make for good gear changes lol.
mini/bmw box is great, ive also had citroen c4 grand piccasso,mgtf,merc conv,mazda xedos no problems with any of them but mini the best.
I prefer autos now, especially my BMW auto box.
Would I go back to manual the answer is no, but I still have a couple of landys with manual box that I still enjoy driving when I’m able.
Auto box on my X2 due to severely knackered left knee. Would not go back to manual.
Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.Was manual, went automatic some time ago, before we joined the scheme. Would not consider anything with a manual box now, not even as a rental unless it was all that was available.
In life, it's not who you know that's important, it's how your wife found out.
Since driving my first Model T Ford, I’ve driven manuals, that was until a few months ago when I tried an automatic for the first time.
Wanting to go Hybrid, it took me some time to realise this also meant going automatic which made me a bit unsure. After asking on here, I was assured it was the way to go. Now after five months with an automatic, I wouldn’t want to go back to a manual car. For me it a more relaxed drive and has made me look forward to getting in the car and going for a drive again.
35 years was manual, my choice, past 13 years to today its automatics with no choice.
In my 35 years of manual driving I’d only ever driven the bosses automatic BMW car mostly on Motorways so not a lot of gear changing anyway.
Had I’d not become disabled would I still be driving manual I couldn’t say but possibly not but my Son who’s driven manual since 1994 changed to automatic last year and my grandson who’s only been driving under 2 years is telling me he wished he’d gone automatic when he bought his new VW Polo.
They don’t often come out with me but when they do I think there seeing how my car handles stop start traffic in the city with such easy there smitten.
I drove manual up till a hip replacement at 30 then went auto, wouldn’t go back now, I’ve had the occasional 24 hr test drive in a manual and it seems such a faff on now. Saying that auto gearboxes vary in quality, as mentioned above the bmw auto is the best I’ve had, I’m currently in a Mercedes auto and in my opinion has one gear too many (8) in trying to be economical, for example it can quite easily be in 5th or even 6th gear at 30mph and seem sluggish and laboured even with 190bhp so I’m constantly dropping a gear with the paddles to get what I feel is the right gear
No gears now an its still fun. I actually started off learning with a big auto of my dads(big Rover). once i got hang of driving i moved to gears. It made learning easier i think. Had lots of autos and as folk say some are better than others. Even modern CVT types are pretty good now. EV is where its at. Instant torque
Current Car: Hyundai Kona Premium EV...2 way 40kg hoist
Last Car: Toyota C-HR Excel Hybrid...4 way 80kg hoistDue to spinal nerve damage back in the 90’s I have very little feeling in my left leg which means I only drive autos. Thankfully over the years manufacturers have improved their economy to the point where autos compete with manuals. I agree that the BMW box is superb.
Was always manual until I had the Kia Soul EV in 2020. Wouldn’t consider going back to manual, I drive a manual Ambulance for a living and am continually reminded how much easier the automatic helps.
With EVs as the way forward it’s likely we will all be driving automatics and enjoying driving all the better for it.
Although I am fully able to drive a manual car (and do so quite regularly when I drive my daughters cars), I only chose autos now. Years ago, autos were slower than manuals and suffered quite a drop in mpg compared to their manual equivalent. Nowadays, good autos perform better than manuals in both performance and economy, as well as providing a much smoother and relaxing drive. For me, anything that the car can do for you is preferable over having to do it yourself. Nobody would want to go back to wind up manual windows when we now have electric operation. Same for gearboxes in my view.
Having driven at least 100 different autos from many different manufacturers, some are better than others but I have to say that I’ve never really noticed any particularly poor auto boxes, but I agree with the countless comments above that if I had to pick one that sits above the rest it is BMW.
I could really do with an auto for physical ease now, but my brain just couldn’t accept them last time I tried (12 months ago). My vertigo is triggered very easily and the reduced control over pull away and slow manoeuvres was the problem.
That was a DSG box and it felt like the clutches wanted to fully engage which is obviously not desirable when reverse parking. Felt like I was always trying to restrain it by pressing the brake, which is the opposite to gently lifting the clutch in a manual. I might have been better off with a clutchless box if there are any of those left. But for now I’ll have to stick with manual.
I need an auto now, deffo auto hold has made manoeuvres a lot easier and i prefer having paddles so if needed you can have more control over gear changes, also those change’s are quicker so thats another bonus. The down side is most are programmed to change up at the earliest moment to save the planet, unless you have your foot to the floor. All in all i will not be going back. currently though i have a cvt and it has no gears when in D it just floats along smooth as anything.
Manual for me. I still get a kick out of shifting up through the gears.
I get a kick and a huge smile when i put it into sport mode and use the paddles and you can hear that engine roar and when the vtec kicks in omg, i am hooked.. it’s like having a totally different car.
Sadly a manual is just not an option anymore for me. One thing as well if i do floor it it actually changes up when it go’s into the red which is awesome.
ave manual changes are about 500ms to 1000ms dependant on horizontal or vertical(being fastest). By comparison, top autos can change from 50ms up to over 100ms but are still 5 times quicker than man. EV’s dont have gears so they gain a little on ice cars every time a gear is changed, especially on manuals.
You do lose your quality of manual driving, but it takes quite some time ive found, and ive always quickly adapted. One thing ive not got used to in the EV is no gear stick(just buttons), and every time i want to move out of reverse i instinctively move my arm to shift stick to drive etc. I dont know how long im going to take to stop this annoying habit lol
Current Car: Hyundai Kona Premium EV...2 way 40kg hoist
Last Car: Toyota C-HR Excel Hybrid...4 way 80kg hoist
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