Manual car or Automatic car

Doppelganger

I'm getting my first car, what is the difference between manual & automatic? Do automatic cars drive themselves like on top gear or something?

yllw.ldbttr

If you're going for an automatic car, whatever you do, make sure it has a flux capacitor. They're only a few extra euro but will save you lots of hassle in the long run.

Mr. Presentable

There is no clutch pedal and the gears auto change in an automatic

veetwin

Doppelganger wrote: »

Do automatic cars drive themselves like on top gear or something?

Yes of course they do. Manuals don't. You have to wind them up first.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

If you're only learning to drive, I would recommend a manual car. If you do a test in a automatic you won't be permitted to drive a manual so it's best to learn in a manual and then buy an automatic!!

Automatics, as Mr. Presentable posted, change gears as required. So you have no clutch, just a break and an accelator pedal.

SteppingStone

You basically just change into drive, park, neutral and reverse in one. You have an Accelerator and brake at your foot. I personally think automatics are easier to drive and a nicer drive for the lazier driver like myself :-D Go automatic :-)

Merch

SteppingStone wrote: »

You basically just change into drive, park, neutral and reverse in one using the brake. You have an Accelerator and brake at your foot. I personally think automatics are easier to drive and a nicer drive for the lazier driver like myself :-D Go automatic :-)

Huh?
OP, start out with a manual is my opinion, it will come to you quick enough, then you can drive both.
Autos are really easy and nice and lazy to drive also though.

You have a gear selector, left in P (park) when parked, I believe there is a pin that projects into the flywheel, to stop it turning so it is an added brake when stopped (dont use at traffic lights) just use when you intend to stop for a while.Can start engine in P, or N (neutral) but just stick to P.
Generally select D for drive and away you go, assuming you have a licence, insurance tax etc away you go, not just hop in and go mad .

basically as mentioned there is no clutch so, your left foot goes on the floor and does NOTHING. Your right foot operates the accelerator or brake, like a manual, either, not both, keep the left foot on the floor.

In adverse conditions like snow where you want to prevent wheel spin/drive slow or where you want to prevent the car from automatically engaging a higher gear as you need more torque like towing, you can prevent the car going up the gears by selecting 1,2 in cars, in some I think there is just L for low. In my girlfriends you can select 1,2 or D which is 3 and 4, to select 3 as max gear you press a button on the side of the gear stick selector, good if you need to drop a gear to overtake or maintain acceleration up a long slight incline on a motorway where you may go up a gear and start to slow down.

Most cars (at least small to medium) are (now currently) manual so there are more options to buy when starting out and autos can be dearer in small cars.

I get to drive my girlfriends auto and its nice if you are just nipping around locally.
Most autos aren't (certainly the older ones) as efficient (mpg/l/100km) as manuals, not as big a deal if you are doing small miles but depends on the specific vehicle fuel efficiency.

SteppingStone

Merch wrote: »

Huh?
OP, start out with a manual is my opinion, it will come to you quick enough, then you can drive both.
Autos are really easy and nice and lazy to drive also though.

You have a gear selector, left in P (park) when parked, I believe there is a pin that projects into the flywheel, to stop it turning so it is an added brake when stopped (dont use at traffic lights) just use when you intend to stop for a while.Can start engine in P, or N (neutral) but just stick to P.
Generally select D for drive and away you go, assuming you have a licence, insurance tax etc away you go, not just hop in and go mad .

basically as mentioned there is no clutch so, your left foot goes on the floor and does NOTHING. Your right foot operates the accelerator or brake, like a manual, either, not both, keep the left foot on the floor.

In adverse conditions like snow where you want to prevent wheel spin/drive slow or where you want to prevent the car from automatically engaging a higher gear as you need more torque like towing, you can prevent the car going up the gears by selecting 1,2 in cars, in some I think there is just L for low. In my girlfriends you can select 1,2 or D which is 3 and 4, to select 3 as max gear you press a button on the side of the gear stick selector, good if you need to drop a gear to overtake or maintain acceleration up a long slight incline on a motorway where you may go up a gear and start to slow down.

Most cars (at least small to medium) are (now currently) manual so there are more options to buy when starting out and autos can be dearer in small cars.

I get to drive my girlfriends auto and its nice if you are just nipping around locally.
Most autos aren't (certainly the older ones) as efficient (mpg/l/100km) as manuals, not as big a deal if you are doing small miles but depends on the specific vehicle fuel efficiency.

Apologies detailed that wrong. Thanks for pointing that out :-)

Mr. Presentable

According to his history, OP passed his test in 2008

dolallyoh

I'd never get a manual again, too many ramps in Dublin these days. Plus less chance of the clutch needing replacing from bad treatment.

Merch

Doppelganger wrote: »

I'm getting my first car, what is the difference between manual & automatic? Do automatic cars drive themselves like on top gear or something?

What do you mean by this? drive themselves? its not KITT, you cant hop in the back and go for a nap, I must have missed that episode of Top gear

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

According to his history, OP passed his test in 2008

I never looked, so is it a manual licence OP or is there an auto restriction on it?
If so you are limited in the amount of cars to look at unless you have a fair few quid to spend. That can help narrow it down, whats your price range and preferred car? or are you just asking outta general curiosity?

matrim

If you're only learning I'd follow the sentiment that you should learn and pass your test in a manual so you have the choice later on.

After that it's a matter of personal preference

Guy:Incognito

Merch wrote: »

I never looked, so is it a manual licence OP or is there an auto restriction on it?

Considering the part you ansewered in the first part of the post, I'd say its safe to assume the OP has never driven an auto. I hope thats the case anyway.

dolallyoh

OSI wrote: »

And the fact most don't have clutches :P

I have a suspicion you are 99% wrong there. Pedals no, clutches yes.

Guy:Incognito

dolallyoh wrote: »

I have a suspicion you are 99% wrong there. Pedals no, clutches yes.

He's not you know. Normal autoboxes use a torque converter instead of a clutch.

EDIT: Here you go http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_transmission

dolallyoh

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

He's not you know. Normal autoboxes use a torque converter instead of a clutch.

EDIT: Here you go http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_transmission

Torque converters have a lock up clutch. But meh, I won't argue it. Instead I will give ye both thanks for enlightening me.

grumpymunster

Doppelganger wrote: »

I'm getting my first car, what is the difference between manual & automatic? Do automatic cars drive themselves like on top gear or something?

If you go for an automatic with something like Ford's active cruise control then once you get above 30kph and engage ACC all you have to do is point. The car will slow down and speed up in relation to traffic in front of you and the maximum speed you have set it at, not sure if Mercedes will go to zero but with Ford minimum speed for ACC is 30kph. That is as close to a car driving itself as you can get at the moment I think.

Manual cars can also have ACC but everytime you break or clutch you have to re-engage it, which in fairness is only pushing a button.

I am not sure have been driving my first auto for two years but sometimes I do miss the manual shift, still there is always the triptronic box.

Merch

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Considering the part you ansewered in the first part of the post, I'd say its safe to assume the OP has never driven an auto. I hope thats the case anyway.

Yes, maybe
If a person can drive a manual an auto is a doddle
I quick run down as above (my post) is about as much as you need, then its like a bumper car, or preferably a dogem.

dr.fuzzenstein

The auto cars don't drive themselves unless you have cruise control.:p

GaryIrv93

I'm asking myself the same question even though I havn't even done my theory test or even ever got behind the wheel of a car yet. But I hope to have it all done and own a car by the end of next year. I am a bit paranoid about not being able to get used to the constant gear shifting and the clutch pedal - it sounds complicated. So for the moment automatic cars appeal more to me. But if I were you I'd do the test in a manual car and get the full licence so the restricted licence won't become an obstacle to you in the future, like let's say you got bored of driving automatics, then with a full licence you could just buy a manual car. You'd have to do another driving test if you wanted to get a manual if you did your first test in an automatic.

GaryIrv93

Another thing you'd want to think about are the pro's and con's of both manual cars and automatic ones. I'll list a few I know of:

Manual pro's:
-Cost less than automatics
-Manual transmissions need less maintenance and also cost less to maintain
-They're more fun to drive, according to people I've asked
-You'd probably get more respect from your mates if you drive a manual

Manual con's:
-Require a fair bit more concentration than automatics
-You must develop a feel for constantly shifting gears and using the clutch
-More complicated to drive

Automatic pro's
-Require less concentration while driving and so may be easier to drive
-No clutch pedal
-The car does most of the work of choosing the right gear
-If you feel insecure you can keep both hands in the wheel most of the time, apart from manuals, where you have to shift gears very often

Automatic con's:
-They're usually more expensive to buy than the same car with a manual transmission
-Need more maintenance, and cost more to maintain
-Less fun to drive
-You might be criticised for driving one, as to many other people you're taking the easy way out

Hope these help, sorry it's so long!

GaryIrv93

Sure it's all up to you at the end of the day. It's your money, your choice

GaryIrv93

which one do you prefer? Assuming you've driven both?

Indricotherium

But can you put cheap tyres on an automatic?

And do they come with always on fog lights?

haminka

Doppelganger wrote: »

I'm getting my first car, what is the difference between manual & automatic? Do automatic cars drive themselves like on top gear or something?

they do if they are called kitt.
but the driver must have curly hair, has to be ready to save damsels in distress and drowning people, run in slow motion and sing crap songs.

haminka

and just to be practical - if you drive a lot of stop and go city traffic, automatic is a good choice. but if you really want to enjoy the driving, get the manual. i personally would never drive an automatic, outside the city it's for lazy drivers and those who just plod along and don't want to have more control over their car. plus, always worse mpg.

Guy:Incognito

haminka wrote: »

but if you really want to enjoy the driving, get the manual. .

This nonsense again? Seriously?

haminka wrote: »

i personally would never drive an automatic, outside the city it's for lazy drivers and those who just plod along and don't want to have more control over their car.

Oh, cliches and nonsense in one. Nice.

haminka wrote: »

plus, always worse mpg.

No.

Plenty of newer autos are more economical than the manual equivelant.

Even older ones, in the real world , are often very much the same, economy wise. People dont drive cars the way manufacturers do to get the optimal mpg.

I'm sure there are plenty of Ferrari and other supercar drivers who think they are gettign on just fine and enjoying their auto's.

haminka

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

This nonsense again? Seriously?




Oh, cliches and nonsense in one. Nice.




No.

Plenty of newer autos are more economical than the manual equivelant.

Even older ones, in the real world , are often very much the same, economy wise. People dont drive cars the way manufacturers do to get the optimal mpg.

I'm sure there are plenty of Ferrari and other supercar drivers who think they are gettign on just fine and enjoying their auto's.

well, let's just for once assume the OP wasn't talking supercars. unless i'm wrong and he is looking to buy a ferrari at the moment, in that case my wrong

GaryIrv93

haminka wrote: »

and just to be practical - if you drive a lot of stop and go city traffic, automatic is a good choice. but if you really want to enjoy the driving, get the manual. i personally would never drive an automatic, outside the city it's for lazy drivers and those who just plod along and don't want to have more control over their car. plus, always worse mpg.

Don't think it's really fair to call automatic drivers lazy, because manual cars can be very intimidating while learning to drive them. The other day I asked one of my parents to be let into the drivers seat of their Focus (manual) just to drive it a few meters through the estate and see what driving is like - I've never driven before and I want to start driving by next year. Anyway although I was told the basics of it, I stalled the car on the first try. The second try I ended up pressing the accelartor much too hard - the car then let out a massive rev and I ended up letting go of the clutch too early. The car then rockets forward, I slam on the brakes also too hard and we both nearly went through the windscreen.

I'd say the same thing happens to almost everyone of their first time, but still got a huge shock as I though it'd be a piece of cake just driving a few meters. I was just cursing the fcuk out of manual cars after what happened. I'll be very unnerved getting back behind of a manual car again, so for the moment I'd feel a lot more safer driving an automatic.

Guy:Incognito

haminka wrote: »

well, let's just for once assume the OP wasn't talking supercars. unless i'm wrong and he is looking to buy a ferrari at the moment, in that case my wrong

If the top end of the car market, built for speed and "enjoying driving" cope ok with Auto's , I think it's safe to say the average buyer of a Focus or Avenis etc will get on just fine.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Most modern performance cars come with auto/dtc/smg boxes. Those who consider an auto lazy need to drive one with more power . The average driver get much more feels and control from a auto or simi auto than a manual.

Thoie

Merch wrote: »

Huh?
OP, start out with a manual is my opinion, it will come to you quick enough, then you can drive both.
Autos are really easy and nice and lazy to drive also though.
<Info about automatics>

One additional thing that can catch people out if they've never driven an automatic before - if you're in D or R, the second you take your foot off the brake, the car will start moving a bit, before you've pressed the accelerator. That can catch some people out in car parks.

dr.fuzzenstein

You can get crap autos and crap manuals. It really wouldn't be right generalizing.
Once had a Merc 200 with the worst lazy autobox you could ever find. As soon as the engine was revving at over 2000 rpm, it would switch down. Nightmare on backroads.
You then had to engage the kickdown by mashing the throttle, it would then switch down 2 gears and sprint away like a loon.
The Smart has, I don't know what it has, it's terrible as an auto and it's just as bad as a manual.
I drove two Fords with auto boxes, a '73 Cortina and a MKI Focus, both where delightful, their rev range was exactly right, if you where cruising they kept it quiet and if you mashed it, they would rev every gear (all three in the Cortina;)) to the red line and return to lazy cruising mode again afterwards.
And I have had many terrible manuals, my worst bugbear would be gearing too low or too high or finding gears would require a 3 monthly expedition with 25 Sherpas.
My absolute biggest hate in a manual:
Going from 5th to 3rd is nigh on impossible in some cars, mostly sh*tboxes built for grannies. And the Kia C'eed, which I liked otherwise.

GaryIrv93

since most people in Ireland drive manuals then it's probably very difficult to practice driving outside of lessons in automatics. Very few people I know drive or have driven automatic cars. I'd say the same's true with most driving instructors.