Auto -> Manual car

tk123

I'm looking for some feedback from anyone who's switched from driving an auto to a manual car. Did it drive you mad? Were you sorry or did you get used to it and don't even think about it anymore?

I'm planning on switching cars in the next few months buying either new or a something fairly new. I've been driving auto for the last 6 years or so and was planning on keeping it that way for convienience more than anything else BUT
1) It makes my selection pool of used cars much smaller
2) It adds the best part of 10k to the price of a new car because auto is only availble at the highest spec/biggest engine so the price jumps up..
Most of my driving is stop-go city traffic with the odd trip across the m1/m50 every few weeks.

jayok

Well I went from Auto -> Manual for my car and manual -> Auto for her car. Why?

For me (A->M) I want a more engaged drive and pull. I got sick of the kick-down wait until I wind-up effect of the auto. I prefer controlling the engine braking effect - but this is a personal opinion. I spend a lot of time on Motorway and A-roads and only 10% of time time in town.

For her (M->A) 60% of the time is in the City and cluch just added to the stress. The auto on her car took away all that messing and made the drive a little less stressful.

colm_mcm

Dont know where the 10 grand figure comes from. On a small car it can be from 800, hybrid cars tend to have auto standard
What type of cars are you looking at?

smoking_kills

jayok wrote: »

For her (M->A) 60% of the time is in the City and cluch just added to the stress. The auto on her car took away all that messing and made the drive a little less stressful.

Thats the only reason i'd buy an auto, most of my miles are motorway so its fine with a manual. But when i do have to go into a city I hate it, especially as my clutch is heavy.

jackofalltrades

tk123 wrote: »

I'm looking for some feedback from anyone who's switched from driving an auto to a manual car. Did it drive you mad? Were you sorry or did you get used to it and don't even think about it anymore?

Drove automatics for a good few months and then went back to a manual. Hated it, drove me mad around town, bought another automatic at the earliest opportunity.

1) It makes my selection pool of used cars much smaller

You could also look at the UK market which would increase the pool quite a bit.

Greenmachine

Important question for the OP. Did you do your test in an automatic. If you did you are not licensed to drive a manual gear box.

_Kaiser_

Driving auto's 8 years now and never plan to go back myself.

Have found the opposite in terms of selection actually.. over the last few years there's a lot more around as the "fear"/"immediate dislike" of them melts away once people try a decent/modern one.

In practical terms, it does probably limit you to mainly the German marques though but that's ok with me.

smoking_kills

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Driving auto's 8 years now and never plan to go back myself.

Have found the opposite in terms of selection actually.. over the last few years there's a lot more around as the "fear"/"immediate dislike" of them melts away once people try a decent/modern one.

In practical terms, it does probably limit you to mainly the German marques though but that's ok with me.

Jaguar as well.

Stallingrad

Went A - M and do miss the auto, but not too bad as most of my driving is now motorway. If you driving is city based as you say I would be staying auto if at all possible. What kind of cars are you considering?

_Kaiser_

smoking_kills wrote: »

Jaguar as well.

Hmm I did vaguely consider a Jag at one stage but I couldn't find one at the same level to the A6 that I liked the styling of

I did think about a 03 upwards model BMW 730d but the early ones I gather were plagued with electricial issues.

tk123

Thanks everyone for the replies!


I'm looking at crossovers/SUVs yeti/ix35/cashcow etc- some of them only offer auto on the AWD/4x4 models with bigger engines so bumps up the price...so to be fair not comaring like for like with the price difference of say the base model and higher spec auto.

I think I'll stick to auto - if I'm splashing out I'll be keeping the car for the forseeable future so don't want buy manual and regret it. Also I'm a girl so the car is just..a car and no need for engine breaking etc. I did have a mnual years ago - in a crapbox pajero jrn which may have soured my opinion of them :pac:

Stallingrad

Keep in mind a face lifted Yeti is on the way, as is an all new Qashqai so not a great time to buy either of those.

DubTony

Firstly my main reason for initially switching to automatic was a gammy left knee from sports injuries, that only really bothered me when driving in traffic.
My first auto, a 93 Honda Civic was stolen after 2 years, and written off, and I needed a replacement quickly. I found a relatively cheap Mazda 626 manual with a light clutch, and drove it for 6 months.
Getting used to driving the manual took just a few days, although even after a few months there was the odd hiccup (extreme revving in first gear as I wondered why the gearbox wasn't changing up. So in that respect changing back wasn't that difficult.
But after driving an auto for 2 years, I found it ridiculous that I should actually have to change gear at all. The whole concept of driving a manual was, to me, just stupid.
Next car, and everything since has been automatic. Even my wife insists that her cars are autos now.

tk123

Stallingrad wrote: »

Keep in mind a face lifted Yeti is on the way, as is an all new Qashqai so not a great time to buy either of those.

Yeah that's why I've been holding out until I can see them up close - they better be worth the wait! :pac: