driving test - try for automatic first?

Hi,

I hope this is the right forum for my question!
My 17 year old son wants to get his driving test before end of summer (he has his learner permit)

Now I know it would be faster for him to learn to drive an automatic car and do the test. I drive an automatic though I have a manual licence so not limited.

However I know the automatic licence will limit him to that type of car only.

Personally I feel its not a bad idea to drive automatic first so you can focus on the road and other aspects of driving. Then maybe go back in 3 or so years and do the test for a manual licence.

Any thoughts on this please or should be just go all out for manual first?

colm_mcm

Young fellas generally will have no issue driving a manual. Getting an auto would be a hindrance and limit the cars you can buy.

Foxhole Norman

I would always learn and do the test in a manual, it's vital experience to be honest.

coylemj

colm_mcm wrote: »

Young fellas generally will have no issue driving a manual. Getting an auto would be a hindrance and limit the cars you can buy.

+1 Most autos are in the higher price brackets. A lot of smaller cars are available as an auto but even people who might prefer an auto know that it limits the market when you go to sell it so they accept the reality and buy a manual. That means that when your son goes to buy a car, the vast majority of secondhand cars in his price range will be manuals.

ProudDUB

Have the posters here, ever shopped for, or owned an automatic car?

I have & I had no problem finding one that suited my requirements and budget. Yes, there are more manuals on the market, but the idea that finding a good automatic car is akin to finding a needle in a haystack, is a complete myth.

JamboMac

Does this mean he'd have to do the 12 EDTS twice, once when in an automatic and then again in a manual.

Manual driving of a car is something that most people get fairly quickly, it's the decision making on when to go and not and observations.

It takes about 8 weeks to get your test after your final 12th EDT is finished so if he hasn't started them he might struggle to get it done in the summer time frame.

Sometimes maybe the fear of stalling the car might mean he makes better decisions and less risks.

ProudDUB

JamboMac wrote: »

Does this mean he'd have to do the 12 EDTS twice, once when in an automatic and then again in a manual.

No, he just has to do one set of EDT lessons. If he passes his test in an automatic car, his license will only be for driving automatic cars. So he won't be able to drive other peoples cars if they are manuals. Even if he learns how to drive them later on & he is physically capable of driving them, his license won't be valid for driving them. If he wants to get a license for driving manual cars, he'll have to re sit the test in a manual car, but won't have to do the 12 EDT lessons.

Alanstrainor

My folks had a similar thinking, and happened to have an automatic Polo for me to learn on at the very beginning when I was on a provisional. Drove around in that for all of 3 weeks and we all decided it was a complete waste of time. Started manual lessons, and had to relearn what I thought I was okay at (observation, mirrors, reversing, 3 point turns etc) as they are all very different for beginner drivers in manual cars.

My vote is for getting a manual car. Unrestricted license when he passes, no waste of time on 12 auto lessons, and at the end of the day gears become such a small problem after a few hours using them that it shouldn't phase most drivers.

Greenmachine

Best to get licensed in a manual. Automatic here generally appeal to those who do a lot of mile for work etc, which tend to come a little later in life.

SillyBeans

Another vote for manual. If he passes his test now, he'll have picked up a lot of bad habits (we all do!) before he sits the manual test in the future and it's really hard to lose those habits as you don't have the fear of being a 'proper' learner.

JamboMac

I suppose one of the factors is do you have regular access to a manual vehicle already or would you need to purchase one.

Manual would be best obviously and as many said, bad habits are hard to lose. All the people around me that have had a full licence for many years and I mean manual, know they actually wouldn't pass if they where required to sit again.

cantdecide

Basically, you have to get going with the clutching and changing and get them to a solid standard. You have to then move onto learning new things while learning around the shifting process. As your driving is improving in general, you slowly start shifting more naturally.

Learning to drive is no more difficult than learning to play an instrument or taking up a new sport or activity. Trying to side-step the shifting aspect of learning to drive is a complete false economy, especially in this country. You just have to avoid over thinking what really isn't such big a deal and just apply some old fashioned persistence.

identer

Before you drive my dads car the question he ask is simple " ya learn with manual or automatic" if it auto you not riding that car. Maybe he is old fashion but he kinda believe auto is for "sisi". So maybe you go for manual.