Thread: The change to Autos?

Originally Posted by Bytemrk

I think you will find it's even less that half the kids now learning to drive manual. Both my kids can - as we kept an old car of my wife's specifically for them to learn on.



About a year and a half ago when my daughter bought herself a car - the sales men in the yard where really surprised that she was happy to drive either - and very few cars in the yards were manual.



The last manual I owned was a 5ltr HX 1-Tonner and I can't see myself buying another.



The reason I insisted both kids learn to drive manual, was not about the cars they are likely to buy - its the ability to move anything if they need to and I think if you learn on a manual, you are likely to be a more mechanically sympathetic driver.

I agree completely, all my kids have been taught on a manual for the same reason. The boy is sold on manuals, but the girls are less so.
I've been cursing the lack of available manuals for a long time, but the new 8 speed autos with the paddles are pretty damn good.

I feel like part of the vehicle in a manual. Definitely adds to the organic feel of the vehicle. Autos are just not as much fun.

Cheers

Had both but prefer manual. The cars we had before the Defenders both bought new were manual by choice. Prior to that 4 of the 5 cars we had were auto. The manual was a three on the tree.

I find autos boring to drive personally.

Both of the kids have manuals as well.

SWMBO learned and got her licence in my RRS 2 door manual. She has always had a manual vehicle until her current Camry, which is an auto.

My daughter learned and got her licence in one of SWMBO's previous manual vehicles (a Ford Festiva), but if she got behind the wheel of a manual vehicle today ........................... I think I'd prefer to be in another state.

I've had mostly manuals, with a few auto's thrown in. The D4 is auto because that is what was available. Had a manual been available, I probably would still have bought the auto.

Originally Posted by ozscott

Autos are just not as much fun.

I'd totally agree with that Scott... and I think the type of driving people do the most probably has a big input into their view (as well as what vehicles they have driven)

Manuals are more fun , generally..... but in peak hour city traffic the "fun" runs out fast.

The modern autos are amazing things and I'd suggest they are more capable than a manual in many situations - sand and climbing steep rocky tracks come to mind there.

And while paddle shifts feel a little odd to start with on a 4x4.... you can have a fair bit of fun with a D4 auto with paddles


When I bought my first D2 I was dead set it had to be manual.... but the ideal car I found wasn't... and neither have the next 3.

If the next one was,it wouldn't rule it out....but maybe I'm getting old and soft. I like my auto.

I think the main thing is fuel efficiency.

Those vehicles with the old 3 and 4 speed autos used a lot of fuel compared to the manuals,and lost a bit of power as well.

The latest autos are very efficient,and make the vehicle effortless to drive.

In fact,looking at the specs for some of the Jap vans,the vehicles with the latest six speed auto,have better fuel efficiency figures than the same vehicle with the 5 speed manual.

AS others have said,autos also excel in soft sand and slow rock climbing.

Originally Posted by fitzy

I like feel of a manual box, you seem more in tune with the car, but when it comes to traffic and city driving an auto is great after a hard days work.
My v8 auto 110 is so much better in the really technical hard stuff.
The td5 110 manual is great to drive in the country. And I try to drive it as much as I can, although that isn't enough these days and I will soon sell it.
The work auto Colorado is boring as bat poo, but good in the traffic on a hot afternoon , when the Colorado was being repaired they gave me a commodore wagon, that was even more boring.
With more gears in the autos it's quite seamless, but I miss the engine coming on through the rev range.
If I didn't have city driving it would be manual all the way.

Mate.
I have a manual Colarado,what a POS!!!!!!
It does lug a 400lt diesel tank on the tray wich doesn't help performance much at all.
Andrew