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Which is better, manual or automatic?

I'm having a hard time deciding which, i'm planning to buy a car

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It depends. Most cars in the UK are manual, so if you were to restrict yourself to automatic, you'll find your choices are quite limited, certainly if you're buying a used car. Automatic cars are easier to drive, especially in urban areas where you have to keep stopping and starting. Manual cars allow for more "efficient" driving as the driver can anticipate gear changes, eg when they see a hill approaching or need to overtake.

If you've only driven manual cars so far, maybe test drive an automatic to see if you prefer it?

Reply 2

username5027880

In my opinion manual.
Definitely cheaper to run than automatics.

Reply 3

Chicken_1011

Original post by a4adams

I'm having a hard time deciding which, i'm planning to buy a car

It can depend on a variety of factors. However, if you end up deciding to buy an automatic car stay away from older used automatics, they are notorious for their reliability issues.

Manuals are more fuel efficient and cheaper in the long run; you also have much more of a selection in the UK car market. Automatics are generally more expensive to run and to repair also. If you have the money however, why not go automatic as they are a lot easier to drive.

Reply 4

username402722

Manual. When we have winter you will be grateful for the control that you gain, especially on a hill.

I'd hold off buying a car at present, as I have suggested on other threads. When there is the large increase in unemployment post the end of the furlough scheme, there will be a glut of used cars on the market and prices may come down.

Reply 5

Cubone-r

Original post by barnetlad

I'm in the process of buying a new car myself and that's a very good point; I might hold off for a bit then. Cheers.

Reply 6

Nuffles

Original post by barnetlad

Manual. When we have winter you will be grateful for the control that you gain, especially on a hill.

Six of one and half a dozen of the other. When we had some snow last winter I got up a hill in my old manual TipTronic Golf which I'm pretty certain I wouldn't have gotten up in a manual. I barely had enough traction and I was feathering the throttle to maintain it, and during the course of the hill I ended up dropping two gears as I slowly lost momentum (the hill was the best part of a mile long). The auto dropped them smoothly and I didn't lose traction - with a manual you'd have to rev-match downshift perfectly to accomplish the same thing. There's a reason off-roaders tend to prefer autos over manuals (alongside being able to crawl along at a snail's pace without riding the clutch)

I did have to turn off the traction control half way up to stop it cutting engine power at the hint of slip which helped a lot as well. Let me do the throttle modulation please! You have a surprising amount of control over an auto gearbox once you learn how to "talk" to it with the throttle. I could pretty much get it to change gear when I wanted by more or less aggressively utilising throttle input.

Reply 7

StriderHort

I learned manual but switched to auto in about a year and far prefer it. Lets me get far more comfy, 2 less things to faff about with and a lot of my driving in urban where they shine. I feel at this point the vast majority of autos are semiautos (even my 02 & 06 ones were) so there's always an element of control if you want it.

I've admittedly never had to deal with the cost of fixing one.

Reply 8

xoxAngel_Kxox

I have an auto and have driven auto for more than 5 years. Never seen the slightest drawback of doing so. To be honest, if you're buying second hand you're probably better seeing what deals are around. If you have a manual license it doesn't really matter. FWIW a lot of people I know who have gone auto have never looked back, and don't want to drive manuals anymore.

Reply 9

73iso

For me, driving a manual car is more fun but driving an automatic is easier.

Reply 10

A Rolling Stone

manuals are just more FUN to drive. and i feel they are safer too as automatic drivers tend to mentally switch-off, whereas in a manual you have to continually think about what gear feels better. it's def more enjoyable though

Reply 11

StriderHort

Original post by 73iso

For me, driving a manual car is more fun but driving an automatic is easier.

Original post by A Rolling Stone

TBH I worried about this, well aware that manual is seen as the more engaging drive, but was happily surprised to find auto just meant i got more joy out the rest of it. I kind of get you about the switch off, but i'd argue when you compare it to the loss of shift distraction it likely balances out. Each to their own obv.

Reply 12

StriderHort

Also : supercharged kickdown sound :h:

Reply 13

username5252878

Original post by barnetlad

Surely that’s a good thing? I’m looking for a car now precisely an automatic however the prices are quite high. I understand that at present many cars are lying around however why don’t those who don’t need their cars loan it out? It’s a win-win.

Reply 14

username5252878

Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox

This. I’m switching from a manual to an auto soon and couldn’t be happier. It’s more comfortable from what I’ve driven so far, and I like the smoothness compared to the manual.

In laymen terms ain’t nobody got time to continuously change gears(!).

Reply 15

StriderHort

Original post by Thecrazydoughnut

I think around the peak of Air B'n'B a lot of places tried doing the same with cars, It vanished without a PR trace some time ago so something really bad must have happened to some of the cars :tongue:

Reply 16

username5252878

Original post by StriderHort

That’s because people began to notice the gap in the market for cars and pricing them higher therefore the only thing I’m seeing on car adverts at present is high mileage and high cost surely it should be high mileage and low cost dependent upon the condition of car etc? 😓.

Reply 17

ThuggerThugger

No question - manual, who the F wants an auto?

Reply 18

AH-64 APACHE

Auto drivers are mostly comprised of people who can't change a tire and women, of course they will say automatics are good, they want reassurance their choices are good ones. If you are buying a McLaren P1, sure, get an auto, it's your only choice, but any other normal car will be better with a manual, no complicated fuild resistance systems or CVT rubber bands breaking and costing 5k to replace after 60,000 miles.
I almost brought an automatic Evo, until I found out how poorly those gearbox, even in high performance rally cars designed to go 100mph on snow and gravel are, they have less power than the manual because even the dual clutch SST auto cannot handle the power that the manual can otherwise take.

That's the problem with automatics in the average car, they have the potential to handle massive power like a McLaren box, which can handle 986 BHP but the ones in normal road cars are already pushing their luck with 200bhp since they are built down to a cost.

Reply 19

username5027880

Original post by barnetlad

I think that is very good thinking.
I think it is inevitable prices will drop, you only have to look at dealers and the deals there offering to buy new cars. Give it time.