Nah, get an automatic, there is so much going on these days on the roads that the manual box is defunct. So much nicer to drive and less stress, The next generation of cars are electric so manual old stick is gone, move with the times, keep ahead, Old farts like manual and think they drive better, mostly males who were bought up with only manual, times change as we can see, get with it, more choice with automatic. Go for it.
tgray,
Feb 11, 7:27am
I just bought a V8 manual yesterday.
intrade,
Feb 11, 8:16am
yea the problem is over 90% of japanese import are automatics since the 1990s. Personally i have only manuals. I had to hire a trailer because the dracula naigbour could have driven me to collect my secound mb140 van . but i only own manual cars . The good thing is most thieves can not steal the manuals as they dont know how to drive it also.
sparkyz,
Feb 11, 8:25am
Being a country boy, my first driving was in a paddock carting hay, once I was tall enough to reach the pedals. 6 speed box with 2 speed Eaton axle.
I have always driven manuals, but have been driving a work supplied auto for ten years and love the ease of driving. Finally bought an auto family car about four years ago.
I wanted our daughter to learn in a manual. but was overruled!
The company I work for has had to switch to autos for all company vehicles because so many can't drive manuals now.
mrfxit,
Feb 11, 8:37am
Manual verses Auto, is an argument going back about a hundred years.
Auto . > No need to understand about the interaction between car & gearbox (just jump in select "D" & drive) Spend more time concentrating on the road. Less distractions from the vehicle Easier to learn how to drive Get bored easy More time to get distracted by mates/ music in the car. Can't drive ANY type of manual gearbox vehicle. Most auto gearbox drivers, never fully understand about how a car works.
Manual . > Need to understand about the interaction between car & gearbox (right gear for right situation) Spend more time concentrating on everything including the road. More distractions from the vehicle Harder to learn how to drive Harder to get bored Can be a lot more fun Less time & less tolerance for getting distracted by mates/ music in the car. Can drive ANY type of manual gearbox vehicle. Manual gearbox drivers, understand a lot more about how a car works.
tygertung,
Feb 11, 8:41am
It is better to learn how to drive all cars, rather than just some cars.
Also you will want to know how to drive manual if you want to drive a tractor, or ride a motorbike.
It doesn't really take very long to learn to drive manual. I still remember it well from about '99 when I learnt.
Bet thing to do is to learn vaguely how to do it, and then do a long road trip. We drove from Christchurch up to Pelourus Bridge, near Nelson, via the coast road. Had it well and truly sorted by then.
mrfxit,
Feb 11, 8:43am
"Can you drive a stick shift?" "Column or floor?""
LMAO, I can remember some ppl getting confused about how to operate the difference between column or floor shift, but I can't ever remember someone not being able to drive either type once shown how.
But then again, my wife would get confused between different brands of "H" pattern 4 or 5 speed shifters
mrfxit,
Feb 11, 8:49am
AND, thats a great reason for leaning how to drive a manual gearbox. >>> Versatility <<<.
Auto gearbox drivers can only drive Auto vehicles Manual gearbox drivers can drive almost any type of manual OR auto gearbox vehicle
It's like the difference between those that can ride a fully electric bicycle & those that can ride a 10 speed peddle bike.
mrfxit,
Feb 11, 8:54am
I get bored in Auto's Can also easily be the difference between staying on the road & off the road when pushing hard in to a corner (intended or not) when that auto downshifts suddenly & unexpectedly OR upshifts for it's own reasons
mrfxit,
Feb 11, 9:01am
Auto's are awesome in . City driving. Tight bendy hilly city streets Backing a trailer uphill (not that many ppl know how to tow a trailer forwards/ never mind backing it) Those with disability's (missing limb's etc) Those who have Zero mechanical inclination or desire to learn (eg: can't even change a wheel in an emergency to save their own life) Those who's only intention ever, is to drive from A to B.
All of my kids learnt to drive in autos cause that's what Mrs Stevo had when they were teenagers and I wasn't about to let them drive in one of my manuals. One of my daughters got a job where they provide a 4wd double cab ute as a company vehicle. Her husband took her out to give her a lesson in his manual ute the day before she started her job. A couple of hours and she had it sussed. They have offered to replace hers with a newer one from the vehicle pool a couple of times since then but she turns them down because the replacements are autos and she loves the manual. Our other two kids are still driving autos.
dublo,
Feb 11, 10:47am
4 and 2 decades ago, respectively, I taught my wife and both sons to drive in an automatic car - plenty to think about on the road without having to worry about gear selection and clutch pedal/gear lever coordination etc. Wife and one son still prefer auto, other son graduated to manual 4 speed/overdrive transmission and loves it. Personally, I like auto around town and the manual/overdrive on the open road (best to get the most out of a relatively low-powered car) but I must admit our much more powerful modern auto with cruise control (where safe to use it) makes for more-relaxed open road driving! I am still aware, however, that I need to have 100% concentration on my driving.
kazbanz,
Feb 11, 10:49am
Reality of it is that you will find most driving schools nowadays are using automatic cars. So it might be a case of "as needs must' I really struggled to find a driving school with a manual car.
cassina1,
Feb 11, 11:02am
I learnt in an auto as I found when I tried to learn in a manual I found it difficult to concentrate on steering while changing gears. Once I had got used to the auto though the transition to a manual I found easy due to owning a motoprbike and spent about 20 years driving manuals.
wind.turbine,
Feb 11, 11:24am
my only pet hat about a manual is if im in our more modern colorado work ute in busy traffic, you cant just let the clutch in and out as you used to be able to as they just stall, yet my old Triton can even pull away in 3rd from a stop on the flat if you so desired to do so, so in busy traffic like hitting Auckland rush hour I tend to be able to idle long in 1st most of the time compared to having to accelerate, end up too fast then stop then start all over again. not to mention the extra clutch wear with the need to speed up engine first. I compare most modern utes to driving a manual petrol but not quite as bad
bitsy_boffin,
Feb 11, 11:50am
Driving a manual is more fun (IMHO) if you like driving as an experience, if you drive as a means to get from A to B, maybe not.
In the modern era, it's hard to make a good argument why it's "better" - "you can engine brake" is hardly a ringing endorsement. Once upon a time automatic transmissions were bad. That's not really the case now, technology moved on.
With EVs and Hybrids going to outnumber internal combustion in the next 15 to 20 years there won't be manual transmissions to use anyway except for "classics".
So I wouldn't say "don't learn in a manual", but I also wouldn't say "go out of your way to learn in a manual", it doesn't matter either way. If said kid gets into cars, then they can learn to drive a stick then, if they don't they probably won't ever need to.
tygertung,
Feb 11, 12:14pm
Manuals are better for towing as the gearbox doesn't get as hot.
andy61,
Feb 11, 12:57pm
Thats not always the case- My last ute was a manual, (2010 Hilux) in the handbook it said not to tow heavy loads in 5th gear as it can overheat the the gearbox, recommended using 4th gear which is a pain when travelling a long distance with a load on behind. Much nicer towing with an auto by the way.
tygertung,
Feb 11, 1:04pm
Strange, although I don't know much about these brand new vehicles. I guess it would depend on the load weight.
tamarillo,
Feb 11, 1:40pm
This. Even Europe is moving to autos more and more. Take away the whole gear business and let them concentrate on the rest. So much happening on roads now. Bigger schools do have manual sometimes, majority stick to auto.
tygertung,
Feb 11, 1:52pm
I personally find with the automatic is that I become disengaged with the driving process and find it harder to concentrate as it is so boring.
ianalice1,
Feb 11, 2:29pm
My brother taught me to drive in a late 50's VW beetle. Great car. Years alter I bought one & best cat I had. Manual is better, but to with stuffed knees I have to use an auto.
mrfxit,
Feb 11, 3:23pm
An interesting point about "restricted" licenced drivers is they are restricted to Auto's for 1 year
No such restriction for a manual gearbox driver
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