Learning to Drive and Buying a Car

[Chest Rockwell]

38 minutes ago, cobra_gordo said:

I'd say learn in a manual because it's definitely worth knowing even if you don't necessarily think you'll ever drive a manual. As someone else said you're then covered to drive both manual and automatic cars when you pass your test

But why? What's the value? 'Just so you can' is not a reason. Given that it will definitely cost more, you need to be able to quantify the benefit.

[cobra_gordo]

Because if you suddenly turn around in a few years and decide you want to drive manual it's even more expense to go through a test and more lessons. It's a damn sight easier to learn manual and then go a step back and drive an automatic. As others have said, renting cars you can't always get a manual, vans in particular from my experience. Even down to moving cars for mates when they were too drunk or helping my mum park her car when she's struggling. Not necessary things you'll be able to predict you may have to do when first starting to drive but why restrict yourself?

[Chest Rockwell]

Because of the additional cost and time now. Which is why I'm saying you need to quantify the benefit. I'm not saying it's wrong, but simply that you won't help someone make an informed choice about which one to do unless you properly consider the pros and cons.

Personally I think the only relevant good use case that's been raised so far is renting a van.

[cobra_gordo]

As someone mentioned earlier in the thread automatic cars are on average more expensive to buy and from a quick google, about 20% more expensive to insure. So the lessons might be cheaper but long terms costs are higher. 

This is a pretty good article on the costs.

Manual Vs Automatic Cars | MoneySuperMarket

Edited January 6, 2022 by cobra_gordo

[gmoney]

Thanks for your passionate arguments for learning to drive manual, but I have absolutely no intention of doing so, for the reasons I already outlined in the first post. I have already researched it. 

 

[PowerButchi]

I've got a Confession to make, before I was working as a driving instructor and a lovely bit of crumpet got into the car and one thing led to another and I ended up bonking her so hard the wheels came off the car as a swanee whistle played. 

[Chris B]

Make sure you know which is the speedometer and which is the rev counter. When I first learned, I used one of the simulators - which I found really helpful, except that the actual car I learned in had the rev/speedo in the opposite places. So, on my first lesson, we end up in a country road, and I was amazed at how much faster it seemed when you were behind the wheel - until I realised I was looking at the wrong thing, and was comfortably going at 50 rather than 20-30.

[Accident Prone]

Ignore everyone who gives you shit about learning auto, ignore everyone who qualifies manual as the "proper way to drive" and ignore everyone who tries to give you any reason why you should learn manual first. I spent so many hours and so much cash trying to learn manual, and I dreaded every single lesson because it was such a frustrating pain in the arse. Any money I would've apparently saved by learning manual was spent in lessons trying to learn fucking manual.

I stuck to manual lessons for so long because friends and family championed it, and took the piss out the "go-karts" that are becoming more common. After a LONG while of getting nowhere, my driving instructor recommended I try one lesson with an auto. The penny dropped harder than an ACME anvil as soon as I drove out of my street that day. Everything slotted into place because there was less multi-tasking and less fucking around with a clutch and the bite and working through gears. I've been driving for six years now and never experienced an issue due to "only" having an automatic licence, whether it was buying a car, getting a car repaired or renting one. You're definitely on the right track, and all the "YEAH BUT WHAT IF" shitehawk arguments that the old guard will give you will amount to nothing when you've got the open road at your beck and call.

[Keith Houchen]

If you’re poor, you won’t be able to afford an automatic. I have to change car every few years and I’ve never had an automatic come up on my limited budget. 

[Accident Prone]

24 minutes ago, Keith Houchen said:

If you’re poor, you won’t be able to afford an automatic. I have to change car every few years and I’ve never had an automatic come up on my limited budget. 

I'm sure it's different for everyone, and all depends on your requirements and tastes, but I have never spent more than £800 on a car. I'm not a flashy petrol-head who drools over whatever shiny new motor is being advertised in the media landscape, so I've always gone for the ever-dependable 1999 - 2002 Toyota Corolla. Hell the only reason I've ever had to get replacement cars in the first place is due to incidents that were totally out of my control. Mechanically, they've never let me down.

[Keith Houchen]

3 minutes ago, Accident Prone said:

I'm sure it's different for everyone, and all depends on your requirements and tastes, but I have never spent more than £800 on a car. I'm not a flashy petrol-head who drools over whatever shiny new motor is being advertised in the media landscape, so I've always gone for the ever-dependable 1999 - 2002 Toyota Corolla. Hell the only reason I've ever had to get replacement cars in the first place is due to incidents that were totally out of my control. Mechanically, they've never let me down.

Yeah I’m a boring and safe driver who isn’t into fast cars. I’ve never seen an automatic crop up when I’ve looked within my budget, and not factoring in insurance. It’s more a matter of not being able to be without a car due to household mobility issues and weighing up whether to get a repair or a new car!

Saying that, when my last car died, my family were lovely enough to help us out and I should be sound for the foreseeable with my lovely Citroen C3 Picasso!

[PowerButchi]

How long did you ha e that shocking Skoda for? 

[King Coconut]

I don't think learning in a manual necessarily costs more time and money. Some really manly people have a mechanical sympathy and twig immediately. 

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Driving automatic really is so much easier, but I find the experience more fun when I'm in a manual. But I also find painting Games Workshop figures while drinking stouts fun, so maybe I'm not the best person to judge by.

 

As far as accidents, when reversing off my drive, or trying to at least, a spider fell on me. I panicked and hit second instead of reverse and ended up in my front garden, car surrounded by bricks from the garden wall. Car was fine mind.

 

Edit - found a photo

 

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by ReturnOfTheMack

[stumobir]

I’ve never understood people who find driving fun, if driving on a public road is exciting then you’re probably doing it wrong. I loathe it and can’t wait for the day a driverless Muskmobile picks me up at the front door.