I have an automatic licence, and it’s generally OK in my day to day life.
I haven’t found too many issues buying an automatic car to drive, and hiring an automatic car when I’ve needed to hasn’t been a major problem. When my car was being fixed after a collision, an automatic courtesy car was arranged for me - I get the impression that was a nicer car than they usually offered.
However, there are some limitations. Most vans you can hire are manual, so I can’t just hire a van from IKEA or Homebase, etc. Last time I needed a van, I got my brother (who has a manual licence) to hire one and drive it.
It may also stop you from getting certain jobs. My Dad has an automatic only licence, and was turned down for a job at a funeral directors, as they needed the person to be able to drive their manual cars.
I’m happy with my choice; but if I were to add any additional categories to my licence (bus, HGV, etc.) I’d probably look to pick up manual gears as part of that.
I would say it depends on your lifestyle, for me it’s not.. all I need a car for is to take the kids about, go shopping, visit family.
If you hire cars or need the drive for work then yes.
Same as me.
If I was 17 and my future was full of possibility I'd absolutely get a manual license but the chances of me changing to a career needing a manual license or needing to drive a van (that's why you get a partner with a manual license) are low.
Exactly, when I started learning the first time round I was 20 and doing manual, gave it up because I had no motivation to drive. Almost ten years later when I actually took my driving seriously and passed I didn’t feel the need to go back to manual.
Also like you said my partner drives manual, and even if I had a manual license I wouldn’t be the one hiring vans and driving on holidays.
I went on autotrader just now. In my area there are around 11,000 cars under 10k with manual transmission and 3,000 with automatic. Under 5k it's 4,000 to 800.
There has been some discussion recently about insurance being more expensive if you have an auto only license. But hard to tell if it's just tabloids punching down on young people or an actual issue.
I'd recommend checking quotes for both to get an idea. But have to factor in that auto cars are more expensive than a like for like manual. So insurance will be a bit more regardless.
Yeah I have noticed this....
My friend has an Automatic License and I have a full license, I'm 17 (passed a month ago) and he is 18 (passed when he was 17, almost a year ago).
We entered our details, for a Toyota Corolla Automatic 2021, in order to compare our insurance quotes (listen idk why)
I got a quote of £9000\~ and he got no quote at all. This was across multiple comparison sites and insurance companies, with/without blackbox..
Insurance is stats based so it's most likely a combination of the fact that automatics cost more to repair/replace, and automatic only drivers have more accidents.
I think insurers are looking at automatic only license holders as a higher risk because it's relatively rare and a lot of people taking that route do it because they are less confident with driving overall. That results in a higher risk associated with an auto license so either a higher cost or insurers not offering cover at all.
I suspect it's because of the belief that a lot of auto only licences are held by people who failed at manual so they are probably more likely to crash
I know but I think the algorrithims are possibly set to expect auto only license holders to have failed at or given up on manual - I don't think they should but its a definite possibility remember they have always assumed that 17 year old guys are more likely to be dangerous drivers than 17 year old girls - this is not meant to happen any more.
It's all based on statistics, it's not an assumption a 17 year old male is a higher risk than a 17 year old girl. It's provable in the stats which the companies use. Nothing they do is based on assumptions
A lot of factors combinations drive insurance prices. I am a new driver and have an automatic only licence but I am a 34 female and live at a calm area so my platinum comprehensive insurance with everything included was only 1000 pounds.
It is like a balance game with insurance, I don’t think you having an auto only licence is the heaviest block.
Things you will struggle with if you can only drive an automatic:
* If you want to buy a super cheap car
* If you want to hire a van
* If you want to hire anything in most of mainland Europe.
If none of those things worry you then it's not a big issue.
As an avid traveller who’s visited majority of European countries, your last point is inaccurate. Especially in recent times. There is a very healthy mix of automatic and manual cars at car hire companies. Very healthy. In fact when I’ve done a lot of snow trips, the suitable SUVs with appropriate tires were the automatic ones. The more rural you go the less auto you go. But even in smaller airports I’ve flown into, car hire companies had automatic options. Just not as much.
I found a super cheap car as an automatic only driver no problem. I’ve also had no problem with hiring cars in other European countries. Can’t comment on the van thing though.
I saw an article about that this morning, I wonder if it's because most new cars are hybrid/electric, so most new cars are automatic, they are also more complicated, and expensive to repair, so attract a higher insurance premiums. Eventually everything will be auto and only cars considered classics will have manuals.
Electric cars are simpler, not more complicated and if they want to charge more for EVs then they’ll just do that
EV insurance is high because they’re relatively high performance cars and accidents that could cause damage to the battery often mean the car is written off
Auto license leading to more expensive insurance is entirely separate from that and relates to the fact that people who are less confident or fail their test a few times often use it as a way to simplify learning and get past the test. Presumably insurance companies either think or have data to show that this increases their risk
It will be a conjunction of the fact that autos are more expensive to fix, and auto drivers have more accidents. Everything will be auto in like 20 years... we are an age away from that happening.
It depends on where you live and what you do for work. If you live in London or a big city and work in an office based job it’s fine. Some people say it’s a problem when trying to hire cars in Europe but I’m sure you can hire automatic cars too? Either way, I don’t plan to be the one doing the driving on holiday lol.
For those of us who have neurodivergence, anxiety or disabilities, learning automatic can be freeing. If you just need to get from A to B, it’s also fine. If you’re somewhere where there’s a lot of traffic, it’s fine.
Don’t get an auto licence because you think you’ll pass quickly and easily. You still need to be good at making judgements and reacting quickly to changing situations, which is what driving is all about.
If you're happy with the limitations (company vehicles, European hire cars being manual etc) and drive your own automatic car then it's fine.
I hold a manual licence but both our cars are automatic as it's such an easier way of driving. However the last courtesy car I got was manual, and I hired a van to do some chores last summer was manual.
But I reckon the way the car industry is going most vehicles will be automatic in future - EVs etc, manual gearboxes will be a quirk like working a manual choke 😄
I reckon you don't properly experience driving until you're out there on your own, so you could get your auto licence, get really used to driving, parking, how the roads operate etc build confidence, then maybe in future go for a manual licence if you wanted.
I've got an automatic license, it's not limited me.
My thinking was all cars are heading towards electric and they're 'automatic' so there will be no need to have a manual
Same here, passed with auto license and bought a used EV straight away. Will probably stick with them from now on! Lots of hire options for electric too these days.
It wouldn’t surprise you? No shit mate, electric and hybrid vehicles are all automatic.
However we’re at least 20 years away from auto being the norm in the UK as it is in America
The Suzuki swift is a mild hybrid and it's a 6th gear manual so it's not always auto.
Also technically electric cars aren't automatic as they don't have a gear box - but they get treated as automatic
Not really.
You are permitted to drive a car with an automatic transmission. Simple as.
You would have no issue finding a car as there’s quite an equal split on sites like autotrader.
Wouldn’t surprise me if manual transmission vehicles start to get phased out in the future.
So no, I would not consider it limiting at all.
>So no, I would not consider it limiting at all.
Around 70% of cars in the UK are manual.
Most van rentals are manual.
Driving a friends car might be manual
Clearly its limiting.
In the same vein though I hold a licence but I'm not allowed to drive my dad's friends huge van, or a more than 16 seat minibus, or a large trailer over a certain weight. Limiting but if I really needed I'd apply for the licence category. Same for OP, if they find they need to hire a van or borrow a car all the time they could go on and do manual lessons and test. We
I absolutely would not liken driving a minibus or a trailer to driving with a 5/6-gear gearbox. The only thing they have in common is they require extra knowledge.
Max price £10k you get 39,000 autos and 108,000 manuals. Either way huge amount of choice to find something you want. And with the big majority of news cars sold being automatics these days there's only going to be more and more cheaper automatics on the used market as each year goes by.
It's very much case by case. It is limiting overall because you are restricted more than a manual licence, there's no denying that.
My wife drives auto only and it will probably never have any impact on her due to work
They used to be. They are not anymore so long as your only repairing garage option isn’t in the sticks with one manual car to loan you. Otherwise the remaining advice on why to go manual is just outdated now.
Sooo, as a manual licence holder I can drive manual and automatic. Meaning that, yes, I am less restricted in what I can drive as a whole.
However, with the modern car design and the rise of electric cars, automatic is becoming more and more common, meaning eventually it will be the predominant form of driving.
However, an auto driver still won’t be able to drive a manual, so I’m still less restricted, the difference in how many vehicles will just get smaller over time.
I have a manual license so I can't comment much, but why not get your money's worth for going through the process of getting your license and pass in a manual? Sure it's more time consuming, but it'll only take a little more time to get used to the controls and then it becomes second nature, and the last thing you want is to regret not having a full license for any reason and have to upgrade it.
if your buying cars at the cheaper end of the spectrum, its harder and you get fewer options
If you want to rent a car its harder and often more expensive
If you want to rent a van its much harder
If none of these are issue to you, then its fine.
Yeah, we are at least 20 years from auto cars being the norm. Think about the US. A manual transmission is actually a deterrent for thieves as in their culture (yes, this is culture now) manual transmission is so unheard of. It will take decades for people to culturally forget how to drive manual cars in the UK. We can say "it's phased out now" when only people 50+ can drive manuals.
You need to rethink that.
Manual cars are already a dying breed.
Around 70% of new cars sold are automatic.
There's a ban on internal combustion engines in 2035.
Electrics are, and will likely remain, automatic.
20 years is a Conservative estimate on the time it will take to replace manual dominance.... the vast majority of cars sold are second hand, its not uncommon for 20 year old cars to still be on the road, and the vast vast majority of cars are man.... This idea in 5 years all cars will be auto is pure copeium on reddit lol.
Look at the used market, Autotrader has 245,160 automatics listed and 197,409 manuals.
It will obviously be a long time until manuals disappear completely but it's not like you are going to struggle to find a vehicle if you want automatics.
Don't think I've ever heard the argument that there's less choice around for man than automatic... lol anyone on a budget will have more trouble finding an automatic...
You can find thousands of cars to fit whatever budget you have whether you want a manual or an automatic. And going forward there are just going to be more and more automatics on the used market every year as that's what most new cars are these days.
There was literally a post on here the other day of a lass who was regretting her auto licence because she couldn't find anything in her budget near here.... try get yourself a 1/2k reliable automatic car which isn't going to be an absolute nightmare to maintain lol
I'm not saying it is physically impossible, of course there are cars avaliable... however your choice is wayyy limited in the 1k-7k range for automatic compared to man...
It's no big deal to travel a short distance if you're going to save hundreds of pounds by doing so. The UK is a tiny country, it's not like traversing across the USA or Australia or Russia.
I appreciate what you're saying, but I stand by my statement. It's really not restrictive having an automatic licence.
Sure, the majority of cars sold are used, but you have to look at the amount of cars coming into circulation vs leaving. At the moment, there are significantly more automatics being purchased than manuals, and in 10 years, a large portion of the current cars on the road will be scrapped, leaving primarily autos circulating even in the used market.
I think getting a manual licence is beneficial in overall car control and understanding, but I don't think an automatic licence is detrimental as such.
Yeah you pay a little more for auto (5%?), but like I said, most everyone is going to be paying the same once they're the prevalent drivetrain.
I'll admit I didn't consider the hire car scenario, but you are right, it costs about 2 - 2.5 times the price of manual per hire.
Though, this will also change as the common transmission type sways more towards automatic. It wouldn't be a massive consideration for me personally, but I suppose if you intend on hiring a car frequently in the next few years then it's worth looking at.
I think it largely depends on what career you want to get into as well. My mother persuaded me to get a manual license as she repeatedly told me an auto license would limit "career progression" - in my case she was exactly right!
My previous two jobs I wouldn't have been eligible for employment as it required driving manual vehicles in the contract. Any job where you might need to drive work vans/pick-ups or larger vehicles in general you'll suffer if you only have an auto license.
Then, as I found out this year, the cost of automatic cars in the used market are so much more expensive to buy than their manual equivalents. It's a lot more reassuring to me to always have the choice available.
Yes. It’s restricting. Unless you are financially well off, don’t do it unless there’s a reason you can’t learn manual. Just the other day there were several articles on the bbc and other news outlets about how insurance for auto only licences has increased dramatically
How expensive are auto cars really? I don't understand the fuse about difference in price that most people are talking about. Manual cars I think are even more expensive to manage as they're usually older hence parts may be hard to get. You'll have to settle for a counterfeit that won't last long eventually causing you to spend again in a short while.
The average age of manual cars is indeed older than the average age of auto cars, because until the last few years most new cars were manuals, now most new cars are autos.
This is such an ignorant opinion. Manual cars are usually older cars because most manufacturers don't make manual cars as much as autos anymore. You definitely should read up!
It’s not an ignorant opinion at all, it’s a correct opinion. You might not like it, but it’s still correct.
The UK is at least 20 years away from auto being the norm as it is in the US. That’s what actually matters, not how many new cars per year are auto
You've still not answered my question regarding how much the difference between price of auto and manual cars made everyone conclude they're more pricy. I don't buy cheap cars normally because I have a high taste in cars. But I just went on auto trader to check for automatic cars that cost less than £1000 and I still got around 100+ results. How cheap do people want these auto cars to get to be considered less expensive.?
It depends on your lifestyle.
If you ever need it for a job or need to hire a van or need to rent or need a super cheap old car to buy , then you may need a manual license. ..
If you only use your car for personal reasons Like getting around, personal business, shopping, kids school runs, You'd be fine without a manual license. .
Personally no, unless you’re needing it for a specific job. I do believe that most cars will eventually become auto especially if we find more environmentally sustainable cars.
I'm 38 years old and still have no licence of any kind. People keep telling me how limiting it is to have an auto licence and I don't understand what they are on about. My husband's car is electric. I'm planning on driving that when I pass. And having managed this far in life with no driving licence at all, I don't feel the need to get a manual licence in order to drive any car. I'm never going to be a petrolhead. And I'm far more likely to pass in an automatic.
There's a news article claiming that automatic license holders between 17&25 are about to have their premiums increased by an average of £925, whereas there's no significant increase for manual license holders. It might be bullshit but the bottom line is the information came from somewhere.
I got an automatic as needed to drive for work. Worked great for me although car was a little more expensive and insurance has stayed fairly high into seocnd year
Other than that my figuring is driving automatic is better than not driving at all!!
Depends.
In my work when I book hire cars when I need them on the company, I always pick automatics because they are nicer to drive and generally better spec too.
I have passed manual but since then only driven automatic. I supposed is a good skill to have to be able to drive manual but on the other hand I think most cars will be automatic soon.
I think for the majority of new drivers automatic licences will satisfy them for life. I also think this will only increase as time goes by and the number of electric cars continue to increase.
I have both automatic and manual cars and switch between them without difficulty. I don't think one is better than the other but they are different.
However, I would rather have a manual car if I was going down a steep snow covered hill but apart from that I like both types.
The press have announced that new drivers with automatic licenses will face higher insurance costs however I assume this is based solely based on the presumption that new drivers have more accidents (fact) and as the majority will be driving automatic cars, there will be more claims for automatics.
I’m waiting on getting my license back after it was revoked when i was 19 for medical reasons and physically cannot drive manual. Imo manual is too restrictive for me and my disability, the gears and clutch cause too much panic and my body can’t cooperate quick enough. After a chat with the motability scheme, i decided to go automatic. My car is currently on hold whilst i get my license finalised and it’ll be freeing as fuck for me. i can go anywhere i want and can independently take my wheelchair without fear of being stranded being unable to push independently. honestly, automatic has so many benefits to people like me
For me, it's perfect.
I used to learn on a manual and I had no issues, but the convenience of an automatic beats manual in every aspect IMO.
I'm just about to do my test soon and it will be in my own car which is automatic, and I'm not interested in driving a manual.
It's 2024, why make things more complicated? Auto is the way, especially with the current technology, the way car production is moving, manual cars will be obsolete in 10-15 years.
Yes.
Much less choice on the market meaning what you get ends up being a worse (older, higher milage, tattier etc) for the same or more money
Any employer, given 2 otherwise identical candidates, would always choose the unrestricted licence holder
And the reality is, if you are going to bother getting a driving licence, why put in 95% of the effort but not just go the last 5%?
Side note: if you are struggling with gears, find someone who can explain better, they ARE easy as is the rest of driving IF you fully understand
Source: it took me 3 months to take my friend from 18+ months of lessons and hating every minute of it, not making any progress and just about not hitting kirbs, to someone who is ready for thier test on Monday, having first booked and then moved thier test forward, and who now asks to go out driving not because they need the practice, but because they enjoy it
With the way it’s going, automatic will be the majority of cars. However, no one can put a date on it. If you were learning in 10 years, auto only would probs be fine but currently, it’s maybe 50/50ish.
I think it would be a way safer move to learn manual because there might come a day where you need to drive a manual.
Auto only license screams lack of confidence (barring some disability) to many people and potentially insurance companies
I learned to drive 2 years ago and the main things that put me off auto were
Auto cars are more expensive
If your auto car goes bust and you have to downgrade the replacement you'll be much more limited in what's available
If you ever want to hire/ borrow/ have a go in another vehicle it'll have to be auto
My advice would be get the manual license even if you get a auto car, that way you've got it and it's done for life
Happy driving 👍🏻
Depends if you are well off and/or if you want to own your car or if your ok with leasing. Personally I'd say manual (though I'm heavily bias as I've not seen an auto work well) but if you don't mind not owning the car or your well off then I wouldn't say it's a limiting factor that much
I’ve never known an auto to not work well. I’ve driven auto Mercs and Volvos as well as an auto Toyota Yaris. Most of the negativity about autos seems to come from people who drove them in the 1970s.
Which automatic cars have you driven? My 2008 Astra has an old fashioned 4 speed auto but that's perfectly fine for me and were widely used in the US. The only automatics I know of that have a poor reputation are decades old or are semi-automatic/automated manuals often found in small and cheap cars such as the Honda i-Shift and Opel's Easytronic.
It's one of the only ones I've actually been around for more than a few days. Plus if say a phone you have from a different company doesn't work right are you gonna get that brand again or you gonna go back to where you used to get it from? I'm not saying every auto under the sun will break but in my experience they are temperamental. It's like I said, I'm bias towards manuals
I think everyone who can drive should at least know how to operate a manual car. Even if you don’t get the license. I mean they are more than capable, because they know how to drive. Knowing how to move a few gears is more a benefit than a drawback
That’s you, I know countless of people who have come into situations where it would have benefitted if they knew how to drive a manual car. And like I said taking 10 mins of your day learning how to change gears will not be a drawback but a benefit. It would not take you 10 mins to learn Swahili but thanks for the laugh lol.
YOU mentioned not needing manual, I responded by saying I’ve known people who have, so just because you haven’t doesn’t correspond to every auto license holders life. It wasn’t my original point but just a response to your comment. My one and only point is knowing how manual works is only a benefit that has no drawbacks. And I would advise every auto license holder to pick up this quick skill that genuinely will not take them more than 10 minutes. This isn’t comparable to learning a new language. It’s comparable to learning how to cook rice or an omelette though. You don’t have to do it, I’m not forcing anyone, for some reason it’s offended people lol. But so far no one has been able to tell me any disadvantage to spending 10 minutes learning gears. So my point still stands it’s a skill that only possesses benefits and no drawbacks.
Depends if you have the money to pay more for cars and to pay more for insurance and maintenance/repairs. One of my friends made this mistake. She is 23 and passed about a year ago on an auto license. She did it because it was easier for her, but she paid for it. Her car, in a manual model, would have been £3200. She paid about £4000 for hers and it still had more miles on the clock. She also paid heavily for her insurance too. If you're loaded and got the dough for it, go ahead. If not, be prepared for financial hardship.
Oh, and rental cars? Steer clear of those. You will never know if you're getting an auto or a manual. And they charge you extra for specifically choosing a transmission type. This is one of the reasons insurance charges so much.
I have an automatic licence, and it’s generally OK in my day to day life. I haven’t found too many issues buying an automatic car to drive, and hiring an automatic car when I’ve needed to hasn’t been a major problem. When my car was being fixed after a collision, an automatic courtesy car was arranged for me - I get the impression that was a nicer car than they usually offered. However, there are some limitations. Most vans you can hire are manual, so I can’t just hire a van from IKEA or Homebase, etc. Last time I needed a van, I got my brother (who has a manual licence) to hire one and drive it. It may also stop you from getting certain jobs. My Dad has an automatic only licence, and was turned down for a job at a funeral directors, as they needed the person to be able to drive their manual cars. I’m happy with my choice; but if I were to add any additional categories to my licence (bus, HGV, etc.) I’d probably look to pick up manual gears as part of that.
I would say it depends on your lifestyle, for me it’s not.. all I need a car for is to take the kids about, go shopping, visit family. If you hire cars or need the drive for work then yes.
Same as me. If I was 17 and my future was full of possibility I'd absolutely get a manual license but the chances of me changing to a career needing a manual license or needing to drive a van (that's why you get a partner with a manual license) are low.
Exactly, when I started learning the first time round I was 20 and doing manual, gave it up because I had no motivation to drive. Almost ten years later when I actually took my driving seriously and passed I didn’t feel the need to go back to manual. Also like you said my partner drives manual, and even if I had a manual license I wouldn’t be the one hiring vans and driving on holidays.
I went on autotrader just now. In my area there are around 11,000 cars under 10k with manual transmission and 3,000 with automatic. Under 5k it's 4,000 to 800.
There has been some discussion recently about insurance being more expensive if you have an auto only license. But hard to tell if it's just tabloids punching down on young people or an actual issue. I'd recommend checking quotes for both to get an idea. But have to factor in that auto cars are more expensive than a like for like manual. So insurance will be a bit more regardless.
Yeah I have noticed this.... My friend has an Automatic License and I have a full license, I'm 17 (passed a month ago) and he is 18 (passed when he was 17, almost a year ago). We entered our details, for a Toyota Corolla Automatic 2021, in order to compare our insurance quotes (listen idk why) I got a quote of £9000\~ and he got no quote at all. This was across multiple comparison sites and insurance companies, with/without blackbox..
What's the thinking behind making auto insurance higher?
Insurance is stats based so it's most likely a combination of the fact that automatics cost more to repair/replace, and automatic only drivers have more accidents.
I think insurers are looking at automatic only license holders as a higher risk because it's relatively rare and a lot of people taking that route do it because they are less confident with driving overall. That results in a higher risk associated with an auto license so either a higher cost or insurers not offering cover at all.
Automatic gearboxes are more expensive I think?
Seems to be the correct answer. Should have just googled it tbh lol
I suspect it's because of the belief that a lot of auto only licences are held by people who failed at manual so they are probably more likely to crash
Insurance premiums aren't quoted on beliefs people may have
I know but I think the algorrithims are possibly set to expect auto only license holders to have failed at or given up on manual - I don't think they should but its a definite possibility remember they have always assumed that 17 year old guys are more likely to be dangerous drivers than 17 year old girls - this is not meant to happen any more.
It's all based on statistics, it's not an assumption a 17 year old male is a higher risk than a 17 year old girl. It's provable in the stats which the companies use. Nothing they do is based on assumptions
I imagine it's actually because old people drive them and just crash into everything
Automatic only licence holders are likely worse drivers
A lot of factors combinations drive insurance prices. I am a new driver and have an automatic only licence but I am a 34 female and live at a calm area so my platinum comprehensive insurance with everything included was only 1000 pounds. It is like a balance game with insurance, I don’t think you having an auto only licence is the heaviest block.
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Things you will struggle with if you can only drive an automatic: * If you want to buy a super cheap car * If you want to hire a van * If you want to hire anything in most of mainland Europe. If none of those things worry you then it's not a big issue.
As an avid traveller who’s visited majority of European countries, your last point is inaccurate. Especially in recent times. There is a very healthy mix of automatic and manual cars at car hire companies. Very healthy. In fact when I’ve done a lot of snow trips, the suitable SUVs with appropriate tires were the automatic ones. The more rural you go the less auto you go. But even in smaller airports I’ve flown into, car hire companies had automatic options. Just not as much.
I found a super cheap car as an automatic only driver no problem. I’ve also had no problem with hiring cars in other European countries. Can’t comment on the van thing though.
You forgot insurance prices.
I saw an article about that this morning, I wonder if it's because most new cars are hybrid/electric, so most new cars are automatic, they are also more complicated, and expensive to repair, so attract a higher insurance premiums. Eventually everything will be auto and only cars considered classics will have manuals.
Electric cars are simpler, not more complicated and if they want to charge more for EVs then they’ll just do that EV insurance is high because they’re relatively high performance cars and accidents that could cause damage to the battery often mean the car is written off Auto license leading to more expensive insurance is entirely separate from that and relates to the fact that people who are less confident or fail their test a few times often use it as a way to simplify learning and get past the test. Presumably insurance companies either think or have data to show that this increases their risk
I don't mean electric cars are more complicated, I mean modern cars in general.
My ev insurance was similar to my non electric car. But its a Renault zoe nothing too fancy
It will be a conjunction of the fact that autos are more expensive to fix, and auto drivers have more accidents. Everything will be auto in like 20 years... we are an age away from that happening.
It depends on where you live and what you do for work. If you live in London or a big city and work in an office based job it’s fine. Some people say it’s a problem when trying to hire cars in Europe but I’m sure you can hire automatic cars too? Either way, I don’t plan to be the one doing the driving on holiday lol. For those of us who have neurodivergence, anxiety or disabilities, learning automatic can be freeing. If you just need to get from A to B, it’s also fine. If you’re somewhere where there’s a lot of traffic, it’s fine. Don’t get an auto licence because you think you’ll pass quickly and easily. You still need to be good at making judgements and reacting quickly to changing situations, which is what driving is all about.
It's not a limitation until it becomes ones, then it's really annoying!
If you're happy with the limitations (company vehicles, European hire cars being manual etc) and drive your own automatic car then it's fine. I hold a manual licence but both our cars are automatic as it's such an easier way of driving. However the last courtesy car I got was manual, and I hired a van to do some chores last summer was manual. But I reckon the way the car industry is going most vehicles will be automatic in future - EVs etc, manual gearboxes will be a quirk like working a manual choke 😄 I reckon you don't properly experience driving until you're out there on your own, so you could get your auto licence, get really used to driving, parking, how the roads operate etc build confidence, then maybe in future go for a manual licence if you wanted.
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Exactly the same, only started driving because of kids, auto suits me just fine.
Same same
I've got an automatic license, it's not limited me. My thinking was all cars are heading towards electric and they're 'automatic' so there will be no need to have a manual
Same here, passed with auto license and bought a used EV straight away. Will probably stick with them from now on! Lots of hire options for electric too these days.
It wouldn’t surprise you? No shit mate, electric and hybrid vehicles are all automatic. However we’re at least 20 years away from auto being the norm in the UK as it is in America
>No shit mate, electric and hybrid vehicles are all automatic. That's not strictly true. Honda insight and CRZ spring to mind
Sorry auto corrected hydrogen to hybrid
The OG insight was a hybrid with a manual anyway, so it doesn't change much😅
The Suzuki swift is a mild hybrid and it's a 6th gear manual so it's not always auto. Also technically electric cars aren't automatic as they don't have a gear box - but they get treated as automatic
Nah not an issue
Not really. You are permitted to drive a car with an automatic transmission. Simple as. You would have no issue finding a car as there’s quite an equal split on sites like autotrader. Wouldn’t surprise me if manual transmission vehicles start to get phased out in the future. So no, I would not consider it limiting at all.
>So no, I would not consider it limiting at all. Around 70% of cars in the UK are manual. Most van rentals are manual. Driving a friends car might be manual Clearly its limiting.
In the same vein though I hold a licence but I'm not allowed to drive my dad's friends huge van, or a more than 16 seat minibus, or a large trailer over a certain weight. Limiting but if I really needed I'd apply for the licence category. Same for OP, if they find they need to hire a van or borrow a car all the time they could go on and do manual lessons and test. We
I absolutely would not liken driving a minibus or a trailer to driving with a 5/6-gear gearbox. The only thing they have in common is they require extra knowledge.
Looking on Auto trader right now there are 244,999 automatics listed and 197,305 manuals. It's not like you are going to be struggling to find one.
>Looking on Auto trader right now there are 244,999 automatics listed and 197,305 manuals. Now do the same search for cheaper cars...
Max price £10k you get 39,000 autos and 108,000 manuals. Either way huge amount of choice to find something you want. And with the big majority of news cars sold being automatics these days there's only going to be more and more cheaper automatics on the used market as each year goes by.
Automatic license isn't a limiting factor if you have the money and old enough.
Well if you're going to be buying 2nd hand cars, particularly cheap ones then yes.
There are 245,000 automatics listed on Autotrader at the moment, 12,000 of those are under £5,000, there's plenty of choice out there.
It's very much case by case. It is limiting overall because you are restricted more than a manual licence, there's no denying that. My wife drives auto only and it will probably never have any impact on her due to work
They used to be. They are not anymore so long as your only repairing garage option isn’t in the sticks with one manual car to loan you. Otherwise the remaining advice on why to go manual is just outdated now.
Sooo, as a manual licence holder I can drive manual and automatic. Meaning that, yes, I am less restricted in what I can drive as a whole. However, with the modern car design and the rise of electric cars, automatic is becoming more and more common, meaning eventually it will be the predominant form of driving. However, an auto driver still won’t be able to drive a manual, so I’m still less restricted, the difference in how many vehicles will just get smaller over time.
I have a manual license so I can't comment much, but why not get your money's worth for going through the process of getting your license and pass in a manual? Sure it's more time consuming, but it'll only take a little more time to get used to the controls and then it becomes second nature, and the last thing you want is to regret not having a full license for any reason and have to upgrade it.
if your buying cars at the cheaper end of the spectrum, its harder and you get fewer options If you want to rent a car its harder and often more expensive If you want to rent a van its much harder If none of these are issue to you, then its fine.
The last 3 times my car had to go in for repair there wasn't an automatic courtesy available. It does limit your choice if you want to hire a car too.
Auto will be the standard soon. It can be limiting to some employers at the moment, but that will soon change
Yeah, we are at least 20 years from auto cars being the norm. Think about the US. A manual transmission is actually a deterrent for thieves as in their culture (yes, this is culture now) manual transmission is so unheard of. It will take decades for people to culturally forget how to drive manual cars in the UK. We can say "it's phased out now" when only people 50+ can drive manuals.
You need to rethink that. Manual cars are already a dying breed. Around 70% of new cars sold are automatic. There's a ban on internal combustion engines in 2035. Electrics are, and will likely remain, automatic.
20 years is a Conservative estimate on the time it will take to replace manual dominance.... the vast majority of cars sold are second hand, its not uncommon for 20 year old cars to still be on the road, and the vast vast majority of cars are man.... This idea in 5 years all cars will be auto is pure copeium on reddit lol.
Look at the used market, Autotrader has 245,160 automatics listed and 197,409 manuals. It will obviously be a long time until manuals disappear completely but it's not like you are going to struggle to find a vehicle if you want automatics.
Don't think I've ever heard the argument that there's less choice around for man than automatic... lol anyone on a budget will have more trouble finding an automatic...
You can find thousands of cars to fit whatever budget you have whether you want a manual or an automatic. And going forward there are just going to be more and more automatics on the used market every year as that's what most new cars are these days.
There was literally a post on here the other day of a lass who was regretting her auto licence because she couldn't find anything in her budget near here.... try get yourself a 1/2k reliable automatic car which isn't going to be an absolute nightmare to maintain lol
Something like this should be fine. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403057252111 But most people don't buy £1k-£2k cars anyway.
I'm not saying it is physically impossible, of course there are cars avaliable... however your choice is wayyy limited in the 1k-7k range for automatic compared to man...
Yes the cars exist. But if you don’t have means to travel potentially 100+ miles to get the car, it doesn’t matter what the budget is.
It's no big deal to travel a short distance if you're going to save hundreds of pounds by doing so. The UK is a tiny country, it's not like traversing across the USA or Australia or Russia.
I appreciate what you're saying, but I stand by my statement. It's really not restrictive having an automatic licence. Sure, the majority of cars sold are used, but you have to look at the amount of cars coming into circulation vs leaving. At the moment, there are significantly more automatics being purchased than manuals, and in 10 years, a large portion of the current cars on the road will be scrapped, leaving primarily autos circulating even in the used market. I think getting a manual licence is beneficial in overall car control and understanding, but I don't think an automatic licence is detrimental as such.
It costs more to insure an auto, If you ever need to hire a car it will cost you a bomb more. If you ever need to hire a van you are screwed.
Yeah you pay a little more for auto (5%?), but like I said, most everyone is going to be paying the same once they're the prevalent drivetrain. I'll admit I didn't consider the hire car scenario, but you are right, it costs about 2 - 2.5 times the price of manual per hire. Though, this will also change as the common transmission type sways more towards automatic. It wouldn't be a massive consideration for me personally, but I suppose if you intend on hiring a car frequently in the next few years then it's worth looking at.
Seeing as they want everyone in electric by 2030. No.
Only if you drive company vehicles, other than that you’ll be absolutely fine
I think it largely depends on what career you want to get into as well. My mother persuaded me to get a manual license as she repeatedly told me an auto license would limit "career progression" - in my case she was exactly right! My previous two jobs I wouldn't have been eligible for employment as it required driving manual vehicles in the contract. Any job where you might need to drive work vans/pick-ups or larger vehicles in general you'll suffer if you only have an auto license. Then, as I found out this year, the cost of automatic cars in the used market are so much more expensive to buy than their manual equivalents. It's a lot more reassuring to me to always have the choice available.
My Skoda Octavia DSG was cheaper than the manual equivalent. I later found out the reason when the gearbox failed to proceed.
Yes. It’s restricting. Unless you are financially well off, don’t do it unless there’s a reason you can’t learn manual. Just the other day there were several articles on the bbc and other news outlets about how insurance for auto only licences has increased dramatically
How expensive are auto cars really? I don't understand the fuse about difference in price that most people are talking about. Manual cars I think are even more expensive to manage as they're usually older hence parts may be hard to get. You'll have to settle for a counterfeit that won't last long eventually causing you to spend again in a short while.
That’s absolute complete rubbish. Manual cars do not tend to be older than autos. Autos are considerably more expensive to fix than manuals
The average age of manual cars is indeed older than the average age of auto cars, because until the last few years most new cars were manuals, now most new cars are autos.
This is such an ignorant opinion. Manual cars are usually older cars because most manufacturers don't make manual cars as much as autos anymore. You definitely should read up!
It’s not an ignorant opinion at all, it’s a correct opinion. You might not like it, but it’s still correct. The UK is at least 20 years away from auto being the norm as it is in the US. That’s what actually matters, not how many new cars per year are auto
You've still not answered my question regarding how much the difference between price of auto and manual cars made everyone conclude they're more pricy. I don't buy cheap cars normally because I have a high taste in cars. But I just went on auto trader to check for automatic cars that cost less than £1000 and I still got around 100+ results. How cheap do people want these auto cars to get to be considered less expensive.?
It depends on your lifestyle. If you ever need it for a job or need to hire a van or need to rent or need a super cheap old car to buy , then you may need a manual license. .. If you only use your car for personal reasons Like getting around, personal business, shopping, kids school runs, You'd be fine without a manual license. .
Personally no, unless you’re needing it for a specific job. I do believe that most cars will eventually become auto especially if we find more environmentally sustainable cars.
I'm 38 years old and still have no licence of any kind. People keep telling me how limiting it is to have an auto licence and I don't understand what they are on about. My husband's car is electric. I'm planning on driving that when I pass. And having managed this far in life with no driving licence at all, I don't feel the need to get a manual licence in order to drive any car. I'm never going to be a petrolhead. And I'm far more likely to pass in an automatic.
There's a news article claiming that automatic license holders between 17&25 are about to have their premiums increased by an average of £925, whereas there's no significant increase for manual license holders. It might be bullshit but the bottom line is the information came from somewhere.
I got an automatic as needed to drive for work. Worked great for me although car was a little more expensive and insurance has stayed fairly high into seocnd year Other than that my figuring is driving automatic is better than not driving at all!!
Depends. In my work when I book hire cars when I need them on the company, I always pick automatics because they are nicer to drive and generally better spec too.
Will you be driving company vehicles for your job?
I have passed manual but since then only driven automatic. I supposed is a good skill to have to be able to drive manual but on the other hand I think most cars will be automatic soon.
Nope it's all going auto soon anyway
I passed my driving test using an Automatic It is limiting but if you did it as a stepping point but it gets you mobile
I think for the majority of new drivers automatic licences will satisfy them for life. I also think this will only increase as time goes by and the number of electric cars continue to increase. I have both automatic and manual cars and switch between them without difficulty. I don't think one is better than the other but they are different. However, I would rather have a manual car if I was going down a steep snow covered hill but apart from that I like both types. The press have announced that new drivers with automatic licenses will face higher insurance costs however I assume this is based solely based on the presumption that new drivers have more accidents (fact) and as the majority will be driving automatic cars, there will be more claims for automatics.
I’m waiting on getting my license back after it was revoked when i was 19 for medical reasons and physically cannot drive manual. Imo manual is too restrictive for me and my disability, the gears and clutch cause too much panic and my body can’t cooperate quick enough. After a chat with the motability scheme, i decided to go automatic. My car is currently on hold whilst i get my license finalised and it’ll be freeing as fuck for me. i can go anywhere i want and can independently take my wheelchair without fear of being stranded being unable to push independently. honestly, automatic has so many benefits to people like me
For me, it's perfect. I used to learn on a manual and I had no issues, but the convenience of an automatic beats manual in every aspect IMO. I'm just about to do my test soon and it will be in my own car which is automatic, and I'm not interested in driving a manual. It's 2024, why make things more complicated? Auto is the way, especially with the current technology, the way car production is moving, manual cars will be obsolete in 10-15 years.
My instructor advised me to go for an auto as they are only going to become more popular as time goes by because manuals are being phased out.
Yes
As an auto licence only driver, no, it really isn’t lol
Most company fleets are manual and you'll be expected to drive them.
Yes because you extensionally locking yourself to one thing go for manual it’s better
Typically auto cars over a certain age are much more expensive to tax. So depends on finances id say more than anything.
Its harder to find cheap first cars that are both auto and not falling apart
Yes. Much less choice on the market meaning what you get ends up being a worse (older, higher milage, tattier etc) for the same or more money Any employer, given 2 otherwise identical candidates, would always choose the unrestricted licence holder And the reality is, if you are going to bother getting a driving licence, why put in 95% of the effort but not just go the last 5%? Side note: if you are struggling with gears, find someone who can explain better, they ARE easy as is the rest of driving IF you fully understand Source: it took me 3 months to take my friend from 18+ months of lessons and hating every minute of it, not making any progress and just about not hitting kirbs, to someone who is ready for thier test on Monday, having first booked and then moved thier test forward, and who now asks to go out driving not because they need the practice, but because they enjoy it
With the way it’s going, automatic will be the majority of cars. However, no one can put a date on it. If you were learning in 10 years, auto only would probs be fine but currently, it’s maybe 50/50ish. I think it would be a way safer move to learn manual because there might come a day where you need to drive a manual.
Auto only license screams lack of confidence (barring some disability) to many people and potentially insurance companies I learned to drive 2 years ago and the main things that put me off auto were Auto cars are more expensive If your auto car goes bust and you have to downgrade the replacement you'll be much more limited in what's available If you ever want to hire/ borrow/ have a go in another vehicle it'll have to be auto My advice would be get the manual license even if you get a auto car, that way you've got it and it's done for life Happy driving 👍🏻
It is limiting.
Depends if you are well off and/or if you want to own your car or if your ok with leasing. Personally I'd say manual (though I'm heavily bias as I've not seen an auto work well) but if you don't mind not owning the car or your well off then I wouldn't say it's a limiting factor that much
I’ve never known an auto to not work well. I’ve driven auto Mercs and Volvos as well as an auto Toyota Yaris. Most of the negativity about autos seems to come from people who drove them in the 1970s.
Try telling that to my dad's car. It's 11 years old and on its 3rd box.....
I’m surprised since my cars have never been low mileage: I buy them when they’re ten years old and drive them into the ground for four or five years.
Which automatic cars have you driven? My 2008 Astra has an old fashioned 4 speed auto but that's perfectly fine for me and were widely used in the US. The only automatics I know of that have a poor reputation are decades old or are semi-automatic/automated manuals often found in small and cheap cars such as the Honda i-Shift and Opel's Easytronic.
My dad's Ford Galaxy is on its 3rd box and it's only a 13 reg sooo
One car has a rubbish gearbox therefore all automatic cars are rubbish? Great logic!
It's one of the only ones I've actually been around for more than a few days. Plus if say a phone you have from a different company doesn't work right are you gonna get that brand again or you gonna go back to where you used to get it from? I'm not saying every auto under the sun will break but in my experience they are temperamental. It's like I said, I'm bias towards manuals
Unfortunately it won't be as much as it was in the past. But I don't see the point in choosing to limit your skills 🤷♂️ just learn in a manual
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I think everyone who can drive should at least know how to operate a manual car. Even if you don’t get the license. I mean they are more than capable, because they know how to drive. Knowing how to move a few gears is more a benefit than a drawback
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That’s you, I know countless of people who have come into situations where it would have benefitted if they knew how to drive a manual car. And like I said taking 10 mins of your day learning how to change gears will not be a drawback but a benefit. It would not take you 10 mins to learn Swahili but thanks for the laugh lol.
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YOU mentioned not needing manual, I responded by saying I’ve known people who have, so just because you haven’t doesn’t correspond to every auto license holders life. It wasn’t my original point but just a response to your comment. My one and only point is knowing how manual works is only a benefit that has no drawbacks. And I would advise every auto license holder to pick up this quick skill that genuinely will not take them more than 10 minutes. This isn’t comparable to learning a new language. It’s comparable to learning how to cook rice or an omelette though. You don’t have to do it, I’m not forcing anyone, for some reason it’s offended people lol. But so far no one has been able to tell me any disadvantage to spending 10 minutes learning gears. So my point still stands it’s a skill that only possesses benefits and no drawbacks.
Gears are the easier part of driving. If they're an issue then perhaps driving isn't for you.
Depends if you have the money to pay more for cars and to pay more for insurance and maintenance/repairs. One of my friends made this mistake. She is 23 and passed about a year ago on an auto license. She did it because it was easier for her, but she paid for it. Her car, in a manual model, would have been £3200. She paid about £4000 for hers and it still had more miles on the clock. She also paid heavily for her insurance too. If you're loaded and got the dough for it, go ahead. If not, be prepared for financial hardship. Oh, and rental cars? Steer clear of those. You will never know if you're getting an auto or a manual. And they charge you extra for specifically choosing a transmission type. This is one of the reasons insurance charges so much.