[Closed] Anyone regularly jump between a manual and an auto?

I did for a while. You don't forget how to drive a manual any more than you forget how to ride a bike or roller skate.

Yes. I find it a problem the other way round, I occasionally get in the manual car, start it and then try and put it in gear without pressing the clutch.

It's quite rare though, somehow the brain adjusts. It's really not an issue.

Modern autos are great for the driving we do these days. Biggest problem you will have is not going full auto...

We have two cars of the same model in different variations- a diesel manual and the sporty DSG 7 speed flappy paddle automatic. I switch between them and drive each a couple of times a week. Occasionally if I've not driven the manual for a week I'll forget to change gear for the first 100 yards but generally it's not a problem. I suspect this wouldn't happen if they didn't have exactly the same interiors- if you jumped in a completely different car your brain would tell you what to do straight away if it looked different. My dad's done it for the past 15 years in different cars and been fine.

I dont find it a problem switching between the 2 as i drive both regularly its as you say just remembering left foot lives on the rest and use that as the imaginary clutch. Electronic handbrake to manual can get confusing.

I did it for the past 3 years without problem.

Currently in a manual and regret the decision not to buy another auto/dsg every single day 🙁

I found the best way of avoiding left-foot braking was to consciously tuck your foot up near the seat rather than having it resting next to the pedals like you would normally.

Thanks all, some interesting points there. Both cars would have traditional handbrakes which should help and both cars are pretty different so that should help re-adjust the owld grey matter as to which one you're driving! The car I test drove had full auto and manual override via the paddles although I imagine it will spend most of it's life in full auto.

Cheers

I do, no problem with clutching or not, more annoying is the indicators are on different sides in each car 🙁

It's been a year or so since I drove a manual and it took about 10mins to remember how to change gears at the right moment.

Mate does that with no problem with three different type of gearing system. Manual (his Hilux), traditional torque converter (Prado) and his latest flappy paddle dual clutch gearing toy (some far east Lotus "made" car).

I have no problem switching between the first two, i.e. Manual and traditional torque converter automatic.

However, I have read people having to re-learn a bit to get use to flappy paddle system as it is not exactly like traditional torque converter and you need to drive a bit like manual and auto. i.e. off the accelerator when you use the paddle to change gear but with no clutch. I was told by my mate that once first gear is engaged you can drive it like auto provided you don't mess around with the paddle.

I was thinking of upgrading my car from traditional automatic gear to paddle type but then I give up as I think I want the system to mature a bit more before I get one. I am talking about Toyota btw.

😀

I did, going manual to auto was fine, going back to the manual first junction and it stalled as I forgot the clutch, didn't do it again though.

It is far worse swapping between a 'normal' car and one with Stop/Start IMO.

NB: some manuals now need the clutch in to start also.

Paddles to manual wasnt a problem. Going from auto clutch to manual again took a few trips. The temptation was to try and change without the clutch. Then again its the same feeling I have for a split second when sticking it in reverse in different cars half expecting it to be in first.

The car I test drove had full auto and manual override via the paddles although I imagine it will spend most of it's life in full auto.

Almost certainly. I was always convinced that if I had an auto I'd want to keep control of the gears. Once I actually had one I'd resigned it to full auto inside of the first week, the only time I ever touched it was to toggle between Performance and Economy gearing.

NB: some manuals now need the clutch in to start also.

I don't think I've ever started a manual vehicle any other way.

Yep mine is an auto and mrs Hanchurch has a manual, both become natural after a while.

Yep manual diesel van with about 80bhp and DSG/paddle shift option 247BHP Golf.........like others have found bizarrely enough I will once in a blue moon forget about dipping the clutch when rolling towards a junction in the diesel van at which point the anti stall reminds me 😆

Another +1 for no real problems between my full slushbox Subaru Outback and my wife's manual Panda. Same for my wife. We both very occasionally mess up but it's almost always in the manual, not the Auto, by braking to a halt without dipping the clutch, or by reaching the end of our short street, still in second, braking to a near halt without dipping the clutch to check it's clear then simply planting your foot back onto the throttle. Sudden stall in both cases and you don't do it again for weeks.
The situation you mentioned where you "dip the clutch" in the auto is something that I've found that you simply stop doing once you've had a few hours practise in the auto but as mentioned, it's a good plan to be very deliberate about tucking your left foot onto the foot rest or up by the seat until you learn.

[i]The car I test drove had full auto and manual override via the paddles although I imagine it will spend most of it's life in full auto.[/i]

Yep.

tbh Many years ago I choose a auto company car and my Missus gave me no end of grief over my 'old man' car, and how she liked to 'drive' a car. Her next car was an auto and she's (and I) have had them ever since. 🙂

molgrips - Member
I did for a while. You don't forget how to drive a manual any more than you forget how to ride a bike or roller skate.

This. In 16 years of driving in Canada, where we regularly switch between the two, and half of my vehicles were either/or, it made no difference. You just got in and drove.

I always found it strange that in the UK, the distinction was made so hard and fast.

Yep, mine C4 Picasso is semi auto with auto handbrake etc and Mrs Danny's is a manual Honda Jazz. Plus the vans I gave started driving are generally manual too.

Had no problems adjusting to the C4 and only occasionally wonder why the manuals aren't going anywhere!!

Yep swap all the time, different car every couple of weeks. Occasionally forget to press the clutch when coming to a stop in a manual and I mean occaionally maybe three times in as many years.

Drove the ultimate STW dream car the other day.... Octavia VRS with flappy paddles! Been wanting to drive a DSG car for ages - hated it 🙁 Felt like I was just pushing buttons for the hell of it. Would be of use when really making progress, otherwise I just didn't see the point when the car could just do the gear changing instead.

Looks like I'll be sticking with manuals for a while

I have a DSG and a manual car. I swap between to two all the time. I can't stand the DSG and would quite happily get rid but my wife likes it.

Manual vectra and auto Mazda bongo here. I struggle far more with the indicator sticks being on opposite sides than I do with gears!

I struggle but I struggled far more having rapid rise on one bike and normal gears on my other.

I will add that I find it more difficult switching from work's van with the handbrake on the right of the driver (WTF Peugeot???) to my cars than between my auto and manual.

I keep forgetting to change down to first at junctions in my manual after driving the auto for a while so either get bogged down and sit there waiting for the engine revs to pick up or change quickly depending on how fast I need to move. I think I did the left foot brake once when I first drove an auto, only a wally would keep doing it 😉

Like the auto when when I driving it but love the manual when back on country lanes.

I have a manual Duster and mrs iolo has automatic Discovery.
I drive both and have no problem switching. I've never even thought about it being a possible problem.

No problem, could be if you passed your test then drove an auto for years, then bought a manual I suppose.

I left foot brake in both cars, it's just a habit, so easy enough to train your left foot if you want to

I had a Passat DSG hire car for a fortnight. I didn't like the paddles at all, seemed pointless. I also didn't like the (perceived) lack of fine control that you get in a manual, adjusting speed with the throttle ahead of hazards/corners and so on. I wonder if that is more a case of getting used to it though, or related to the coasting thing where it decouples the engine if you lift of the throttle gently? I didn't like the way it changed gear in corners either, but again, maybe it needs a different driving style? I think I'd be quite happy to buy one despite all that, it's not exactly difficult, just a bit different in my limited experience of them.

or related to the coasting thing where it decouples the engine if you lift of the throttle gently?

It doesn't, or it shouldn't. Only at trundling car park speeds. Mine is far less likely to change in corners after a software upgrade, but even then its no biggie because it will change down again if it needs to seamlessly.

Better than having to faff about with a gearstick constantly. If the corner thing bothers you use manual mode. Mine has no paddles, but you can change with the selector instead.

Molgrips - some of the newer models do have 'coasting' which yours won't as its an older model

You get used to it really quickly. The wife's just got a new auto car which I drive too. Love the auto box, I'll never buy a manual again. Not sure why people winge about modern auto's. I like to "make progress" as much as the next guy, and have done loads of track days in my time so am obviously a driving God, but these modern autos are great. In 'comfort mode' it can be a bit sluggish, but so am I when I'm in comfort mode, who the hell does racing changes and heal and toe all the time anyway? the clue is in the name.....comfort. But put it in sport mode and the box is sharp as a tack, changes quicker than I could - not without knackering the synchromesh at least. Not sure I'd want to manually change an 8 speed box anyway, it'd be like continually stirring porridge. The auto box keeps the engine in the power band all the time when in sports mode, and in the most economical gear all the time in comfort mode.

Yup me.

My car is a manual and some works vehicles autos. Dead easy to switch between the 2 and can't say I've left foot braked unintentionally, I have purposefully and not put anyone through the screen.

Yes all the time over the last 10 years. Occasionally when driving the manual you forget to change down as you approach a stop/give way expecting it to all happen automatically and very rarely a left foot brake but overall no real issues.

mrs car is auto, my van is manual and i soooo wish my vehicle was auto. changing gear by yourself is for poor people :). we both drive either vehicle all the time and don't ever get confused, as far as i can remember. main criteria for my next vehicle is: must be auto, must have AC.

Would be of use when really making progress, otherwise I just didn't see the point when the car could just do the gear changing instead.

So you bought a manual, which does neither? I leave mine in auto 90% of the time and either override it to overtake, or use the paddles as you suggest, when I'm really 'driving', rather than blindly following the car in front at 30mph.

No issues changing between the two, I don't do it often either, and it's still fine.

Constantly swap between the two (30 years a manual driver, switched to auto flappy DSG Audi malarky two years ago) but my wife still has a manual - neither of us ever has any problems with switching.

The only time I ever had an issue was a few years earlier when I drove an auto (as a one-off) in America for three weeks then totally forgot (probably due to sleep depravation) as I drove back up from Heathrow. Pulled onto a slip-road and slowed down until my car just stalled. Panic set in as a lorry was hurtling up behind me! Fortunately I got it started again in time 😯

Been driving my new to me auto for a month and switched to my wife's manual for a short drive last night. I remembered what all the pedals did and didn't stall it. I prefer the auto now though.

My car has a 'manual override' but I've not used it. Maybe it's 'cos it's got 370lb of torque but acceleration doesn't really seem to be an issue regardless of the gear it's in.

Molgrips - some of the newer models do have 'coasting'

Wow.. Didn't know that. Interesting.

Newer BMW auto's are 8 speed too which has to help with fuel consumption and/or performance by managing the rev range the engine is operating in more easily.

I don't like using the flappy paddles in mine too much - it's a seven speed so the gearings are really short. I barely ever use them at all. I do use the sport mode (pull the stick backwards on my model) which raises the rev limit at which it changes up.

To be honest I am not that much of a fan though – it is kinda okay most of the time but I hate how it takes a bit of time to pick up especially when pulling out of a junction – trying to get the balance between barely moving and shooting like a 15 yr old the first time he hits 4th base is often difficult. (S-Tronic (DSG) double clutch manual I believe the system is on mine). Apparently this is an issue on this particular Auto box and it isn't the same on traditional auto boxes.

Mine is... interesting...

I mostly like it... but sometimes do not.

Pulling away from lights at anything more than walking pace means it revs to 4000rpm before changing up... I mean JEEEZ, I'm not a racing driver, I'm just pulling away ! Change up at 3000rpm you crazy car... If I'm pulling away harder, it's 4500 !

Reversing is a fun game, it's a known problem on the Civics, you have 2 modes... stationary or 20mph !

Works car is an X5, my car is a Golf GTD manual. Funnily enough they don't feel worlds apart performance wise. No issues at all swapping between them, except for maybe the VERY first time, many years ago. I also own a V8 ninety (funnily enough) with an autobox, but all my previous road cars have been manual. Fair few previous work cars have been auto though. I probably prefer an auto, but only if it has a decent bit of oomph behind it.

I've just taken delivery of my first Passat DSG and was worried that I might lose the skills I've learned over 42 years of manual shifting.... but I haven't; it's too deeply ingrained. I'm enjoying te DSG though and it's made me a much more relaxed driver. Even Mrs Gti, who was nervous at first, says she wants to swop her Ibiza for something with DSG as soon as we've finished paying for the bloody kitchen....

[i]To be honest I am not that much of a fan though – it is kinda okay most of the time but I hate how it takes a bit of time to pick up especially when pulling out of a junction – trying to get the balance between barely moving and shooting like a 15 yr old the first time he hits 4th base is often difficult. (S-Tronic (DSG) double clutch manual I believe the system is on mine). Apparently this is an issue on this particular Auto box and it isn't the same on traditional auto boxes. [/i]

As a long-time auto driver I really didn't like the VW DSG system when I test drove one a few years ago, for this reason. Although at the time I'd a 3.5i (traditional) auto, so going from that to pretty much anything smaller was always going to be a shock.

And where does all this left-foot braking come from, right-foot braking in auto or manual - you're not Ari.

The left foot thing comes from instinctively going for the clutch and ending up trying to push the brake to the floor.

I own both a manual car and an auto car. Auto is the traditional slush box. No issues although in the early days of owning the auto (my first) I did catch myself resting my hand on the gear shift.

There is a manual over ride in the selector gate. But it's usually ignored. I select 'D' and just go.

I learnt myself LFB, decades ago. Pretty much useless in Audis these days for the fly by wire throttle controls. So as a consequence, I rarely LFB now.

Get the auto if you want it, you'll be fine
🙂

Does anyone use the semi auto mode on normal autos? I just can't get on with them, I think it's the lack of clutch feeling like I am not in full control.

As per my initial post, I have that feature. But my selector is just a big switch and the GB changes gear when it's happy to, seemingly regardless of my input.

Theres a tad of lag, which I believe the twin clutch system has addressed?

I am driving an Auto - work vehicle - for the last six months. Love it. Although I took my left shoe off when I was driving it at first to help me remember that there is no clutch peddle.....

I am now trying to get my s/o to ditch the manual Scenic we have and get involved with a modern Auto when I have to give the work car back.

I think on modern vehicles if you are a plodder (or even if you are not) there is not much difference. If you live in / near London or heavy traffic area they are great - stop / start / stop / start.

Back to bikes......

Spent many years swapping between manual and auto as MrsMC cannot drive manuals. Eventually we went to two autos, but I was getting manual hire cars for work one day a week, and still no problems [s]after the first T junction[/s].

In 4-5 years time the next small second car we get will probably be the one Jnr learns to drive in - ask me this question again in 4-5 years time!

nah, it's fine, at one point I had a RHD 6 speed manual, LHD Auto, and a properly difficult left hand drive manual dogleg box at the same time.

Auto to manual on the same side of the car is easy, you'll be fine.

Looks like it should be fine! Thanks for all of the info/advice/opinions everyone.

Loving the analogy about having rapid rise mech on one bike and not the other... I have struggled with this in the past to the point where I bought a new mech 🙂

Cheers