Getting used to and driving an automatic.

[PeterNem]

First and only time I've drven an auto was a 3.5 V6 Pontial C6 when I drove in the states for the first time this summer.

I wouldn't want to live with it, I like having to change gears manually, but I didn't dislike it and for the two weeks I had it, it was fine.

[Jonny69]

The 'box seems to make or break an automatic. I drove a 2 litre Lexus LS200 and it was horrible, changing gear when you didn't want it to, then it would hold in a gear you don't want and it drank petrol. Merc 260 was great but it had loads of grunt. 1984 Z28 Camaro with 300-foot pounds of torque is really awesome. It has no top end power at all but the engine just has loads of power whenever you press the pedal and it's at about 1200-1500rpm at 70mph. And then there's my girlfriend's Renault Scenic 2 litre auto which is a nice box and is always in the gear you want and gives back 41mpg on the motorway.

My mate has an S Type Jag and that's a lovely smooth box but the engine is very powerful in that and before he had an FTO which was a harsh but good box and quick to change gears.

[Justsomebloke]

I think it depends on the motor aswell.
These days i don't mind them so much as ABS makes stopping them possible. When young Autos were crap as without the gears you just couldn't stop the kin things.
Being an old git i quite like cruising around in a big coff armchair only using the stop and go pedals. I can't tell you what it leaves my hands free to do as i will be Forum hung from the nearest high beam.
You do have to drive them differently though with a different state of mind. Lots of Music, food, drink, smokes, phone calls, passenger chats to keep you busy while you float about cruise style.

[Belmit]

If you lived in the US you'd be begging for an automatic after about a month. As soon as you get off the freeway in most towns you'll be parked at red lights for minutes at a time, sometimes stopping at every single block even with no other traffic about. When you have to travel twenty or thirty miles just to get to the nearest mall and you can't go above 65 on the freeway, suddenly it matters very little how quickly you accelerate away from anything. Plus, as soon as you leave a busy city, 95% of drivers become zombies. No-one is in a rush to go anywhere, and they blindly follow traffic rules regardless of other road users - barely anyone lets anyone else out at junctions, and since it's people entering form side-roads in residential areas that have right of way there are stop signs on the main thoroughfare every time there's a junction... and every single person will come to almost a complete stop at them whether it's painfully obvious that there's no-one there or not.

I'm no fan of autos but in the US it makes far more sense... not that this has any bearing on your situation though Feek!

[Feek]

But it's soooo boring.

And especially boring, as it's a BMW I don't need to either indicate at all or worry about parking between the lines in car parks.

[Desmo]

I love the auto box on ours. I hate driving my manual car now and when I do swap cars I'm 90% guaranteeing I get an auto.

[Blackstar]

My dad wants me to learn to drive to automatic, in case we are ever out and he is unable to drive. Usually we take my car, both mum and dad's are automatics but just in case. I don't think i'm going to like it.

[Treefrog]

I've only ever driven one auto and I hated it! Like Vixen I do enjoy the precision you get from having a clutch when manouevring in confined spaces - plus it's what I'm used to. Maybe if I had to drive one for long enough I might change my opinion - but it's not something I want to learn.

[lostkat]

Originally Posted by Feek

But it's soooo boring.

And especially boring, as it's a BMW I don't need to either indicate at all or worry about parking between the lines in car parks.

lol

I've driven an Automatic Range Rover through London, which was bloody great because I was only about 19 at the time and it was my first drive through London with my Dad. It was motorway driving and inner city driving, so perfect for that really.

I've also driven our old works 3 litre jag, which was an Auto. I jammed my foot on the brake by accident a couple of times thinking it was the clutch, and scared my passenger to death . I was also 25 by this time and wanted to see what it could do in the lanes from my house. Unfortunately, I couldn't Again, great on the motorway or in towns, but when you actually want to have a play with a big powerful car, it's so disappointing.

[mejinks]

Originally Posted by Jonny69

.... And then there's my girlfriend.... which is a nice box and is always in the gear you want and gives back 41mpg on the motorway.

Am I the only one that turned that into "my girlfriend has a nice box"?

I am smutted out reading these forums today... Thanks Haly and Blackstar.