Why didn't you tell me automatics are so good!
 

I went to test drive an XC60 at the weekend with a view to buying it. My main concern was that I'd never really driven an automatic before (I did once in the 1990's!) and always avoided them.

What a revelation! Automatics are great! Why did no-one tell me this before? Why would anyone ever want to mess around moving a metal stick around a box of gears ever again!

So looking forward to picking up my car in a few weeks and never having to use a clutch again!

Because that's what some people like. :)

Automatics aren't great across the board but some as you've now found are really quite pleasant to use and exactly the same can be said for manual gearboxes.

Some people like a car that they can "properly drive". In an automatic, you can't control the gear as such because it chooses it for you. You can select the gears yourself if there's a tiptronic option, but its not the same as a manual.

Agree OP. Stick-waggling is all a bit primitive - and irrelevant in most cars tbh.

Even in F1, when a Williams test car started lapping way quicker with a CVT 'box than with a manual, the FIA were quick to ban fully automatic changers.

https://www.auto123.com/en/news/f1-t...3-video/34642/

Having had automatics, I prefer to wiggle a stick.

I've been driving automatics since my first rented car in the States back in 1978. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner how good they are!

There's pros and cons about manual and automatic transmissions. For me, the positives outweigh the negatives.

One downside of course that an automatic gearbox can't think ahead, so won't downshift quickly enough when you're turning or navigating a roundabout - it'll only downshift when the engine speed isn't high enough to cope with the lowered road speed.

It is possible to counter this with the use of flappy paddles (where fitted), but many drivers simply won't bother and will be happy to dawdle their way of out roundabouts until the transmission wakes up enough to catch up with what's going on.

Sport mode can also prevent this to a certain extent, but at the expense of keeping the engine speed artificially high to give you the best torque at all times.

Manual gearboxes of course gives you the choice between torque and comfort.

I last owned a manual car about 15 years ago, but I do wear corduroys and slippers....

If all you are doing is standard driving (not racing etc) then there is no need for manuals. Very outdated but only recently have autos become decent with paddles etc. If you are buying older cars generally it’s better with a manual due to reliability.
I’ve had older Volvo autos (AW55 etc) which suck and if they go wrong which most of the time they do it costs a fortune. Then onto our Jag with the ZX gearbox which BMW use too which I have to say is excellent. The wife was always against autos until I got her to drive the Jag. Now she doesn’t want to go back.
Now with electric it’s either 1 gear, or a few with 2 gears is even better. No concern regarding “down shifts” etc.

The trouble is that manuals were 5 speed for decades. Autos were three or three plus overdrive. Accordingly autos were slower, more costly and they were so expensive and frequently went wrong whereas a manual only really had a £200 clutch to fail.

Roll on 30 years and manuals are still 5 speed or maybe 6 which is frankly quite a pain. Autos however are generally 8 or 9 speed now and they are therefore faster, more fuel efficient and are now very reliable whereas the manuals now have £2,000 duel mass flywheels.

There are 2 reasons to buy a manual now a days. Firstly you have a sports orientated car (the auto version is likely faster).

Or secondly you are just a Moron.

Two things that people who don’t like automatics say….

1) You don’t have the same control as you do with a manual. You have way more control with an auto, no chance of your foot slipping off the clutch, no stalling, etc.

2) I’ll forget how to drive a manual car….. Really? It’s like riding a bike, you soo pick it back up again.

When a clutch goes in a modern manual box they’re expensive to replace. My V50 was a shade under £900. I believe an XC is in and around £1500 to replace. It makes taking a chance with an auto less worrying. I love my Auto even though the TF80 is a bit rough and ready. I have to say, I love Auto’s even though I was a latecomer

TT