Automatic cars

[nifan]

Anyone any experience of automatics over here?
Was looking at cars yesterday and one I looked at was an automatic, with tiptronic paddles as well.
Sat in the car and it was a bit odd to see no clutch, but couldnt take a test drive as theboucher road was a car park due to the ballmoral show.

[the Deel Rover]

don't like Automatic cars myself Nifan driven some a few times and found them hard to get used, to however i know people who have driven automatics all their lives and wouldn't drive anything else .

[T Fearon]

Minimal experience years ago. They do take some getting used to, but a lot of standard cars nowadays have things like cruise control, which are like a half way house to automatic anyway.

Having said that, a work colleague started the boss's automatic car one day (again years ago) and the thing adopted a mind of its own and went straight into a car park barrier at the airport and he was powerless to stop it. He vowed never to drive one again

[bailestil]

Spent couple of months driving them in US and Australia.

I think it takes the fun out of driving. Hard to beat horsing up through the gears.
Auto's like a go-kart, accelerating and braking.

Then again if your not too fussed on driving, for sheer ease to drive it'd be handy.

[The Real Laoislad]

I drove a 4litre Holden Commodore in OZ.Feck me pink it was some yoke to go
Don't think i'd buy one here,As bailestil says it takes the craic outta driving

[nifan]

Thats what i was thinking too, but the tiptronic did hold some appeal, so i may give it a go.
Driving in belfast isnt much craic anyway.

I will miss the clio for parking in the holylands - anything bigger and i wont get into half the spaces i usually do - but she who must be obeyed thinks i need a proper car (mainly so she can justify buying a mini which im against morally)

[the Deel Rover]

I drove a 4litre Holden Commodore in OZ.Feck me pink it was some yoke to go
Don't think i'd buy one here,As bailestil says it takes the craic outta driving

you love those bmw x5 autos don't ya LL meant to ask is that Zach Tuohy lad on the senior panel this year ?

[isourboydownyet]

drove manual all my life until last year i bought my first auto,as has been said took a while to get use to but now i would never go back to manual,if you cover alot of miles auto is fantastic,the only down side they are more sore on the juice

[Mentalman]

Other upside is if you are stuck in traffic a lot, for instance the M50 car park, it provides a little more comfort. I was tempted myself recently when changing car but decided to stick to the stick. I think autos are becoming increasingly popular though.

[armaghniac]

I think autos are becoming increasingly popular though.

the do tend to somewhat harder on the juice, which is an increasingly expensive commodity.

[Gnevin]

I'm not one for speed but have found with my limit experience with autos that they wouldn't pull you out of bed in a situation where a bit of poke is needed

[The Iceman]

nothing but automatics over here in the U.S

prefer manual - definitely big fuel saver - worth considering now with the hiking prices

automatics i would suggest are better suited to older people? kind of takes some of the harder work out of driving for them......

[J70]

Took me a little while to get used to automatics over here in the states. You're constantly aware that you're left foot has nothing to do for the first while! Once you get used to it, they're very easy though, and given the higher powered cars they have in the states, overtaking is not really an issue. I wouldn't like to try overtaking in an automatic 1.0L Open Corsa or something though!

[ONeill]

Drove an automatic in 96/97 and thought she was great. An oul Nissan Sunny estate. It was 15 yrs old though and drove her to Belfast once as I was curting a girl there and when I turned her off in CastleCourt she started herself again as I walked off. Reminded me of that Stephen King novel-cum-film Christine and freaked me out.

Had a bumpy relationship with her after that but I liked her cheeky nature and the way she's clip cyclists or maim dogs. Oh how we laughed.

[Shamrock Shore]

Switched to a Saab 93 Auto 2 years ago and I will never never never never buy a manual car again.