Automatic cars and young learner drivers

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NotMyRealName

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I've got a 22 year old student just starting out as a learner driver. Another one probably next year too.

We have one large family car , auto, which is unsuitable for a learner. I've no intention of changing that car, so I've been starting to source a small car suitable for a learner or 2. I'm noticing that a lot of small cars , even down to 60bhp , 1lt etc, are autos. Sure it's not all of them , but quite a lot.

Is it a waste of time learning to drive in a manual, in view of the increasing availability of small autos and the continuing, ( although slowing for the moment ) uptake in EVs ? I frequently rent cars abroad and , increasingly , I'm given an auto although I never select that option.
Any specialist knowledge, advice , opinion welcome.
 
NotMyRealName said:
which is unsuitable for a learner.
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In what way unsuitable other than manual versus auto?

I would have also always agreed that manual was the way to go, but, as mentioned above, times they are a changin' between hybrid and E.V.

In your case it would definitely make more sense financially to use the existing family car.
 
Well it is a large powerful auto, 3.0tdi so ,in my opinion, a bit too much pressure for a learner in Dublin city. Also, it's unlikely to be available for regular or prolonged use by a post-learner. We've already decided that a second small car is our best option in our circumstances, which could also be used for the next learner.
 
You might have insurance problems if buying a second car just for learners.

If the insurance company looks into this arrangement they might consider that you will not be the main driver of the second car and will quote a very high premium.
 
I did that and the premium was high - €1400 for me and the learner in year one, but adding a learner to any policy is expensive . It has to be done if they want to learn . I’m sure the OP knows that .
Im not sure it’s a reason to be negative about the OPs plan
 
S class said:
You might have insurance problems if buying a second car just for learners.

If the insurance company looks into this arrangement they might consider that you will not be the main driver of the second car and will quote a very high premium.
Click to expand...
I'm gonna take up the insurance advice to another thread as thats important too. My main question here is the one about auto v manual. We believe, in our circumstances , a second small car is the best option for us.
 
DannyBoyD said:
Agreed. Small, old & cheap is the way to go

Guaranteed to have a least one prang.

Edit to add: if nothing else manual will slow them down a bit. Overconfidence & an automatic can be a recipe for trouble.
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I've just, in fact , identically made that same edited opinion to my wife vis-a-vis really trying to nudge the discouragement of phone use while driving....a major problem in my observation but a different forum needed for that
 
I agree that it’s too soon to learn in an automatic and restrict yourself to only automatic , but that may have changed in 10 years.
 
Presumably the student will take their mandatory driving school lessons in a manual car. These lessons might give them sufficient practice at clutch and gears contoll.
They could get plenty of general driving and road skills in the family automatic.

Aviva do an offer when you take the mandatory lessons through their driving school, they offer a period of free learner insurance if your car is insured with them.

The driving school manual car can be used for the test.
 
It's not a given that lessons are taken in a manual. Some of my wife's younger work colleagues have opted for the auto option. This was news to me, so that's what started the curiosity of auto V manual for learner in a changing environment. I realise and accept that there are environmental moral issues with a 2 car option. I take responsibility for that. The small second car will continue to be used so it will happen. Thanks for the insurance info. I'm gonna be looking for input on that soon on another thread.
Lots of small engine ,low HP cars are available as autos. Many with very good safety and trim spec etc. Things that were in luxury cars say, 10 to 15 years ago are standard in many recent model small cars.
 
I don’t think it’s a major disadvantage to take a test on an automatic. I would imagine it’s easier to learn to drive and pass the test as well.

There are plenty of used car automatics and also rentals.

Once someone is driving a few years learning on the stick and taking a test should not be too difficult if they really want to
 
I also have student age kids who want to learn and we've an auto family car. I sourced a small manual car for the learners and got myself insured with Aviva, which was surprisingly cheap (< €400) considering I haven't had a policy in my own name for nearly 20 years. Aviva then have a learners package - €575 for 12 lessons and 6 months accompanied driving insurance on your own car. Though I've been told that they're really expensive for newly-qualified drivers so might be pricey if I subsequently have a mix of N and L drivers on the policy together.

I think in say, 5 years time, it may not be worth learning to "drive stick" anymore, but the sort of cheap runaround a young person will be buying, they're still mostly manual.
 
shweeney said:
Though I've been told that they're really expensive for newly-qualified drivers so might be pricey if I subsequently have a mix of N and L drivers on the policy together.
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I had a similar set as you with Aviva.
2 learners and then 2 novices at the same time.
The insurance for the 2 novices wasn't expensive.
It added an extra amount of about 150 euro to the policy.
Most of this related to the novice under age 25.
The extra add-on for the over 25 year old was only 5 euro onto the policy after the under 25 had been added.
 
Everyone should be made to learn in a manual, imho.

Sure, there's more involved, but it's a life skill, it's as important as ensuring that everyone learns a few of the basics about car maintenance.

Even if you plan on driving an EV, you'd never know when you may need to operate a manual vehicle, perhaps even in an emergency situation....
 
That's great info for me , thanks
 
And for sure, I'll have overlap between N and L driver #2
 
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