Is it worth learning to drive manual?
April 15th, 2020
Is it worth learning to drive manual?
Short answer: Yes, it is worth learning to drive in manual car.
Why? Well that needs a longer answer:
The conversation often needs to be structured as why to not learn to drive solely in an automatic. While the time for automatics is coming, it’s not here yet. You do have to consider how new or old a car you are buying.
In the past automatics were more expensive to buy, to run, to repair and lost their value faster. Although they have improved massively in recent years, some of that is still true. As a new driver, your first car likely to be one of these older cars? Generally it will be.
Let’s say as a more experienced driver you can get something a little newer. Then your problem becomes, finding the automatic. Different countries have different preferences for cars. Ireland has always preferred manual. So slightly older automatics are harder to find.
Let’s say you can afford to buy a nice new electric or hybrid as your first car. What happens in those occasional situations when you need to drive a different car: Renting a car on holiday. You get a loan car while your car is being serviced or repaired. You need to drive a friends car when they can’t. In these situations you will not be legally allowed to drive the manual if you you just passed your test in an automatic. Where as if you pass your test in a manual you are allowed to drive both manual and automatic.
However, if you are really struggling to drive manual, having given it a fair chance with a good instructor, there does come a time when you may need to accept that automatic is the only option. But for most people, at present, is it worth learning to drive a manual? Yes, it is.
That said, if you want to learn to drive in an automatic we recommend Turning Point Driving School.
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Category: By Darragh Dunne ADI