Is there much of a difference between learning in an auto or a manual?
See many posts for either, but is there really that much difference?
Apart from the missing pedal, the big stick that isn’t there, the several gears you could choose from, the stress of changing gear on a roundabout on test, hill starts in a manual…then no not really 
Guess I deserved that reply, lol.
Just about the training side of things, now you can pass in an auto and then drive a manual as long as you’ve got a manual car licence. I’m looking at either for my training, just wondering which would be the best way.
Auto will be easier to pass in, is this what you mean by ‘best way’
richcfc1:
Guess I deserved that reply, lol.Just about the training side of things, now you can pass in an auto and then drive a manual as long as you’ve got a manual car licence. I’m looking at either for my training, just wondering which would be the best way.
Have an assessment in both to see what you think & feel most comfortable with
I have a Scanis ( unfortunately I know ) that does have the 3rd pedal but is an auto use the clutch for start/stop & reversing
I failed first time in the manual I failed because I arrived at a round about a busy one in 5th as told to arrive in 5 postman €wat comes round the corner at light speed I’m trying to get into 4th crunch by the time I had got into gear the Beemer comes round and stops and beeps FAILED as I’m cuting him up
Did my test in the auto I loved the drive of it the retarder button was cool as when you pressed it was like a f17 fighter jet lol the examiner was one of the strictest my instructor said also my test centre had a 50% pass rate I passed with 8 minors
From my experience do it in a automatic save your money you will spend half your tuition on learning the sodding gears where you could be practicing the complicating stuff the gears are a distraction.
Take refresher lessons before your employment assessment drive so you fresh on gears before your assessment 
Digit369:
I failed first time in the manual I failed because I arrived at a round about a busy one in 5th as told to arrive in 5 postman €wat comes round the corner at light speed I’m trying to get into 4th crunch by the time I had got into gear the Beemer comes round and stops and beeps FAILED as I’m cuting him up
But you didn’t fail because you was in a manual did you, you failed because a postman was speeding round the roundabout and you got in the way of a BMW and failed to deal with either situation correctly, frankly if you’d been in an automatic and met the same situations you’d probably still have failed.
There are so many types of manual and auto gearboxes
Only one of those is learnt during training
The rest are learnt after the test as you come across them - most ask other drivers how they work then you go out and sort it on the job
Using an auto for training and test makes it a little easier to keep more concentration on the other aspects of driving
tachograph:
Digit369:
I failed first time in the manual I failed because I arrived at a round about a busy one in 5th as told to arrive in 5 postman €wat comes round the corner at light speed I’m trying to get into 4th crunch by the time I had got into gear the Beemer comes round and stops and beeps FAILED as I’m cuting him upBut you didn’t fail because you was in a manual did you, you failed because a postman was speeding round the roundabout and you got in the way of a BMW and failed to deal with either situation correctly, frankly if you’d been in an automatic and met the same situations you’d probably still have failed.
^^^This as you can still fail in an auto it might be a bit easier but it wont guarantee a pass
As my instructor said you need at least 3 car lengths to get out from a roundabout just a guide
tachograph:
Digit369:
I failed first time in the manual I failed because I arrived at a round about a busy one in 5th as told to arrive in 5 postman €wat comes round the corner at light speed I’m trying to get into 4th crunch by the time I had got into gear the Beemer comes round and stops and beeps FAILED as I’m cuting him upBut you didn’t fail because you was in a manual did you, you failed because a postman was speeding round the roundabout and you got in the way of a BMW and failed to deal with either situation correctly, frankly if you’d been in an automatic and met the same situations you’d probably still have failed.
No I failed because I had so many things to do whilst trying to sort out gears it was overwhelming and once stressed I kept on making more mistakes one led to another when I took the test in the auto I had more time and awareness for hazards and orientation of the road taking the gears away increased this by at least 40%.
As I have said in my other posts the roads are not what they used to be the population is growing in a big way with that there is a significant increase in the amount of vehicles on the road. And we in essence we are driving 20-40 ton rig down the road if me the driver can increase my awareness by 40% then surely that is safer for everyone.
Ask yourself why did the dsa change there mind about letting people pass in auto THERE IS A REASON
Digit369:
tachograph:
Digit369:
I failed first time in the manual I failed because I arrived at a round about a busy one in 5th as told to arrive in 5 postman €wat comes round the corner at light speed I’m trying to get into 4th crunch by the time I had got into gear the Beemer comes round and stops and beeps FAILED as I’m cuting him upBut you didn’t fail because you was in a manual did you, you failed because a postman was speeding round the roundabout and you got in the way of a BMW and failed to deal with either situation correctly, frankly if you’d been in an automatic and met the same situations you’d probably still have failed.
No I failed because I had so many things to do whilst trying to sort out gears it was overwhelming and once stressed I kept on making more mistakes one led to another when I took the test in the auto I had more time and awareness for hazards and orientation of the road taking the gears away increased this by at least 40%.
As I have said in my other posts the roads are not what they used to be the population is growing in a big way with that there is a significant increase in the amount of vehicles on the road. And we in essence we are driving 20-40 ton rig down the road if me the driver can increase my awareness by 40% then surely that is safer for everyone.
Ask yourself why did the dsa change there mind about letting people pass in auto THERE IS A REASON
Sorry but if you cant deal with leaving enough room at a roundabout then its not the gears that are the problem. Presumably you had around 4-5 days training. And you never had to deal with a busy roundabout? Cars/vans etc doing “lightning” speeds is a fact of being on the road. As a pro it is your job to deal with it. You didnt.
Not having a go. If you find it easier and safer to drive an auto then fair play. But manuals dont make things more dangerous. In my opinion an auto box is more dangerous at a busy roundabout than an auto.
Digit369:
As I have said in my other posts the roads are not what they used to be the population is growing in a big way with that there is a significant increase in the amount of vehicles on the road. And we in essence we are driving 20-40 ton rig down the road if me the driver can increase my awareness by 40% then surely that is safer for everyone.Ask yourself why did the dsa change there mind about letting people pass in auto THERE IS A REASON
Presumably the rules were changed because they thought it would to make the test easier, how does that make the roads safer as you seem to be suggesting, changing the rules has absolutely nothing to do with road safety, and quite frankly it’s ridiculous to suggest that it does have anything to do with safety.
I don’t know why the rules were changed but I wonder if it’s just coincidence that the rules were changed as the end of the DCPC acquired rights were in sight, is it possible that the powers that be thought it best to try to get as many drivers through the test as possible just in case the stories of a driver shortage turned out to be true.
The fact is that if there is anything that makes it easier for the driver then let’s have it roads are busy my friend they are not safe places drivers are in some case reckless if I can improve my observation to that then I’m making my driving safer. There is also the element of gears create more work and more stress and we know what that leads to tiredness which could cause the driver to fall asleep. I felt less tired driving the auto for 3 hours than the manual.
As I explained before it’s because of the gears I messed up because I was trying to get it into the right one it was crunching and so. Yes I agree that if you drive a manual for a while you become fluent with it and I don’t have a problem with driving manuals in fact when I get out there I want to drive manuals but I suppose it’s what the gaffer gives me and I need that experience. But for the purpose of the test auto is going to save the pupil money in lessons and get people through.
It’s a good question why they changed the law maybe what I’m saying is right I don’t know I’m not an expert or maybe they are making it easy as there is a shortage looming I bet you can find out some where should of asked my examiner we had a good chin wag nice bloke
I spoke to a new school that’s just opened he has only invested in the automatic and has no plans yet into getting a manual he see that it makes his pass rate better another school I know just invested in a brand new Volvo f16 with I something auto box my examiner said it was to good for the job I’m probably going to train in that I want the best for my money!!!
It’s the way forward bit like when they brought in plasma tvs can’t buy the big bulky things no more this will happen to manuals eventually they will be old hat 
Reading comments on autos it honestly makes me wonder how some of you passed a car test in a manual when you were complete novices.
My Mercedes Atego is basically a straight six speed, ok it has a splitter but you don’t have to use it, so basically it’s very similar to a car gear box.
So my question is what’s easier bearing in mind most people drive manual cars a straight six speed manual or auto?
Paul 
Thing is car is not 9x2.5 m long and does not weigh 20 ton see that’s my point about the far they thing I think it’s all about that observation no gears all about that observation no gears lol
Hi all, what an interesting thread, let’s clear up a few points,
-
The DVSA say they changed the rules to allow automatic gearboxes on category C and CE to not restrict the licence given to candidates upon passing the test to auto only because the industry complained that us driving schools were finding it near impossible to buy a used truck with a manual gearbox. That’s the official line on the change, however the real reason relates to us being laden for driving tests, this made the test more dangerous for the driving examiners taking those for test that have usual 12 hours and test, hope for best type of training given by various sub standard driving schools.
-
Auto or manual, let the statistics speak for themselves, since going auto only on our training fleet the pass rate has gone up 21% and the duration of training courses has been reduced from an average 5 days to 3 days. So the pass rate is higher and the cost to the customer is less, it’s win win!
Well done to our customer on this truck today, he passed with only today and yesterday behind the wheel, 12 hour course compared to 3/4 days on a manual, like we did before getting this auto waggon. It’s not that having an auto gearbox makes the truck easier to drive, it instead enables the driver to drive to much higher standard as Digit369 has mentioned. I believe that unless a school offers you a very low cost price to compensate for providing an outdated manual truck you are getting poor value for money, why not train in the best environment to enable you to pass the test and it’s not hard to figure out various manual gearboxes after the test.
Let’s not criticise digit369 too much, he has given his very honest and highly valid experience which I believe new wannabe drivers should pay close attention to. Give a few years and all other schools will have caught up with us by offering on auto trucks, it’s just that unlike most we have invested early in new trucks.
I am sat firmly on the fence between manual and auto. We operate both so have no axe to grind. But, today, I had to stand in for a trainer who was part way through 2 courses. 1 on man and 1 on auto. The person on the auto was one session behind the guy on manual but they were at exactly the same level.
Of course, this isn’t scientific evidence that auto is easier. It could easily be that the guy on the auto is a quicker learner or had more prior knowledge. I have no way of knowing this. But I don’t go along with the comments about auto being poor at busy roundabouts; none of ours are and all perform perfectly.
I will continue to offer both for the foreseeable future as opinion is so split as to which is favourite to learn on.
It’s all about customer choice.
Pete 
@ Tockwith Training
You’re entitled to your opinions but why always spam the board with totally irrelevant pictures of your lorry, are you really that desperate for business
Well I’m booked into March with my tried and tested manuals. My motto is why try and fix it if it’s not broke.
Paul
Tockwith Training:
Hi all, what an interesting thread, let’s clear up a few points,
The DVSA say they changed the rules to allow automatic gearboxes on category C and CE to not restrict the licence given to candidates upon passing the test to auto only because the industry complained that us driving schools were finding it near impossible to buy a used truck with a manual gearbox. That’s the official line on the change, however the real reason relates to us being laden for driving tests, this made the test more dangerous for the driving examiners taking those for test that have usual 12 hours and test, hope for best type of training given by various sub standard driving schools.
Auto or manual, let the statistics speak for themselves, since going auto only on our training fleet the pass rate has gone up 21% and the duration of training courses has been reduced from an average 5 days to 3 days. So the pass rate is higher and the cost to the customer is less, it’s win win!
Well done to our customer on this truck today, he passed with only today and yesterday behind the wheel, 12 hour course compared to 3/4 days on a manual, like we did before getting this auto waggon. It’s not that having an auto gearbox makes the truck easier to drive, it instead enables the driver to drive to much higher standard as Digit369 has mentioned. I believe that unless a school offers you a very low cost price to compensate for providing an outdated manual truck you are getting poor value for money, why not train in the best environment to enable you to pass the test and it’s not hard to figure out various manual gearboxes after the test.
Let’s not criticise digit369 too much, he has given his very honest and highly valid experience which I believe new wannabe drivers should pay close attention to. Give a few years and all other schools will have caught up with us by offering on auto trucks, it’s just that unlike most we have invested early in new trucks.
Knocks it on the head
ME THE CUSTOMER WANTS THE BEST I CAN TRAIN IN FOR MY MONEY AS ALL THESE SCHOOLS ARE ROUGHLY THE SAME PRICE