muckles:
Driven various Ishift Volvos on and off for nearly 8 years and I don’t think I’ve ever bothered with hill start switch. You can control the brake release with the clutch engaging and pulling away.
Oh yes, I remember now that the newer Volvos have electronic park brakes so they automatically disengage once you feed enough power through the accelerator to not roll backwards. Nice. 
I do miss the Volvo FH. That’s what I first started out on, and nothing I’ve driven since has matched it.
I will be completly honest since passing my test I have not drove a manual and feel uncomfortable about having to drive one now. I am currently driving a 64plate Iveco Stralis while my 57 plate stralis is in for MOT etc. I will be drviing the 64 plate for next month mabe longer as we are that busy and I have got my name on that one. I have found that it has got what I would call a hill climb button i.e will hold the truck till you set off. It can be annoying when reversing and have to turn it off, but all other times to date found no issues.
As they say once drive an auto won’t want to go back.
ORC:
muckles:
Driven various Ishift Volvos on and off for nearly 8 years and I don’t think I’ve ever bothered with hill start switch. You can control the brake release with the clutch engaging and pulling away.Oh yes, I remember now that the newer Volvos have electronic park brakes so they automatically disengage once you feed enough power through the accelerator to not roll backwards. Nice.
I do miss the Volvo FH. That’s what I first started out on, and nothing I’ve driven since has matched it.
I meant the old one and the fact they are controllable and predictable enough not to need to use the hill start.
Not driven a new one yet, the one I’m driving at the moment is a 2007 model with 700,000kms.
turn the dial to drive then off you go, simple as I bet your now thinking you was worrying over nothing 
How did you get on mate?
I drove an iveco stralis auto 26t last week. It had a semi auto option too which you flicked the stalk. That was downright horrible. But the auto was absolutely fine with the exception of slow small movements forward or back which is in keeping with the auto daf I’ve driven too. Everyone hates the auto stralis at our place, but I quite like it