Any recommendations for a 1st car ?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Any recommendations for a 1st car ?

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#3106054 19-Jul-2023 18:56

Jase2985:

Tinkerisk:

I am referring to our country and the talk was about having to rent or hire a car in a European metropolis that is predominantly equipped with a manual gearbox and the problems that a rural automatic cruising islander then faces.

provide some evidence to back up your claims please

they sound rather outlandish to those that dont live there

It's not hard to hire an automatic in most European countries. There are more manual cars available but there is also generally an automatic option at a similar price. Funnily enough the rental companies are interested in getting business. There's always exceptions but it's hardly a show stopper.

Tinkerisk

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#3106109 19-Jul-2023 20:22

This is a small car with an automatic transmission, for tourists who are not/cannot drive a manual transmission here. No local would ever rent that. When I talk about automatic transmissions, the engines have performance data that would destroy the manual transmission if it were operated incorrectly. An automatic also makes sense in that case.

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#3106110 19-Jul-2023 20:27

Tinkerisk:
This is a small car with an automatic transmission, for tourists who are not/cannot drive a manual transmission here. No local would ever rent that. When I talk about automatic transmissions, the engines have performance data that would destroy the manual transmission if it were operated incorrectly. An automatic also makes sense in that case.

The bigger the rental the more available automatics are. We are not talking about locals.

Tinkerisk

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#3106114 19-Jul-2023 20:39

Handle9:
Tinkerisk:

This is a small car with an automatic transmission, for tourists who are not/cannot drive a manual transmission here. No local would ever rent that. When I talk about automatic transmissions, the engines have performance data that would destroy the manual transmission if it were operated incorrectly. An automatic also makes sense in that case.

The bigger the rental the more available automatics are. We are not talking about locals.

Again, if you think you are a skilled driver, in a foreign country, using the opposite lane and in heavy traffic, rent a manual transmission vehicle without GPS and with a manual transmission. If you can deal with that, you can deal with anything.

johno1234

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#3106118 19-Jul-2023 20:45

The OP wants to get a car for his kids to learn in. This talk about rentals is irrelevant really.

I just ran the AA Insurance online quote for a 2010 Corolla for my 23 yo son: manual came to $1099 and automatic $1100.

Yep a whopping (correction) $1 difference per year.

So yeah, the insurance premium therefore safety argument is a load of bollox as I already knew.

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#3106119 19-Jul-2023 20:46

Tinkerisk:

Handle9:

The bigger the rental the more available automatics are. We are not talking about locals.

Again, if you think you are a skilled driver, in a foreign country, using the opposite lane and in heavy traffic, rent a manual transmission vehicle without GPS and with a manual transmission. If you can deal with that, you can deal with anything.

Or you could make it easier and drive more safely. It's not a competition or some hero contest.

johno1234

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#3106120 19-Jul-2023 20:47

And if the kids end up likely owning and driving an automatic then learning in a manual was pointless as the manual skill will never be ingrained or retained.

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alasta

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#3106121 19-Jul-2023 20:52

How do you use adaptive cruise control in a manual? Do you have to constantly monitor what the vehicle is doing with the accelerator and brakes, and change gears accordingly?

johno1234

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#3106123 19-Jul-2023 20:57

I expect that a manual car is the low cost poverty pack option so will not have fancy stuff such as ACC.

lxsw20

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#3106129 19-Jul-2023 21:05

I get the point that you're unlikley to strike so many manuals these days but man some of you are overestimating how "hard" it is to learn manual.

Jaxson

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#3106145 19-Jul-2023 22:51

Thinking about this exact situation ourselves for kids entering license age soon.
We’ll be heading down the auto route and ideally in something standard like a Toyota Corolla or aqua hybrid etc. looking to avoid European cars with indicators/wipers on other side to most Japan cars here in NZ. (or unconventional manual gate gear layouts for that matter)

Main focus for us is on road rules, situational awareness, spatial judgement and cornering/braking etc first. Once that’s engrained we’ll introduce a manual transmission if we feel it’s necessary.

In todays world autos are increasingly the norm and with electric cars coming gearboxes as a whole concept are disappearing. Our other vehicle is currently a Mitsi outlander Phev with no gearbox at all.

Each to their own though, these are all decisions as parents we make along the journey.

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#3106155 20-Jul-2023 08:31

Jaxson: Thinking about this exact situation ourselves for kids entering license age soon.
We’ll be heading down the auto route and ideally in something standard like a Toyota Corolla or aqua hybrid etc. looking to avoid European cars with indicators/wipers on other side to most Japan cars here in NZ. (or unconventional manual gate gear layouts for that matter)

Main focus for us is on road rules, situational awareness, spatial judgement and cornering/braking etc first. Once that’s engrained we’ll introduce a manual transmission if we feel it’s necessary.

In todays world autos are increasingly the norm and with electric cars coming gearboxes as a whole concept are disappearing. Our other vehicle is currently a Mitsi outlander Phev with no gearbox at all.

Each to their own though, these are all decisions as parents we make along the journey.

That was exactly my strategy with our two boys. Learn the important stuff first in an auto, then once that's mastered, introduce the manual box about a year later. Manual driving is a great skill to have

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#3106168 20-Jul-2023 10:07

Handsomedan:

Neither of these are manual and having driven a few manuals on the Auckland roads, I'd say stick with an auto, unless you plan to go off-roading or similar where clutch control is imperative.

This.

networkn

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#3106169 20-Jul-2023 10:10

I'd be looking for an Auto, with a decent safety rating. Let them get the basics down with as few risks and complications as possible and then they can move onto a manual if they feel the need.

Being able to drive a manual doesn't automatically make you a better driver, I'd spent more time helping them become more aware and defensive and courteous when they drive.

You haven't mentioned a budget.

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#3106233 20-Jul-2023 13:46

Toyota Corolla stick to Japanese cars

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