Automatic Driving Lessons
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Book Automatic Driving Lessons Today
Learn to drive in an automatic car with our fantastic offer of 10 hours for £370. We have spaces available and automatic driving instructors across the country. This offer is open to anyone in the UK, and your payment is protected with our 100% money-back guarantee and full refund for any unused hours.
How to book your automatic driving lessons
Booking your lessons is quick and easy. It takes 5 minutes, and with a network of instructors across the UK, we can have you on the road within a few days.
Enter your details above
Fill in the short contact form, and confirm any requirements or preferences. Once we have your details, we’ll match you with an automatic driving instructor near you.
Complete payment
You’ll need to pay £370 to book this package. The offer comes with a full money-back guarantee and a full refund for any unused hours.
Sit back and wait for confirmation
Within a couple of hours of making payment, a member of our friendly customer service team will give you a ring to confirm your start date.
Our friendly customer service team is on hand 7 days a week to assist you with your booking. If you have any questions, concerns or things you need to discuss, please give us a call on 07885235343 anytime between 8am and 9pm and we’ll be happy to talk. Alternatively you can send an email to bookings@booklearnpass.co.uk and we’ll get back to you within a couple of hours.
Automatic driving lessons prices
One of the first questions you might have is how much do automatic driving lesson cost, and secondly, is there a difference in price between automatic and manual driving lessons? The short answer is yes, there is a slight difference in price between the two, and in general, automatic lessons are slightly more expensive.
The average price for an automatic driving lesson is £38 per hour, while the average price for manual lessons is £34 per hour. The price varies based on where you live and the number of driving instructors near you, but this is the average price.
Prices from national driving schools
| Driving School | Hourly Price | Price for 10 Hours | Things to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| AA Driving School | £39.50p | £395 | Must book at least 2 hours |
| BSM Driving School | £37 | £370 | Must book at least 2 hours |
| Red Driving School | £38.18p | £381.80p | Standard price for existing customers |
| Book Learn Pass | £37 | £370 | Further discounts available after first booking |
The AA’s hourly price of £39.50p is the highest we’ve found. If you’re booking automatic lessons for the first time, you’ll need to book at least 2 hours when signing up.
If you’re looking to save money, you can learn to drive with a trainee driving instructor. Some trainees do offer cheaper hourly rates. For example, The AA currently charges a standard rate of £39.50p per hour for lessons with a fully qualified instructor but £35 an hour if you learn with a trainee.
Although trainee instructors can be cheaper, they’re less experienced, which could impact the quality of their teaching. It’s best to weigh up the pros and cons before settling on an instructor.
Should you learn to drive with a trainee driving instructor?
Pros
You could get a cheaper hourly rate
Trainee instructors should have more availability
Trainees will use the modern teaching methods
Cons
Trainee driving instructors are inexperienced
They'll often lack local knowledge
Lack the skills to teach all types of learner driver
Prices from local driving schools
| Driving School | Hourly Price | Price for 10 Hours | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4Wheelz | £30 | £285 | Birmingham |
| DriveThruL | £31 | £319 | East London |
| Suja Drivng School | £25 | £250 | Manchester |
| A Class Driving School | £38 | £370 | Bristol |
| Bubble Driving School | £47 | £470 | Bristol |
| No Gears Driving School | £38 | £370 | Reading |
| Thames Driving School | £38 | £370 | West London |
Local driving schools tend to be cheaper than national companies. We’ve found prices as low as £250 for 10 automatic lessons in Manchester, and in the table above, you can find a selection of prices from around the UK.
Why do automatic driving lessons cost more than manual lessons?
There are a few reasons why learning to drive in an automatic car is more expensive than in a manual.
Cost of buying the car
Automatic cars are generally more expensive, so some driving instructors charge more to cover higher lease or hire purchase payments.
Cost of maintaining the car
Wear and tear is a big issue. Automatic cars generally cost more to repair than manual vehicles, so it’s no surprise that some instructors raise their prices to cover this cost.
Cost of insuring the car
Due to higher maintenance and repair costs, automatic cars are more expensive to insure. Higher premiums lead to lower margins, so instructors will increase their prices to cover higher costs.
Fewer lessons per student
Learner drivers also need fewer lessons to pass their driving test in an automatic, and fewer lessons means less money per student, and some instructors raise their prices to cover this shortfall.
Why book automatic lessons with Book Learn Pass?
UK Coverage
We work with instructors across the UK. We’ve got you covered if you’re learning to drive in Cornwall, Edinburgh or anywhere in between.
Full refund on any unused hours
Happy days if you manage to pass your driving test with lessons to spare. You can book your automatic driving lessons in confidence, knowing you’ll get a full refund for any unused hours.
Cheap prices
Our automatic driving lessons are some of the cheapest in the country. 10 hours for £370 is great value for money, and we have further discounts available for existing customers.
Manual vs automatic driving lessons
The main difference between automatic and manual cars is the transmission. In an automatic, the gears change automatically based on your speed, while in a manual car, you have to change gear yourself.
In a manual car, you have neutral, reverse and gears 1 through 5/6 – depending on the vehicle’s make and model. You also have three foot pedals; the accelerator, brake and clutch. You use your left foot to operate the clutch, and your right foot takes care of the accelerator and brake.
You push the clutch pedal down when changing gears and just before the car comes to a stop to prevent it from stalling.
In an automatic car, you have two pedals – the accelerator and brake – and 4 gears;
Foot Pedals in an Automatic Car
- P – Park: You put the car in park when you come to a complete stop, e.g. when pulling up on the side of the road.
- D – Drive: This is the general gear you use for driving. When in Drive, an automatic car will creep forward as soon as you take your foot off the brake pedal.
- N – Neutral: Select neutral when you’ve stopped for a short period of time, but do not drive in this gear. Driving in neutral is coasting, and it can be dangerous.
- R – Reverse: Select this gear when reversing, for example, when parallel parking or reversing into a bay.
In an automatic car, the vehicle will creep when you release the brake pedal when in drive or reverse. You’ll need to push the accelerator pedal down to pick up speed.
The gearstick in an automatic car is generally much simpler with just the four gears, but some high-performance cars do have some advanced features. For example, some automatic cars have a ‘B’ gear for braking, and when this gear is selected, the car will automatically slow down when you take your foot off the accelerator. Some cars also have an ‘S’ gear for sports and an ‘L’ gear for driving at low speeds.
Should I learn to drive in an automatic car?
Automatic cars are increasingly popular in the UK, as they’re easier and more relaxing to drive than cars with a manual gearbox. Comfort is certainly a big factor in choosing an automatic over a manual, but’s it worth considering any of the following too;
You live in an area with lots of traffic
Constantly having to change gears in traffic can be annoying and not to mention tough on the old hands and feet. Not having to change gears can reduce some of that mild frustration, making the automatic car the perfect companion for those stop-start journeys.
You live in an area with lots of hills
Similarly, you’ll need great clutch control if you live on or near lots of hills. It’s easy to roll back on a hill in a manual car, but it’s nearly impossible in an automatic, so consider the latter if you struggle with your coordination,
You have a disability
Automatic driving lessons are a great option if you have a disability that prevents you from changing gears or using the clutch pedal. You can also get specially modified vehicles custom-made to suit your needs and requirements.
This video from Advance Driving School walks you through the process of driving an automatic car. It has step-by-step instructions on how to start the car and move off, as well as a rundown of the gears and what each gear does.
If you want to compare the difference between a manual and an automatic, you can check out our guide on how to drive a manual car.
FAQs
You need an average of 30 driving lessons to pass your driving test in an automatic. You need an average of 40 lessons to pass your test in a manual. You need fewer lessons in an automatic as you won’t have to spend time learning how to use the clutch and change gear.
Yes, in theory, it’s easier to pass in an automatic car than in a manual. The driving test is the same irrespective of your car’s transmission. However, when you take your test in an automatic car, you can’t fail for stalling, rolling backwards on a hill, or using the incorrect gear.
In addition, anything that reduces driving test nerves is a good thing, and not having to change gears or use the clutch pedal is one less thing to worry about.
No, you can’t drive a manual car with an automatic licence. If you pass your test in an automatic car, you’ll receive a Category B auto licence, which only permits you to drive automatic and semi-automatic vehicles without a clutch pedal.
You’ll receive a Category B licence if you pass your test in a manual car. This licence permits you to drive both manual and automatic vehicles.
You can drive it on an automatic licence if the car doesn’t have a clutch pedal. Some high-performance cars have an automatic and manual mode; in the latter, you can manually change gears by using the paddles on the side of the steering wheel. You’re allowed to drive this type of car as the default mode is automatic.
Yes, you can switch between lessons if you’ve changed your mind. Simply send us an email or give us a ring, and we’ll find you an automatic driving instructor in your local area.
No, you do not have to tell the DVSA beforehand. On the day of your test, the driving examiner will note your car’s transmission, and the test will start as normal. Your driving certificate will state your licence category and vehicle transmission.
No, you can only stall in an automatic if you put the car in reverse while driving forwards – please don’t do this – or if there’s a mechanical problem like an issue with the torque converter or the electronic control unit (ECU).
If there aren’t any mechanical faults and you don’t select the wrong gear by mistake, it shouldn’t be possible to stall in an automatic.
Over time there’ll be fewer manual cars manufactured and sold in the UK. New technologies such as driverless, electric, and hybrid cars are much better suited to automatic vehicles, so as these technologies become more widespread, they’ll have a knock-on effect on the number of manual cars made and sold across the country.