Automatic or stick (manual)

Oh you mean cars...

I learned to drive with a manual and all my vehicles with the exception of my current (a truck) has been manuals. I'm not sure if I'll go back to manuals or not just depends on what vehicle it is.

I miss my standard a lot of the time until I have to drive into Boston and then screw that

I prefer stick too, but I drive all day for my job, and 7 years ago when I bought my newest car I decided that I'm done with shifting. I do miss it though for driving in snow, when I would downshift to slow down instead of using the brakes.

My last 5 cars have been manual. I don't even mind driving a manual in San Diego traffic.

I learned how to drive on a stick 40 years ago and think it's the best way to teach kids to drive. They can actually control the vehicle and get a better understanding of how cars actually work. And it always impresses the boys!

For my "fun" car, manual. But seeing as how I live in the city and have to commute in rush hour traffic, I'd use an auto for that.

Actually for car I'd rather do auto since my "fun" car isn't a car but a motorcycle.

I chose to buy a manual last car I bought, for nostalgia maybe. I am glad I did.
But, the automatic transmissions these days are so good you don't gain anything with a manual. And, in traffic, I must admit, it is kinda a pain in the rear. Let's face it, most of us drive in traffic most of the time.

In a city with heavy traffic I'm not getting a manual.

Oh you mean cars...

I know. :sad:

Stick shifts are great on the open road but in city driving, hell no. I'll take an automatic any day.

Right now I have a VW R32 with a DSG. I find it interesting doesn't have the drawbacks of the Automatic. Its a electronically controlled dual-clutch manual gearbox. Fun stuff to drive around.

I do prefer manuals though with the proper clutch setup. I like to break them on the track as stock.

Manual. All the way. Automatics scare the crap out of me. I want the car to go when I tell it to go, not go just because I took my foot off the brake. A manual gives me more control, which is helpful when I need to get away from an SUV-wielding soccer mom who has a cell phone in one hand, coffee in the other and is looking at her kid in the backseat, all while slowly drifting into my lane. I need to be able to drop it into 3rd and scoot. Not put my foot down and wait a while until the car figures out that I would like to go faster.
Granted, my car (Subaru Impreza 2.5i) isn't as much fun to drive as my husband's (Subaru WRX), and his current car isn't as much fun as his old car (highly modified Subaru STi that he sold when he decided to be all responsible), but it is more fun to drive than any automatic I've ever driven.

Heh, I'm totally with ya in theory, but I'll have to throw in that you haven't driven the "right" automatics yet.

There isn't an automatic that can compare with a good manual. My mom's Mercedes (a ~$70k turbo something) still doesn't compare to the bone stock WRX, let alone the modified STi, both of which cost less than half what the Merc did. The Merc is a great car and has a lot of pep and will certainly go. It's still not as responsive and fun as just about any manual I've had (Miata, Turbo Beetle, 2.5i, STi and 2 WRXs). My very favorite ever was the STi. There's nothing quite like dropping that critter into third gear and putting your foot down around a curve. 450 HP (to the wheel) and all-wheel drive on a tightened suspension make for a fun trip.
And for the record, I do commute to work every day in stop-and-go traffic and I still prefer my manual. I'd rather deal with shifting in traffic than deal with an automatic on an open road.