I have a 5spd in the work truck and the Jetta is 5speed as well. I have always prefered to choose my own gears and hate the fact that autos use more horsepower and are more prone to problems. I will admit that I do prefer to drive the MB when I am tired. Not shifting once in a while is begining to grow on me. I must be getting old. If I could have my 300D in a good 5speed that shifted well like a T5 in a 5.0 that would be great but I don't really care for the feel of the factory MB sticks I have driven enough to warrant a conversion. I think the reason you see so many autos in new cars has to do with emissions. A computer controlled auto will do a much better job at staying in the power/efficiency range than most "average" drivers with a 5speed. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K