I'm no fan of automatics from a complexity standpoint either, but I must add 2 more feather's in Brian C's hat:

1) no clutch discs to replace
2) no "I've never driven a stick before" anxiety if you ever want to lend your car to someone.

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

............you want to do........what???

Many clutch discs to replace. They're just inside the transmission, inaccessible. As far as lending, if they can't drive a real car, they don't deserve it.

In an enthusiast's car? I'll take a good manual 5 or 6 speed any day. In a Chevy Impala? A manual is pointless - just let me shift into "D" and allow such an automotive appliance to facilitate my work commute with as little muss and fuss as possible.

Me, I like the fuss and muss. Makes daily driving more interesting. Though my commute is generally a walk through the park (literally - could take the subway downtown but 45 min walk wakes me right up).

I also almost never eat in the car, since I'd rather stop at a sit down place for 30 min than get sloppy after a drive through.

Changing the gear when YOU want to change the gear has very little to do with why many people choose a manual. Sure I can change gears when I want in my wifes Honda. The paddle shifters work great.

Problem is, that the added cost of maintenance, and in my case the added TIME it takes to maintain it, since I do my own work, PLUS the enormous repair bill in the event that it lays down, is a negative toward the slush box.

An intangible for me is that I just enjoy driving a stick shift. It narrows my choice of cars when I'm shopping, but for me it's worth it. For others, they are perfectly willing to maintain the auto's and pay the repair bill if it happens, and enjoy what they see as convenience of the automatic. That's fine! That's why they make different cars, because different people like different things.

My ol' 300E is now my work car. It just hit 330K miles. Still has the original clutch and transmission. Never been touched. It makes a fun and economical car for whipping that 20 miles of winding and hilly road to and from work every day.

For others, their automatic might be the most pleasant part of their day. I'm glad they enjoy it.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

If you are a competent stick shift driver, you don't have to worry about replacing clutches either. My 300E has made it to the 330K mile mark on the same clutch and transmission without being touched.

Besides, you don't REALLY think that there are no clutches in an automatic do you? They are packed with MULTIPLE clutches.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

.5s faster is a big difference if you are one of these companies making some of the fastest cars in the world.

I agree with you generally, if not with your usual passion.

This last fall I was in Italy and went up to Lamborghini. The factory tour is worth it, but the best part is across the street is a guy who owns a cafe with a few Lamborghinis and a maserati, and for about 250 bucks US, you can take one on a 15 minute test drive on city streets with him as a passenger.

The car had a paddle shifter off the steering wheel, and was preposterously fast, but what was really interesting is that when you hit the "sport" mode, even the paddle shifter is disengaged and its a full automatic. What im trying to say is that the piece of meat interface behind the wheel dictating when to shift is behind the times if your goal is optimum power and speed, its just outdated.
The car scared the hell out of me, to quote topgear, there was feeling of limitless power from it, and the guy could give a crap how fast you drove. In fact he made my brother in law stop the car and floor it from a full stop up to about 140mph on a straightway to demonstrate its responsiveness.

However, it wasn't fun, and for me apart from ridiculous levels of power, was kinda boring. The fiat bravo 6-speed manual diesel I rented and drove up there to do the factory tour I found far more fun, at about a 20th the price.

Remember, this is a caddillac, supposedly appealing to the top end users, and only currently available as a stick in the special sport packages or limited editions. We are at that point in technology where generally, having a manual transmission is detrimental to efficiency, not the most efficient course as it used to be.
Heck, even big rigs are coming more and more often in auto/manuals than clutch operated manuals.
Automatic Transmission Vs. Manual in Tractor-Trailers | eHow.com

basically my point is that there will probably always be some form of manual transmission vehicle, but only to those who love to drive them, the concept will lose its advantages with newer and newer technology.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Play car: I want a standard (which everyone should learn how to drive on regardless of their transmission choices afterwards).

Daily driver: Gimme an auto. I rebuilt the trans. on my Suburban at 235K. It was the only service it had seen besides regular fluid changes. '96 E350 PowerStroke w/279K and climbing and worked very hard, regular service only. '92 F-Super w/220K and climbing and worked very hard, regular service only. '04 Silverado 2500HD w/249K when sold and worked hard, regular service only. '06 Dodge Grand Caravan w/280K and climbing and worked fairly hard, regular service only.

Take care of stuff and it lasts. Don't and stuff breaks.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I see dodge figured out how to build a reliable automatic transaxle.
The family 96 dodge grand caravan I ended up selling about 2 years ago had about 230k on it, but was on its 3rd or 4th transmission. Regular service only.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Exactly...I'd hate to drive an auto Miata, but for a DD in traffic an auto is pretty nice to have (and even with occasional race/pleasure use an automated manual is certainly acceptable). I've considered trading my car in for an automated manual but cringe every time I see the price tags for what I want.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I have a 12 CTS and GM was nice enough to drop me a line this morning announcing the '14.
Tom, unless they added a few inches or more to front seat head clearance you might find it a challenge. But, they say it' got more room inside than the 13, which I have driven and to me is identical to the 12.
I'm not wild about the 14 styling. Never was a fan of thru the bumper exhaust and I think the LED is overdone. No fan of the hood styling either.

Future CTS Sedan | Cadillac

I kind of like the long hood, looks classy to me. what I don't get is the ridges on the hood. looks like its giving me its constipated face.

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What do you think Mercedes did with their older cars to make the clutch last so long say on the 240D or Larry's 300E? Is it just because newer cars make more power and wear it out faster? Its not unusual to see 300k or more out of an original clutch on these oldies. Why are modern M/T cars on borrowed time by 120k or lower?

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

I think the LEDs will date the car faster then others. I like the rear styling. The wheels look small compared to the body though.

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Satan creates nothing: he only ruins everything. He does not invent: he tampers. And his followers are no different ~ Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigaṇ