The ONLY practical purpose to drive a manual is for racing only. The manual shifting might shave a small fraction of a second off your lap time. But for all other purposes, a manual transmission is a disadvantage.

The job of an automobile is to get you from point A to point B. It's the human's job to steer it, speed it up and slow it down. Basically, a manual transmission is making YOU do the car's job as well (by telling the engine how and when to shift).

Gotta go Automatic. While driving a manual is more fun the practicality of the automatic surpasses it.

Automatics (paddle shifters, double clutch, that kind of stuff) are better for racing because they can shift much faster than any person can with a manual and you never have to lift off the gas when accelerating.

This is a tough one. I used to race shifter karts before I crashed and got a bad concussion, but then again, kart racing isn't driving on the streets. For someone who is more concerned about where he/she wants to go should probably stay with an automatic, whereas true enthusiasts are obviously partial to the 'full driving experience'. I'm only 13, so I obviously don't know what driving a car with stick is like, but manual is still what i'd go with.

~Art

Manual is fun but auto is practical. I can drive both and auto is so much easier but manual is very fun. i drove my friends wrx and that was very fun.

I don't want to start a fight, but I disagree. The impression that most people get from watching TopGear is that the manual is only fun in sports cars like the M3, S4, etc., and automatics are better for all-out performance cars such as the 458, MP4-12C, etc. and everyday cars such as the Accord, Camry, etc. Hardcore manual enthusiasts like me will argue that a manual fits in everything, from Accord's to Gallardo's, but it seems more and more that there is a certain stigma that the manual should only belong in cars in between.

I will be completely honest here: I have never driven a car with a good automatic transmission. Every automatic I have driven was either too rough for my liking, or almost always in a wrong gear. Take my mom's VW Passat Wagon 1.8T for example: I love everything about EXCEPT the automatic; the steering feel is outstanding, the brakes are exceptional, and the handling is world class, especially for a mid size car. But it has a 1.8 liter turbocharged engine, which doesn't have much power to speak of below about 3,500 rpm, mated to an automatic which wants to keep the engine BELOW 2,000 rpm.

I haven't ever driven a "supercar" either. The closest I have gotten is either a 1999 BMW 540i (6MT) or a 1999 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 (also 6MT), and an automatic would be a backbreaker in both cars. I learned to drive a manual in a 1993 VW Eurovan (5MT), possibly the slowest vehicle produced in the last 20 years, and it's a blast to drive (even if I lose a stop light drag race to a Prius). It doesn't seem like I give up any comfort when I drive it....seems more like I gain comfort.

To each his own, don't worry, not even close to starting a fight :P

Automatic only on a premium car like tje Mercedes Class S.