[cbrinker]

Oh, I highly enjoy driving, I just don't enjoy having another pedal to mash and fiddling around with a stick while in traffic. I live in Los Angeles. You ride the 405 freeway during rush hour in a manual.

Regardless, I still wouldn't buy a manual. I drive my brother's old turbo Z and my dad's manual pickup sometimes. I've driven a friend's manual Porsche Cayman S on the tracks too. Clutches just aren't fun.

An added bonus is the speed of SMG transmissions today. My 335i's "steptronic" transmission has a clutch-lock for that real direct connection to the engine feel, plus it shifts in 100ms; which I don't think any human could actually do. The perfect throttle blipping makes it extremely smooth. Further, the fun of using paddle shifters is a huge thrill as a FIA F1 fan! :D