If I were going to purchase a Mazda Miata, I would want a manual transmission. On the other hand, I would probably not purchase a Toyota Avalon with a manual transmission. Back in 1968 my brother got a wonderful buy on a 1963 Buick LeSabre because it was a manual transmission (3 speed column shift) and the Buick dealer couldn’t interest anyone except my brother in the car.
IMO, if I’m spending my own hard earn money to buy an automobile, I’m going to spend it on the one that I like and meets my needs. The last thing on my mind would be what other people would think about my automobile, and that includes future buyers. Sell it fwiw when you’re done with it and the right person will come along to take it away.
I had a few colleagues who told me what an ugly car my Scion xB was and that was fine with me. I had the satisfaction knowing that I never rented or borrowed a truck for as long as I had the xB. When I was buying a car in China, I insisted on a hatch while my girlfriend was telling me how pleasing a sedan would look. In the end, we got a hatch. After a few trips to her parents carrying various large items, including a scooter, she, too, agreed that spending our money should be based on our needs instead of other people’s opinion.
Were you told that by the car salesman trying to get you to buy the automatic tranny option? For a slightly higher cost, of course?
location might play a bit into it as well. I wouldn’t want to row the gates in NYC or Chicago. But if I did a lot of highway driving, it wouldn’t be so bad
You get used to rowing the gears in big city rush hour traffic. I did.