RANT: I HATE Automatic Transmissions.

[rgG]

There is one other advantage to a manual transmission that no one has mentioned, being able to start the car without jumper cables if your battery has gone dead. Now it depends on where you are parked when the battery goes dead, but knowing how to roll it off and pop the clutch just at the right time can be a life saver.

In city stop and go traffic, a clutch can really be tiring on the knees and legs.

Chip, just be thankful that you have a car to drive at all and if it means that much to you to own a stick shift, then it will be good incentive to work hard to buy that first one. You may find that a free automatic is a lot more fun when you have to pay for the privilge to drive the stick.