I learned how to work a manual on an '86 Yugo. It was frustrating at first but once I got the hang of it I was hooked. I've owned several manual cars ('86 Yugo, '58-65 Beetle, '68 Beetle, '98 Beetle, '79 Transporter -- all four speed) and many automatics.
I've heard all the arguments pro-con either side (gas mileage being a common factor in favor of manuals). Manuals are irritating in stop-and-go traffic, which is nearly ubiquitous these days (esp. in L.A.) It's basically 1st-2nd-1st-2nd-1st-stop-1st-2nd and so on. So I can see the preference for automatics in that case.
I also like to have automatics in larger vehicles, while small sporty cars practically beg for manual. I read an article a while back that the % of manuals being sold in the US keeps dropping and that in the near future (esp. with tiptronic, CVT, and so on) they may be, sadly, extinct. It annoys the hell out of me to see a subcompact car with an automatic tranny, though this seems to be the default option nowadays in the U.S. Rental car companies, which are a big market for manufacturers, always carry automatic cars because most of their customers don't know how to use or can't be bothered with a manual. Of course those cars end up in the used car market later on.
Even the high-end sport manufacturers, such as Ferrari, are making inroads with their paddle-shifters and "semi-automatic" trannies that seem to be smarter than the driver. Eventually this technology will trickle down to mbutt market consumer cars. I'm going to miss the ol' stick on the floor.
