[BMWbiker]

There’s another factor: the quality of automatic and dual-clutch transmissions has improved enormously in recent decades.

My first car had a three speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission. It was smooth. The car was very thirsty. There was no manual transmission available for it, and it was moot for me anyway.

For each of my next several cars, the manual transmission version that I purchased was better in every way, other than convenience, than the automatic transmission version: more reliable, faster acceleration even for someone with average stick skills, much better gas mileage, etc. Oh, yes, also less expensive, and more fun.

My two most recent cars, both BMWs, have had the ZF 8 speed automatic perforce. It blows out of the water all the automatic transmissions available in all the manual cars that I previously owned.

I briefly considered buying a ‘24 Golf R. Had I done so, I was torn on whether to get the manual or the dual-clutch, since the latter is very good and actually a bit faster than the manual.

Soon enough, electric cars will supplant ICE cars, unless some other technology comes along to upend everything. Enjoy the manual transmissions while they last. But if you have to get a BMW with an automatic, at least you’ll get a high quality one.