Manual all the way...it'll take you an hour to learn vs taking years to get a new car. I ended up with an automatic 94 EX and I hate it (the tranny not the car) Manual is way more fun to drive in general, I'm not talking racing or anything special either.

That and the fact that when I blew up my torque converter it cost 2 grand to replace...I'd much rather have had to replace a manual's clutch any day...