Somebody wrote:

> I drove a 1997 328i auto, and was underwhelmed. But driving a heavier 1997
> 528i 5-speed was *way* more fun. It felt faster and more lively but a wide
> margin. I don't even care what the numbers were, but the driving experience
> was transformed by the manual.
>

Now go drive the 5 speed in a few hours of stop and go city traffic.
Repeat 5 days a week for 50 weeks a year, then tell me which you would
choose.

I am a fan of standard transmissions in "fun" cars too. Most of my cars
have them (Z3, 325i, Wrangler). But my 540i (which I bought with the
express purpose of driving in and out of city traffic) and my Ford
Exploder (whose purpose in life is pulling trailers) have slush boxes
because that is what makes sense for their intended uses.

If I could only have one car, and if I was commuting or driving
regularly in a major metropolitan area, I would go for a "sluggish"
automatic any day.

-Fred W