I learned to drive a stick shift when I was 14, and would LOVE to have one now.
But when I have a wife that does not know how to handle one very well, the fact that she has to deal with a 2yr old in the back seat, and another bun in the oven, it doesn't work out in my favor.

 

I am not suggesting that this is necessarily the case here, but as a smart and educated man, Dale, you of all people should know that statistics can be manipulated to mean whatever the user intends them to mean. They are also subject to relative conditions. e.g. Current (or past for that matter) government unemployment figures.
We should also not forget that CVT's seem to be making a comeback too.

 

Yup, here again though, CVTs will primarily erode the market for traditional slushbox automatics. So far at least, nothing has come along that is as responsive or as controllable as a true three pedal manual transmission.

FWIW, we rented a Nissan Rogue while we were in Dallas over the Thanksgiving holiday, and that car is offered only one transmission, a CVT. Compared to other CVTs that I've driven in the last few years, the Nissan unit was far and beyond the best, so good in fact that IF I ever had to opt for an automatic transmission in a new car, a CVT like Nissan's would be my preference. That said, you couldn't pay me to have a car with an automatic of any stripe, now or at any time in the foreseeable future.

 

CVT's trans have been around for years (like back in the 70's), samething newer car more bs electrical. O and as for the nissan "skyline" gtr, lemme just say its not a real skyline, why do i say that?? well for starters look at it, its a g35 with a hybrid of maxima and 370z design, second what motor did the older skylines come with, if you said an inline 6cyl then you are correct and what does the imitation skyline have...yea a VQ35 which is a.....THATS RIGHT a fkin maxima motor, so you can laugh at the people who bought those cars because they just bought a TT AWD maxima with more bs vs a reg maxima converted.....what about autos....O YEA ummm.....well the customer drives the market so depending on how more lazy people get will determine if the automatic trans start to become standard instead of manual....i dont care either way because its more money for me fixing them and on my repair order i will right in fine print "should have bought a stick shift", i wont buy another auto, and my next car will be an older year (+1 for OBD1 ^_^)

 

I do like the ability to control my own destiny when running the twisties with the stick in the MZ3, but I really love jumping in the F-150 and sticking it in drive and going also.
Plus, with the new Diesels in the pick ups, most people are not smart enough to keep the motor in the optimum power range, were as the Computer Driven Automatic can and does.
Note on that, my F-350 with the Auto will leave a 6 speed manual in the dust, and I have done it numerous times to my friend with my truck being heavier.

 

Its hard to out torque a diesel with a gasoline engine, no matter what the trans choice.

And Dale, Nissan seems to be the new leader in CVT's. My mother just purchased an 09 Sentra that also only came as a CVT, but being 87, she has no idea that its any different than her 2002 Accord.

 

I know that one day it will be obsolete.. but I pray that it won't happen while I am still driving.. When I drove my billet family's 99 GMC Safari Van... I kept wanting to hit the clutch... In traffic hell yea its great but to me thats the only thing that I like... I get waaaaaaay too bored if I drive my grandma's EL I start to nod off lol. Plus in a car I don't want to get lazy haha.

 

To me auto trans falls under the category of unnecessary luxuries along with heated seats, push button start, power seats, key-less entry, day-time running lights, rain sensing wipers....i mean really how much lazier can you get, o yea lets not forget auto parking >_>, i mean you might as well have someone else fkin drive you.

 

I agree with your list with following three exceptions:

1. Power Seats -- Back when I lived in the NYC area, I used to have to valet park twice per week, and the parking valets couldn't help themselves, the always messed with my seat. Given that I drive a stick, messing with the seat means that it messes with clutch engagement point, and when I went shopping to replace the last car with manual seats I owned in my NYC era, an absolute requirement was not only for it to have Power Seats, had to have Power Memory Seats. I'd pick my car up at the garage, hit the memory button, and presto-chango, my seat and mirrors would adjust themselves exactly to the point were they were before I dropped the car off.
2. Key-less entry -- Not a necessity or anything, but I like it muy-much, errr, that is except when you're trying to get into your car after an ice storm, then the word necessity does in fact apply. I've come out from work any number of times, gently pounded the heal of my hand around the perimeter of the door, clicked the key fob, and gotten in. Before I got a car with power locks, there were many a day when I had to stand out there for a considerable amount of time trying again and again and again to either get my key into the lock, and/or trying to turn the key in the lock when the innards of the lock froze.
3. Intermittent wipers -- I've found that when driving in traffic immediately after a rain storm, or when driving along the edge of a storm when it rains for a few moments, I'm constantly fiddling with the wiper control instead of driving and giving my full attention to the traffic around me. I've had two cars now with automagic wipers, and I really-REALLY like them.

 

DRL's are mandatory in Canada. Rain sensing wipers **** me off because when it starts spitting my wipers go mental lol. Keyless entry is great and I use this constantly. But the rest are all unnecessary. Plus the whole auto tragic is dumb... I don't understand the point of it... to make automatic drivers feel like they can drive a standard. I had one guy talk to me and was telling me he drives an autotragic and was like well its great because now I can drive standard.. I am like uhhhhh there is a 3rd pedal for the clutch... he was like ohh nevermind then.. like my god.