It depends on the type of vehicle. My truck is an auto, and it's fine that way, it's a truck. Same for my Lincoln LS, 'cause it's a luxo-cruiser. An automatic in a Mustang? Man, that's a pony car, a sporting car, a car you buy because you think that a car should be MORE than just a tool, just an appliance. It should be an experience. Bottom line, for us pro-manual people, driving a standard shift car is FUN. Even on a daily basis, it's fun. You don't think of the shifting as being "work", 'cause it's not work at all for us, it's fun, it's an enhancement of the driving experience! It makes my daily commute to work something more interesting than plopping my butt in a seat and aiming a steering wheel and nodding-off from the boredom. If you don't have fun driving a stick V8 Mustang, well, I personally just don't get it, I'd be checking your pulse. But don't hate me for praising the joys of shifting! Maybe you've become more of a "point A to point B" kind of driver with age. Maybe you're also the guy in the McDonalds driverthru waiting in a 12-car-long line for crappy unhealthy food to eat in one hand while the car shifts itself. But maybe not, I don't know, you may have perfectly great reasons. But I don't need to understand your lack of motivation to shift, just as you don't need to agree with my opinion that shifting is about as much work as twiddling thumbs. There's no need to be defensive or grumpy about it, either way. If you don't like shifting, fine with me. Myself, I can't imagine how something as simple and easy and barely qualifying as effort being considered a "chore" or unappealing. But then again, some people wear velcro sneakers 'cause tying laces is a chore to them. That said, I can understand and respect totally if a physical problem, or aging joints, makes shifting difficult or uncomfortable, but otherwise, I'm at a loss. If I were in LA, I can again see the point. But then again, I'd sooner chew on a shotgun barrel than live in that kind of congestion day-in day-out.