[billwot]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I'm not sure this is true. When I first went to test drive a BRZ in late 2013, the dealership had one manual (a base model) and six automatics on the lot. Every time they would get a Limited manual in, someone would buy it within a week, but the autos would sit there for months. With Subaru not really being a sports car brand, the salesmen were baffled as to why people only seemed to want the manuals. It was funny to hear them talk about it, because they really didn't get it at all. They thought it was because the automatic transmission cost more.

They were trying so hard to sell the automatics that they had the manual buried back by the fence behind several other cars. They wanted me to test drive an automatic instead to get a feel for the paddle shifters, since "It'll give you the same feel for the car as the manual." I laughed and said I wasn't interested, so they rounded up some drivers to move cars and pulled out the manual out instead.

Maybe the market is different now, but I doubt it has changed much. I suspect the manual is still in higher demand for the new models. And I doubt there's much difference in manual demand between new and used buyers, since there will be plenty of dads looking at this as a good first economical and relatively safe car for their teenage daughters who, when it comes to manual, just can't even. In other words, I think demand for an auto is low for new twins, but doesn't necessarily get any lower for used.

Interesting data point:

Mazda projects that more than 50% of sales for new MX5 Miatas will be auto trannies.