I don't think there are a lot of people chasing manual transmissions - just a lot of people on forums like these. They are likely a dying breed in the U.S. The vast majority of new car buyers want an automatic transmission but the used market values practicality and manuals are more practical. They last longer. They don't leak. I'd say they are easier to rebuild but it's hardly an issue given how rarely they fail. I hear more stories about people with automatics who don't get close to the EPA rating. I beat the EPA ratings by over 20 percent with my S60. I think the EPA rating system somehow cheats manual transmissions. At last but not least they are more fun - but if you have to ask you'll probably not going to get it.