Well I finally find a car I like but the problem is its a manual transmition.  My mom won't let me get it like that...   How hard/much would it be to make it an automatic?

Stubbedtoe18 wrote on Jul 12^th, 2011 at 5:37pm:

That may be true where you are from. But here, it is not that uncommon, especially by builders of street rods.

But I suspect it is a lot more difficult when done on a late model, and in this case, not really practical.

Forget it... I once helped a friend do a similar procedure (taking the engine and manual trans out of a wrecked Volvo P1800 and installing it in another, after removing the engine and automatic trans from that one), and even with proper tools, a lift, and more experience (none of which we had, LOL), it's a big job, and the labor bill would be scary. I was glad we didn't have separate either engine from its transmission, also... and we got lucky that one of the two drive shafts actually fit in the new installation.
And those were mid-70s cars... plenty of room and less wiring, etc. Working in the engine bay or underneath almost any car built after 1980 is like trying to build a brick BBQ pit inside a walnut shell. And if it's front-wheel drive, fageddabouddit! 

I don't get your mom's reasoning. Better fuel mileage, cheaper to maintain... and usually a lot more durable.
The only snag with some manuals is that while learning to shift properly, you might wear out the clutch. But it's not hard to learn to do it right, and a good clutch and transmission will take some abuse.

And yeah, it's more fun. More control; personally I think it enhances safety in many situations. I don't mind working a stick in stop'n'go traffic, either, even though my car's drivetrain is trucklike, and the left foot gets a good workout.

Tell her about the safety, the mileage, and the savings... and whatever you do, don't mention anything about hooning.   

If you do wind up with the stick, however, remember about downshifting: brake work is cheap, clutch work is expensive! 

Learn2Manual!

I hate the thought of automatics. It's not real driving; it's just steering! I'd definately work on trying to convince the parents... It's the proper way to drive, it teaches you to drive the correct way, and I imagine in certain road conditions it's probably safer. On a slippy and slidey steep road in winter I was glad to be able to fix it in second gear whilst rolling down that 

skoker wrote on Jul 16^th, 2011 at 12:25am:

She probably learned to drive on an automatic. It's easy enough to convert from a manual to an auto but not so easy the other way round.

I've been driving for over 50 years & got my first automatic about 15 years ago. I would never willingly go back to manual.

Go for a manual, they're just so much easier and if you're anywhere near competent as a driver you're far less like to have a gear-related accident than in an automatic! E.g. you have full control of the car.
Also my mum has to use an automatic due to surgery and her left leg being very weak and I've seen the bills for clutch changes on that She is not a girl racer but holy moley they are expensive! Also if a manual goes tits up the box is a lot easier to swap than an automatic, you don't need weird tools to align strange things!
I've had one automatic and I have to say on short journeys and off the lights it was great, but for any decent amount of driving the fuel economy was pants!

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get the back end out on a wet roundabout in an automatic 3-series? In a manual I can do it in the dry! With the automatic you need a couple of bags of cement or a dead mafia boss in the boot