Depending on the vehicle I don't mind an automatic. In a fun car it will always be a manual, unless of course I can get a sequential like a Hewland!
It's amazing to me that our local MINI dealer doesn't stock manual transmissions any longer. He claims that they sit on the lot too long and the automatics fly out the door. It's only manual mania for me!
I remember when I was little telling my parents, who until recent years have driven manuals, that when I was of driving age that I wanted an old Corvette with an auto tranny so I didn't have to lean to drive a stick. I know, WTF was wrong with me? In my defense this was like 25 years ago, remember I'm young compared to most of you silverbacks, lol!! Kidding guys. When it came time to learn to drive, in an '88 Accord no Vette, I had no option but to learn to drive a stick. When I took my actual driving school I was a little confused because the car they used was an automatic, but I was still a better driver than my classmates. I also had a bit of an accident with an automatic after I first started driving that involved a '84 Firebird SE that a friend of mine owned. He had the habit then of anytime I would ride with him a little down the road, he would pull the car over light a joint and get out the the car proclaiming it was time for me to drive. He did this VERY frequently. Well within about two weeks or so of having my license I was out driving with him and he was super baked and we were cruising along a back road with no traffic and he mentioned that I needed to shift into overdrive. Now keep in mind I was sober at this point in time, but for some reason my mind associated overdrive with 5th gear. My friend said he looked over at me right after he said that and saw me reach for the shifter and go for the invisible clutch. I succeeded in shifting from 3rd gear to reverse at 55 MPH. The result was impressively loud. We completed 3 or 4 complete spins and some how managed to stop facing the correct direction in the opposite lane. And somehow with that, there was nothing wrong with the car. I though for sure I did that car in. TL;DR: I hate automatics. Someone once called me an angry control freak in the car. I will always buy manual, unless there comes a day when it is no longer an option or I buy a Lambo.