i say go with the manual if you're going to own the car for awhile. Sure, SMG is cool for awhile, and it's a great showoff tool. But I'm sure with all the mechanical parts like the automated clutch and stuff, it's prone to error. Three pedals and a good shifter can bring much joy. Plus it's best to stick with the good ol' BMW tradition of manual trannys and inline sixes. A tradition that is sadly disappearing ............