Exactly this. Plus dealers don't ever stock any, either, so you have to special order as well. I'd be fine special ordering, but seems most people are not willing to wait.
I'm a diehard manual enthusiast, but nearly all of the few remaining models out there that even offer a manual transmission only offer it on the base stripped-down model. They seem to think that the manual is the "frugal jerk" option, and only offer it in the trim levels that hardly anyone even buys in the first place regardless of transmission.
My current car is a 2004 BMW 330 with a 6-speed manual, but it also has all the options. Leather, power everything, adaptive xenon lights, moonroof, heated seats, etc., etc.
Every time I get the urge to buy a new car I'd have to give up most of those nice features to get a manual transmission because you can't option it with the fully loaded packages or engine/drivetrain combos.
BMW, for the moment, continues to be the exception by offering manuals in nearly all configurations of the 2/3/4 series, but man the prices on them these days has really gotten up there, plus all the new turbo and electronic stuff likely isn't going to hold up as well as the old N/A straight sixes.
I'm a diehard manual enthusiast, but nearly all of the few remaining models out there that even offer a manual transmission only offer it on the base stripped-down model. They seem to think that the manual is the "frugal jerk" option, and only offer it in the trim levels that hardly anyone even buys in the first place regardless of transmission.
My current car is a 2004 BMW 330 with a 6-speed manual, but it also has all the options. Leather, power everything, adaptive xenon lights, moonroof, heated seats, etc., etc.
Every time I get the urge to buy a new car I'd have to give up most of those nice features to get a manual transmission because you can't option it with the fully loaded packages or engine/drivetrain combos.
BMW, for the moment, continues to be the exception by offering manuals in nearly all configurations of the 2/3/4 series, but man the prices on them these days has really gotten up there, plus all the new turbo and electronic stuff likely isn't going to hold up as well as the old N/A straight sixes.