One thing about manuals is that they are more resistant to carjackings. Several folks in Houston TX have been ordered out of their cars at gun point only to have the carjacker get frustrated and run off on foot.
I've read several articles about thieves giving up on manual cars. Most of them would have a hard time with my Dodge pickup. The reverse slot is spring loaded and it's a heavy spring. It's easy once you get the feel for it but if you don't know how it works, it can be darn hard to get in R.
