Having a manual, I'd actually prefer a semi-automatic. I drove a full automatic throughout my Ps and find it relaxing, but boring. Manual is fun in a few circumstances, but for the most part the novelty wears off rather quickly (especially in peak hour traffic). I'm a bit of a hobo and I like to wear thongs on the weekends, but I find it hard to use the clutch with thongs so I take them off. Using the clutch with bare foot gets goddam painful after a while. I've driven the IS250 a few times with the paddle-shifters, they're good fun. And what's with all the comments about falling asleep unless driving a manual? Lol, you can still fall asleep at the wheel of a manual, the likelihood is probably just as high. It's not like you're going to be continuously shifting while driving at 100.