Should your next car be a stick shift?

Standard, stick shift transmissions are sporty and fun – but are they better on gas? 

Not necessarily. Automatic transmissions have come a long way and now often get the same or better fuel economy than the manual version in most vehicles. And if you think that manual model will cost less to buy than the automatic, it might. However, many cost the same now and it might be harder to find the vehicle you really want in a stick shift.

There is still an upside to going manual – theft. Because fewer people, including thieves, even know how to drive a stick shift, the easier-to-drive manual car next to yours is probably more tempting.