In 25 years of driving and insuring 40+ cars with a number of insurance companies, I have NEVER been asked whether the car was an automatic or a manual, and I doubt any of them had that info encoded into the VIN.
As manuals get rarer, I think that for any car with a sporting bent they actually increase the resale value. BUT, you have to target your market when selling. And be willing to wait longer for the sale.
I also think that manuals encourage more engagement with the process of driving, and fewer distrations.
/grumpy middle aged guy mode
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What is with all the parents buying their kids $20K+ cars around here?? I grew up in a VERY affluent town, and nobody's parents bought them anything like a few year old BMW. At best you got a hand-me-down '80 Volvo wagon with 150K on it (and Mom got a new one), or in my case a hand-me-down 5yo Subaru GL. And a 5yo Subaru was not a performance machine in 1987... Kids bought themselves beaters. My best friend drove a Volare Station Wagon...
And yes, I am jealous, I freely admit it. My folks could have EASILY bought me a couple year old BMW when I got my license, but Hell would have frozen over first! I was damned lucky to even get that Subaru.
