I'm with AZroadster on this one.
I came from a MT 350Z and I grew to love the AT but:
1) In D mode it's superb round town and cruising, but it always seems to want to be in 1 gear higher than i'd prefer.
2) If you step on the gas it can get a bit scary if you hit the pedal too hard as the AT can suddenly drop a couple of gears - great in the dry but I reckon it'll be sh*t scary in the wet! Best bet , if you want to overtake for instance, is to drop it down a gear or two (depending on your revs) using the paddles and then accelerating, it's something you get used to though
3) There's a little bit of a delay in Manual mode when upshifting, between clicking the paddle and the gear changing, although you soon get used to it.
4) Using in manual can be a bit lurchy if you're not giving it the beans. The best advise I had, was to use the AT for town and MT for when your gunning it and wanting to change gears at high revs all the time. I feel much more confident now on fast twisting roads in manual mode than I was with the MT 350z, as being able to keep both hands on the wheel all the time is great.
The manual overide on the paddles is a godsend and really makes a big difference....one minute crusing along in auto, then and have a hoot through the fast bends with the paddles, then back to a cruise again.
It took me a a week or two to get used to it and work out what works best. Initially I really thought I'd made a big mistake getting the AT, but now I really like it and definately prefer it over the manual.
Good luck with whichever you choose, either way it's a great car!! As others have said, best to try both before you buy, but don't be put off just because the AT feels a bit alien as you'll get used to it. That said, I still go to turn the key every now and then when I stop the car
