I just about to place an order for a 2.7T and the wife
wants an automatic (Tip). Am I missing much by not
getting the 6-speed? How about the long term
reliability of either system?

...for a manual transmission. Test drive one and find out for yourself. I've driven a tip equipped Prelude and although it's more engaging than an automatic, it's nowhere near as fun as a manual gearbox. Hopefully for my wife's next car we can get a tip rather than a plain autobox, but for my car, as long as I have two legs, it's a manual box all the way. She can drive a manual in an emergency...and what other reason would there be to drive my car?

You manual guys kill me. Technology keeps moving forward and manual transmissions are starting to look pretty archiac, espescially on a luxury car. I bet in five years they'll almost be completely gone. I hope that automanual systems like BMW's SMG stay around, though.

Rick

I think it was Brock Yates who said '"automatics are for ham fisted geeks who never drove before driver's training". Get the Stick.

I prefer a stick too, but would Brock Yates turn his nose up at the Ferrari paddle shifters? While of course mechanically dissimilar how is that different from the tip philosophically?