I prefer the manual's.
I find the perform better - auto's can be tempermental, and need to be primed and hit "just right" before you can get the most out of them. With manuals, it's easier to get more out of them, dragging however feels right to you.
I also admit, cost is a factor. If you flood your atty, and it leaks a little, you can kill the battery. You *will* kill more auto's than manual's, because they are just more delicate. With my manual's, I can scrub the
threads with alcohol, or flood the hell out of my atty, without worrying if I'm going to mess up the battery.
I have an auto PT, but all my batts are manual. I'm keep it that way. And whenever this PT finally dies, I'm getting a manual.