Think about what you’re doing with the car. If it’s your daily, maybe you want the ease of an automatic. But if it’s a fun project or you’re planning upgrades, go manual. It’s more control and less hassle when you need to push it.
Toyota made plenty of 4-speed and 5-speed manuals in that era. They’re simple and reliable. Autos were offered too, but swapping between auto and manual is... https://carpartsstoreusa.com/