Quoting BPU925:
or you could convert it to auto..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
And endure all the growing pains associated with that? It's not as simple as just throwing in an auto. It's not even as simple as finding all the drivetrain and hard parts to make the swap possible. It goes well beyond that to get a properly performing automatic setup, and to say otherwise is ignorant.
I've been daily driving my stock "refreshened" tranny at 440whp for close to two years now. It boils down to self control. I've launched the car maybe 5 times and do not slam gears.
I learned the hard way the first time and do not want to repeat what I did in the past. I made several 2nd through 4th gear rips while daily driving at 530whp and ended up shredding 3rd in just a few thousand miles. If you beat on any DSM tranny on a daily basis, it will break. Whether it be from small gears being fatigued, or user error with a dogbox, it's not difficult to do.