Automatic or standard transmission

Definitely a large part opinion, as you say , and good question.

Here's a general (personal) rule of thumb: unless you just like the feel/idea of one more than the other, decide how much time you're going to spend on or off the trail, where you primarily drive, and base your decision around that primary driving. The good news is that Jeeps are so personal, and can do so many things well, that there really isn't a bad or wrong choice.

It used to be that manual transmissions were the way to go if considering most types of off-road driving because they simply gave you much more control over your speed, torque, etc. But IMO that's not such a clear case for today's modern Jeeps, because automatic transmissions have come a long way, and the decision really comes down to (a) where you'll be spending the most time driving your Jeep, (b) your personal driving style, and (c) on what types of trails.

1. Where will you be driving most?
   For instance, if you plan to spend most your time on the highway... such as using your Jeep for lots of "daily driver" type activities like shopping, errands, work, traffic, etc... you might very well go with an automatic transmission because (for most drivers) it makes on-highway time easier while also giving enough control off-road to have fun on Jamborees. You'll have a little less control in some unpaved areas, such as using more brakes going downhill vs using engine breaking alone. But today's auto boxes can handle it, so it's not a major issue for most beginner and intermediate trails.

2. What's your driving style?
   If you really just love the feeling of being in control, whether off-road or on, then you might consider a manual transmission because it gives you that all-around feeling of being directly connected to your Jeep. This is a personal thing, so do take your dealer up on a test drive (or even a friend if they're going off-road) so you can get a sense for how that aspect feels.

3. What types of trails?
   If you'll be doing beginner to intermediate trails, most autos will be up to task fine. But if you'll be rocking the big guns (Rubicon, etc) sooner than later, even if infrequently, you might go with a manual transmission because you'll want all the control you can get in those situations.

Of course, it all depends on those personal aspects above-- your own preference, how much time you'll spend on/off road, what types of trials you'll be running-- so do take those into consideration.

To put it in perspective, as a professional off-road driving instructor for over 10 years with major SUV manufacturers both in the US and internationally, we almost always recommend [modern] automatic transmissions for people who don't spend a lot of time off-road, or aren't tackling really technical trails, because it gives them enough control for both their skill level and trail conditions, while remaining more manageable for the majority of people on-road.

Keeping asking around (you'll likely got lots of good opinions), let us know how it goes, and drop a comment if you have more questions, too!

Automatic is more better than the manual one for smooth roads because manual transmission is for racing cars whereas automatic is best for us. If you are intending to repair your transmission than check out austin transmission repair they are highly professionals and are really good.