In a word...yes. Much easier to buy a car with all the mechanical stuff in place already. 99% of the time it will be far cheaper to do that than mod a newer vehicle to work like the older one.
So...A) it's not the trans that isn't lasting long, it's the clutch. and B) you admit that it's YOUR driving habits that kill it, not a weak transmission. The fact that you choose to use the $2-4K trans/clutch to slow down instead of the $1-300 brakes (which is their sole job) is your own fault. I've always had manuals in my fast cars. I don't want to hear that an auto is stronger than a manual either because it's just not a true statement.
Because I wouldn't care to know that you're behind the one way mirror jerking it while you watch...You're a sick man Mike.