The other thing about a fully manual table is that you'll have to manually move the belt from one pulley on the motor to another in order to change speeds.

So - why does anyone buy a fully manual table???

Well - here's the thing. They're usually better tables for a couple of reasons:

1) Automatic tables are usually going to cause more record damage than manual tables will, especially on the inner grooves as the tonearm reaches the end of the record. Most automatic tables use a mechanical device (spring loaded switch, etc.) on the arm to trigger the arm removal at the end of the record. These devices typically add additionl resistance to the travel of the arm and stylus as it reaches the end of the record and can therefore cause those areas to wear faster than the outer grooves - hope that makes sense!

2) The motors on manual tables run at a constant speed and are therefore typically more accurate.

3) Your tonearm upgrade path is usually very limited on non-existent on automatic tables.

This isn't to say that the Thorens TD170 may not be your best bet given your needs - I'm not at all familiar with it since I've only always owned manual tables. Just some things to consider though.