requesting real life experience with 904 lock-up with manual switch

Why do you want a lock up converter?
It is my understanding that to get the wider spaced gearing, the only option is to get a lock-up transmission. Since the trans is set up for it anyway it doesn't seem that big a leap to just use it that way - am I missing another alternative? I want to use relatively high (numerically low) gears for gas mileage, without having the car be a dog around town (thus the desire for lower 1st and second gears)