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The definition of the phrase is as follows:

all kinds or sorts of (things or people)

It seems to be used when you have a lot of things or people of different kinds, so can it be used in the following way?

The store sells all manner of sports car, trucks, sedans and vans. We have about 3 sports car, 2 trucks, 5 sedans and 3 vans.

Because the numbers are extremely low, I don't think this is correct, so what other similar phrases can be used in this particular context?

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    All manner of implies a large variety, 13 vehicles are not a lot.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Sep 16, 2019 at 19:25
  • ...sometimes ranging through the rare and unexpected: not just the usual.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Sep 16, 2019 at 19:46

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The correctness of this phrase does not depend on the current numbers, as it refers to the types that the store sells in general. However, "sports car" should be plural in this construction, so:

The store sells all manner of sports cars, trucks, sedans, and vans. We currently have about 3 sports cars, 2 trucks, 5 sedans, and 3 vans. (I think the serial or 'oxford' comma improves clarity in this case.)

Although this is correct, this use of "all manner of" is in my opinion a bit old-fashioned, and not what would most often be used in such a context, at least in 2019 US English. The sentence could be recast as;

  • The store sells many kinds of sports cars, trucks, sedans, and vans.
  • The store sells various kinds of sports cars, trucks, sedans, and vans.
  • The store sells all types of sports cars, trucks, sedans, and vans.
  • The store sells a wide variety of sports cars, trucks, sedans, and vans.

Other options might also be chosen. The basic meaning of all of the above is much the same, and is also much the same as the original.

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