General thoughts on Manual vs. Auto trans??

[SteelCity311]

Well I'm in the market for a Tacoma, and was wondering everyones opinions on this. I am currently looking at two similar trucks, both v6, but ones an auto trans, while the other is a 5 speed. It really wouldn't matter to me; The only things I can think of is the the manual may last longer??maybe?? and on the other hand sometimes it's nice to drive an auto around and not bother with shifting. - Oh and the truck will be used as a daily driver and for play.

Pros and Cons of both?? Never owned a Toyota before.......
-- THANKS --

[Animal]

Never owned a Toyota before?? Well you are purchasing a truck that you will love to drive!!

Me personally, I like to drive stick. I like to have control of the truck when I am driving. However, if you are doing city driving, I would suggest an Auto if you are not going to be wheeln' that much.

There are times that I would like to have an Auto.. but I love Driving Manual!!

-Erik

[ShowStop]

Love my 5 speed. It would suck in stop-and-go traffic, but I dont have to deal with much of that.

[NorcalPR]

In stop and go traffic, i just pop into 2lo.

Even in hi, it's not bad. Just leave yourself some room instead of being on thier ass all the time.

Maintence is easier on the manual, you get better gas mileage, and I think it lasts much longer.

[KevT]

even in stop and go I prefer my manual over auto... unless it's really bad congestion and i'm stuck right in between 1st and second so it's hard to choose which gear. still i'd never get auto. manual is where it's at... ust hard to find since nobody around here drives manuals anymore.

[Stock02]

Love manual, but heck that's about all I've driven fot the past 20+ yrs.

[CYi5]

manual is cool for the street, but its a serious bitch when it gets to be boulder time. Unless you have a crawler of course

[ShowStop]

Originally Posted by CYi5

manual is cool for the street, but its a serious bitch when it gets to be boulder time. Unless you have a crawler of course

Yeah, gotta have low gears for rock crawling. I could really use some 4.56s or 4.88s myself.

[spacewrangler]

i have a love/hate relationship with my 5 speed. ....but i live in atlanta where traffic sucks.

[AK98Taco]

Torque multiplication from the auto is nice, especially with these low torque motors.

[TacoDell]

Manual for more gear selection when wheeln'n...

Auto for brain dead fawks who spend all their time commuting, eating cheeseburgers and talking on the cell phones... LOL

Or if yer getting old and lazy... Which seems to be where I'm at...

But I'm still clutching the pig... I never learned how to drive an auto...

[Animal]

Originally Posted by cbrRRman

eating cheeseburgers and talking on the cell phones... LOL

Ha ha.. i do that while I drive manual!!


Not Really!!

Manual is just better all the way round!! Get Manual!!

You won't regret it!

[tacomaman87]

Definitley go MANUAL...so much more fun and you have a better sense of control of the vehicle.

[95taco]

I have a auto, and really isnt doesnt matter to me. But I bought the truck for so cheap it didn't really matter.

[TEJASYOTA]

When my Taco DC came out in 01, it only offered it in automatic, so I was stuck on the transmission choice. My preference is manual - see other's explanation. I can say this, that if you are doing double duty with your truck, the auto is not a bad choice either. I am all ways suprised on how well my truck handles having basically a stock system with the auto tranny.

Note, I did vote for manual in this poll.

[taco420]

ive own autos and sticks. i love driving sticks if im trying to go fast but for wheeling and daily driving an auto is way nicer. i know people wont agree with me but why push a clutch all the time if you can put it in 4 low and select a gear and leave it there. ive never been in a situatin off road where ive felt a manual would be better than a auto ,unless maybee for rock crawlin, but ive even seen awsome rock crawlers with auto that did just as good as manuals. sure if your drag racing or street racing a manual is the way to go. but its a truck and im lazy. i drive my taco at least a hundred miles a day, thats a lot of shifting to do with a manual. so unless you an immature kid that needs to redline his truck everywhere why get a manual.

[Breathegood]

I'm having to put $3200 into my wifes AT right now in her 4Runner. At it's worst I can't imagine repairs costing that much on a MT. I vote MT.

[phoneman]

Manual for me, I like shifting!

[Dick Foster]

This is not the place for that kind of question. Try following the guidelines noob.

[TacomaHopeful]

i am in the same boat right now and i have a buddy with a 5 speed taco and i drove it around stone mountain and really liked it and went and test drove one from autotrader and really liked the 5 speed v6 so my vote would be get the 5 speed....heck that's what i am in the process of trying to do...

[NorcalPR]

Whats better about a manual tranny, it's easier to bump when your stuck. In a Auto, it can be a pain (and also sound pretty bad)

[sixspeed]

Welcome Newb from Steel City!

It really is personal preference. Automatics can cost more to repair and sticks can break things if you are the constant piss-beating kind.

Manuals generally do last longer. Autos still have more internal friction parts that can wear out and they do cost more to repair. For the stick, the factory Toyota clutch is an animal. Few problems, they just last and last.

Autos are nice in constant stop and go traffic or in really intesnse crawling where working shifters and clutches are a distraction...

Sticks usually are a tick better with fuel mileage due to mechanicals and can be driven nicer to make up a bit more mileage... The newer 5 and 6 spd computer controlled autos are narrowing this gap tho.

All said, nothing beats a stick for driving fun. And unless you're spending hours commuting in NYC or Cali traffic there isn't anything in the Lehigh Valley that would make ME want to drive an auto taco...

Mods, to keep the profanity down can we please get this thread moved to Newbie tech?? Thanks!

[NorcalPR]

All said, nothing beats a stick for driving fun. And unless you're spending hours commuting in NYC or Cali traffic there isn't anything in the Lehigh Valley that would make ME want to drive an auto taco..

Like I said, I just pop it in 2lo and let the clutch out. Leave some room and it's easy as cake to drive in traffic.

[ben76]

I Have never owned an auto. Once you get use to driving a stick, even in traffic, it just becomes second nature, and is not that big of a deal. Get which ever you think you will be more comfortable with.

[AVplus]

love my 5 speed. if its not manual its not really driving to me. that being said i daily drive from one side of columbus to the other and an auto would be nice at times, but screw it, i choose manual everytime.

[Gamblur]

AUTO!!!

My last truck was a stick, which I loved to drive. Now that I'm a little older and lazy why bother shifting if I don't have to. LOL

Frees up a hand for things like cell phones! J/K

Sometimes I miss my old 5spd but most of the time I'm glad I can just put it in D and go.

[honca2k]

Originally Posted by ben76

I Have never owned an auto. Once you get use to driving a stick, even in traffic, it just becomes second nature, and is not that big of a deal. Get which ever you think you will be more comfortable with.

ever since i can remember we have always had Manual Transmission Vehicles at home. it really is second nature once you get used to driving it. I live in a pretty small town with a lot of congested roads, like NOrcapr said just put it in 2lo and leave enough space between you and the car ahead. Just get what you think would be more convenient.

[Mike-in-WV]

If you look at these threads the biggest reason for wanting manual tranny is "I Like It" or "I like to shift" or "I like the sound". It's really not because they think one is better than the other. Also you will see more problems and questions with manual trans and clutches being replace than you will ever hear about autos.
Autos today are far from being the autos of old and they can last forever and if maintained right they will. They even use them in big rigs now and have for years and that includes earth movers, 4- wheelers, and even dozer's.
Don't be mislead by the idea that autos don't hold up. You will see them in off road racing, mud bogs and rock climbing and anything else you can think of.
In Case you didn't know it to be able to drive autos right you also need to know how and when to shift them and rocking them back and forth to get un-stock is actually easier than a standard , not harder as some have stated.
In todays world it's just a matter of wanting to shift so that you feel like a big old fashion racer driver or not.
Over the years I have driven many standards and autos and the standards are fun but I enjoy the autos more now. Old age I guess, Mike

[toyotateen]

you got to go for the manual transmission. its just more fun to drive. plus it keep your friends that don't really know any thing about cars and cant drive stick from borrowing your truck. i know most of my friends don't know how to drive stick.

[dougtrd]

It's your preference...My 02 DC is the 1st Auto I have ever wheeled, and I love it for its simplicity and because it allows you to pay attention to other things than that hot clutch smell while climbing obstacles...on the other hand, my 85 runner is a 5sp and I love it too! There really is something about the control of a manual that makes the driving experience better IMO.
Either way, buy what you like and then learn how to drive it well( and yes, you do have to learn your auto. to drive it well and to minimize wear and tear). In the long run the auto will cost more $$$ when it needs repair, but most people drive an auto a bit more conservatively than a stick, so wear and tear on other items is decreased.

Bottom line is I like them both for their different advantages. Get what you like!

Doug