New Tacoma 2wd: Auto or Manual Tranny?

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Messages 21 - 40 of total 43 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
Roots

Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
May 12, 2014 - 11:11am PT
I like auto for traffic reasons and if I get injured...it's way easier to drive.

4x4 rules though..
sempervirens

climber
May 12, 2014 - 11:39am PT
I'd go for the 5-spd manual. My 1990 Toyo pickup, 5-spd manual, 2WD, 4-cyl. with extra cab got a consisten 30 mpg. In 2010 I bought a 2004 Tacoma, 2WD, 4-spd, 4-cyl. automatic with extra cab. It is heavier so has less power to climb and accelerate. And get 22 mpg, tops. I'd go with manual (i do like to be lazy, drink coffee and eat my scone while driving, and that is an advantage of the auto). I think they phased out the 4cyl., 5-spd purposely to get people to go with the V6.

I agree with Nature about the 2WD - the only time I wish I had it is on powder days. The 2WD Tacoma is not a good snow vehicle. Most small front-wheel drive vehicles perform better in snow, eh.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
May 12, 2014 - 12:57pm PT
Auto with 6cyl here. Dislike clutch on the knee after long climbing day.

Seems like towing with a 4cyl would be nightmarish, but I speak only from dedicated ignorance.

kev

climber
A pile of dirt.
May 12, 2014 - 01:12pm PT
I think they phased out the 4cyl., 5-spd purposely

Not phased out at all - you just cant get the 4cyl with the 6speed.

Munge - you know mine was a 4 cyl.
Bad Climber

climber
Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2014 - 01:18pm PT
I really appreciate y'allz comments here.

The 2014 4cyl. Tacoma has a tow rating of 3,500 lbs. We expect to be towing about half that. We won't be all zippy up Sherwin grade, but we will be fine. Nice to know about the diffs between the two trannies. We're going 5spd. manual.

@Locker: I figured someone would take my terminology the way you did, and I love you for it! Hugs and kisses across the webs for you!

BAd
stevep

Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
May 12, 2014 - 01:23pm PT
I'm curious what folks think are the real advantages of manual transmission are these days. I get that there is a perception that it is "cooler" and more involving of the driver.

But the numbers that I see on fuel economy are pretty even. And many automatics these days can be shifted much like a manual. I have no problem downshifting my automatic to keep speeds down and reduce braking on long downhills.

Manuals may be cheaper in the initial purchase. Is that really all that's left as an advantage?

climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
May 12, 2014 - 01:51pm PT
The only thing manuals have lost to automatics is fuel economy in some cases. You can still push start one and they are still far more reliable and rarely break.

In some cases automatics are superior offroad. This depends on specific gearing options of the vehicle in question
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 12, 2014 - 02:38pm PT
I used to think manuals were better when you were in a deep hole in snow or
sand cause you could rock it but with an auto and a locking diff who needs
to do that anymore?

And few people can drive a manual well enough to beat an auto on fuel mileage.
We all would like to think we can but who wants to have to pay attention?
labrat

Trad climber
Auburn, CA
May 12, 2014 - 03:20pm PT
I have an 05, Tacoma, 4x4, manual transmission, with nearly 240,000 miles.

I have had some issues. Syncro problem shifting into 3rd at a little over 75k (double shifting made it tolerable) that has since gone away with a "special gearbox fluid" that the dealership could not fix so I took it to a specialty Toyota shop to take care of. The dealership had told me that at some point I would need a new $4000 transmission!

Next up was a new bell housing that cost quite a bit (my syncro problem went away at nearly the same time). They had never seen the problem before.

My shop says that Toyota auto transmissions are the way to go. No problems.

I dearly love manual transmissions unless I'm in traffic........
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
Dec 14, 2014 - 09:38pm PT
Quote Here

May 12, 2014 - 01:23pm PT
I'm curious what folks think are the real advantages of manual transmission are these days. I get that there is a perception that it is "cooler" and more involving of the driver.

But the numbers that I see on fuel economy are pretty even. And many automatics these days can be shifted much like a manual. I have no problem downshifting my automatic to keep speeds down and reduce braking on long downhills.

Manuals may be cheaper in the initial purchase. Is that really all that's left as an advantage?

driver engagement and "cool" factor are valid points. Fuel economy seems to be a wash; historically, manuals have out-performed autos, but these days autos and CVTs demonstrate (marginally) better mileage

I don't think there's any paddle-shift substitute for manual control of the gears. also, I think some automatics prohibit paddle-shifting into certain bands of the tachometer -- bands one might want to inhabit when, say, merging onto the freeway
rottingjohnny

Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
Dec 14, 2014 - 10:14pm PT
I guess it all depends on if you are delusional and think you are driving in a Grand prix or flying an F-16...If you baby a manual transmission or an automatic it will last a long time...What's cheaper...? Replacing the clutch , throw-out bearing , and pressure plate or changing the filter and screen on an automatic...?
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Dec 14, 2014 - 10:38pm PT
I don't think there's any paddle-shift substitute for manual control of the gears

When was the last real manual transmission in a serious race car?
Join the 21st century.
rottingjohnny

Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
Dec 14, 2014 - 10:44pm PT
When was the last time you paddle-shifted a tranny...? Was that directed at Locker..?
Bad Climber

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 15, 2014 - 06:16am PT
Hey guys, for what it's worth, we decided to stick with our ultra-low mileage Tundra. With conservative driving, cruising up and down the East Side, we can average 17+ mpg towing our pop-up A-frame trailer, which surprised us since we have the 5.4L V8. The Tundra has the six spd. auto that is a pleasure to drive, and we've got plenty of stank to get up and down that rotten road to Clark Canyon, which we tap a couple of times a year. I mean, we did it WITH the trailer this year.

The Tacoma would have been marginally better vehicle, perhaps, in it's overall use, but since we love the Tundra so much, we didn't see much advantage to switching, dealing with depreciation, the hassle of the switch, etc. We did get a nice shell for the long bed, however, and now we've got endless storage and a nice place to sleep if we want to leave the trailer behind. This is another advantage: I'm 6'4", so stretching out in the Tacoma wasn't going to happen.

Carry on...

BAd
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
Feb 6, 2015 - 05:57pm PT
new Tacoma to hit the dealers this summer. looks legit. could probably haul you and your fanny pack up Buttermilk Road, at least with a good easterly breeze.
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Feb 6, 2015 - 06:07pm PT
Joplay.... Im with you MEN use sticks.

then your rig is almost imposable to steal cause almost all folks under 30 can't work the stick.

Sometimes if your going to work, like tow a trailer, its better to have ample power to do the job, better than ringing the 4cy out to the max...

just my .02
nature

climber
Boulder, CO
Feb 6, 2015 - 08:17pm PT
kev wrote:
We need to go diving this year...just saying...Maybe climb too!

oddly we made that happen. Twice. Err... the diving part. Climbing... m'eh... not so much.
PAUL SOUZA

Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
Feb 6, 2015 - 09:35pm PT
I have a 2002 Taco TRD V6 with the 5 speed and I will always drive a manual transmission....especially in the mountains. I rarely use the brakes (relatively speaking) when driving in the mountains.
jopay

climber
so.il
Feb 7, 2015 - 04:23am PT
I was in a Toyota dealership speaking with the service guy and a mechanic motioned to him, who said excuse me I have to back your truck out because the mechanic can't drive a stick, I said your kidding right, he said no many new mechanics can't drive a stick. Now we have cars that parallel park for you and talk of self driving cars. Wow, I kinda feel sorry for folks who never rowed the gears behind a 300hp small block Chevy, you know the verse "I get rubber in all four gears". There is an art to driving and I sense we are losing it, my brother taught me to drive on snowy parking lots, practicing skid control, and spinning figure eights, how to shift without the clutch, and how to push start a vehicle with a dead battery, which is one more advantage to driving a manual.Oh and one more thing, my generation had a name for automatics they were call "slush boxes".
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Feb 7, 2015 - 06:40am PT
In the past the manuals were usually much more reliable and versatile than the automatics.

I'm not at all convinced about the reliability of modern automatics. I'm sure some will be very reliable and I know some are not. However having driven some of the newer automatics I am very impressed with the computer controlled fuel/power/shift management. Rented an Impala which had 300hp and still got 25mpg with me leadfooting around town for a couple days.

Last time I had a car with 300hp+ I was lucky to get 8mpg ..

one thing I am not at all impressed with yet is anti-lock brakes. So far I haven't driven any on dirt or snow that can compete with a good driver for breaking. I disable my anti-lock on my current vehicle when it snows because it is terrible.

Anyone here who likes to drive on snow and ice actually found an antilock system that was any good?
Messages 21 - 40 of total 43 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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