Midsize truck with manual transmission

billiebob

Well-known member
I'll certainly agree that the modern auto transmissions are head and shoulders above the "slushboxes" of the old days. In 2009 I went from a Tacoma with a 5 speed manual to a 4runner with the A340 auto and the difference was pretty stark - both vehicles had the exact same engine (the 3.4 V6) but the 4runner was a slug compared to the Tacoma and MPG was horrible (I was lucky to get 15mpg in the 4runner while the Tacoma could get nearly 20 in the city and 22 - 24 on the highway pretty easily. When you only have an 18.5 gallon tank that's a big difference.)

However I don't agree that the only reason to prefer a manual is out of nostalgia. To me, at least, the manual offers two huge advantages over an auto:

First of all, a manual transmission will almost never fail without giving some significant warning that it is in trouble (clutch slipping, gears grinding, etc.)

By contrast, a modern auto can literally fail in seconds with ZERO warning. Ask me how I know that.

View attachment 580641

The second reason is that modern automatic transmissions are crazy expensive to replace. A manual transmission rarely needs to be replaced since they can usually be repaired (and normally the clutch is the failure point anyway.)

I understand that manuals are going the way of the dodo in North America but I would still argue that the manual has some significant advantages even over the modern crop of multi-speed autos. In parts of the world where high-tech auto repair shops are few and far between I think manuals will still be the norm. Eventually electric vehicles will replace them but until then manuals will be what most people use.
This ^^^ is the gospel. I've owned 6? automatics and replaced 4 of them. All old school, none of them left me stranded but I limped into the repair shop. I have 50 years on standard transmissions, maybe 30 vehicles, a few commercial trucks with close to a million miles on them, never have I done more than routine maintenance. Never replaced one, never limped home. My wife drives new automatics, I drive older used trucks with a clutch.

I agree fully with the logic and technology driving the modern multi speed computer controlled automatics in a world where most people don't even understand how to use a Transit Pass but I'll likely never buy anything newer than my '05 TJR....
until I can buy a pure electric Wrangler.
 
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