Manual vs auto transmission realiabilty.

3 tacomas all manual combined mileage of ownership about 700 thousand miles no transmission problem yeah they will need a clutch if you tow around 225/300K

 

Just can’t help myself I guess. Also have to equalize all of the MT brag threads. Lol.

 

All the electronic components on these trucks are going to go to hell long before the drivetrain does, be it manual or auto.

I love my stick, but would have bought the auto if it had been geared a little lower.

 

My 1985 fuel injected corolla would like a word with you lol.
Even has the original fuel pump.

But I get you. If the important electronics in this truck can last over 25 years, id say its a toyota.
They have no excuse to last less other than cost cutting in this era.

Ps. The axle ratios and/or overdrive gears on the manuals feel so much more better suited for a TRUCK. I drove a loaner auto and god its geared like a sedan lol. It does get better MPG at times so there is that....

 

Thats the shift logic putting the auto in the highest gear whenever possible. But manuals are geared a bit lower and this is real evident on the highway. The truck still has pull in 6th. No need to downshift as much. Then again, rpms are higher.

 

Try having a MT when you live in a town with stop and go driving 7 days a week,and freeways backed up for 10 miles.

 

Same here. I was shopping used before I bought my 2018 and the manuals I found were always cheaper. Every salesman told me the same thing, "I can't get rid of it, nobody can drive a manual anymore."

 

I give you praise for the photo. When I had my learners permit as a kid I learned how to drive a stick on a 1983 toyota 4x4 looks very similar. It was not new but looked great. It was an sr5 with a camper top and a top notch stero lol. I 4 wheeled the piss out of it and parents had no clue at the time. I use to sneak it down a dirt road and back roads when they were at work. I learned how to drive a manual thanks to that generation of toyota. I am sure I abused the clutch by accident but the truck took a lot of abuse from being a new manual driver. Thanks for pics brought back some cool memories.

 

Your 85 Corolla should know I'm not talking about it!

Technology is just moving WAY too fast. In 10 years I suspect all of the ECU stuff in our vehicles will be obsolete... then if it goes out, where will we be?

There's a video on YouTube called "Tractor Hacking." Right now John Deere is in a fight with the Nebraska state legislature over similar issues.

 

What @Burro09 said.

The powerband in this truck starts at around 2000rpm. At 60mph in 6th, I'm turning 2K. In an auto, you're not spinning 2K until 80mph...

I can pull a trailer at highway speeds with plenty of power and not listening to the motor scream.

 

I live outside DC and commute on the beltway... it's not nearly as bad as you think it is and the transmission in my truck is about the 47th thing I'm pissed about in traffic.

 

I had the opposite experience with the MT truck only being cheaper because it's cheaper to begin with. Having two coworkers with my exact truck from the same dealer but with an AT instead, they both got more off sticker than I did with one only paying $250 more than me.

Living in an affluent area with one MT within 100 miles, they wouldn't budge from the "this is our discounted advertised price." It wasn't a bad price (almost $3k off sticker from a basic OR) but I had to do all the negotiating on the trade-in and bonus accessory side. Sales manager literally sat across from me and said that nobody drives an MT anymore and when someone comes in saying they're looking for the MT truck, the sales guys know right away that this person wants an MT and nothing else will do.

So pro tip for everyone, don't be like me and walk into the stable asking to ride the unicorn.

 

They are less expensive brand new.

 

For a while, I did not like the AT transmission in my first 3rd Gen. However, I did read that the transmission will adjust and learn from your driving after so many miles. Sure enough, after driving about 1000 miles, it stopped gear hunting so much and mostly stuck to the gear shift points that I liked. Now that I have a newer 3rd Gen (Got a SWEET deal and went from an SR5 to a OR) I am having to train it again.

 

Interestingly both the auto and the 6 speed are rates the same mileage at highway speeds at least it did when I bought my "11" yeah and no automatic in OD towing.

 

I don't remember what my window sticker said...

If I drive 60, I can crank out 23mpg all day long. If I drive 75, it's 18 or less. Which sucks because the interstate here is 75 and I'm on it almost daily.

 

When I bought my 95 regular cab 4wd manual, the dealer tried to sell me a extended cab with the auto for only $500 more. I passed cause I wanted the manual and regular cab (extended cabs weren't cool back then believe it or not). When I sold that truck I had dealers fighting over it, I finally traded it for $6800 and wish I hadn't now.

 

yeah yeah, what ever. Big deal dude.

 

I have put 461,000 miles on a Toyota truck automatic transmission.

Also, I have put 750, 000 on a gen 2 Toyota Tacoma 5 speed manual transmission.

This was all hard miles.

Change your fluids regularly, using pristine, spec'd fluids, in the correct amount, at regular intervals.

Be confident that you are good to go.

 

Wish I had some dumb salesman tell me that. I'd keep my poker face on and proceed to lowball him for the deal of a lifetime, meanwhile, knowing I wanted a manual all along. "Well, I guess I can teach myself to drive it. I'll call my friend to come up here and drive it home for me since he can drive a stick."