Is the manual transmission that much better than the auto transmission?

I still kind of regret my decision to go with the auto over then manual transmission in my Tacoma.

I think the auto transmission is great after the TSB update, and since this is my DD, having the auto trans is pretty solid when I’m driving to and from work in stop and go traffic.

But I still miss rowing my own gears when I’m not driving to and from work.

Is the manual transmission that much better than the auto transmission to risk taking a $3-5k bath on a trade in?

It’s not really a sports car, so I can’t think that the manual transmission could be that much more fun than the auto, but maybe I’m wrong.

Anyone able to change my mind?

 

Not a third gen, but I love having 3 pedals. I work from home though and most of my driving is highway though so YMMV.

 

I wouldnt waste 3-5k on it unless you REALLY hated the AT. I tow a lot so having the AT would drive me insane. In traffic its actually quite easy to drive as 1st gear can idle along no problem. Overall I just have far more control over what the truck is doing compared to the AT.

 

Having a MT in a taco is one of the biggest reasons I bought one. It makes the driving experience so much better, both on and off-road. Worth every penny imho.

 

You want to push a clutch 100's of times a day for 20 years ?
No thanks.
Auto does just what a manual does, better imo and less hassle.
Get a dump truck if you want to play around with one to get it out of your system the need to row.

 

It’s a pretty personal decision, but for me manual was the only way to go.

This is my first Tacoma and I came from many AT’s in cars/trucks where there was no other option - land cruiser, multiple sequoias, Z71 etc - and after a while driving just becomes boring.
So i wanted to inject some old school fun in it again.

And youre right, its not a sports car, but with the manual it feels way more lively and fun as if it were a sports car.
From the outside i may only be going 40 around a corner, but inside the truck im grinning feeling like im tearing up the track!

Haha

 

Yes. Downshifting, blipping the throttle is one of my life’s pure pleasures.

Worth taking a 3-5k bath over? Yes again but I’m a manual stalwart and there aren’t many of us left out there. (A friend recently called me anachronistic lol.) If you consider yourself a true fan, it’s only money. But if you see traffic as a reason not to row your gears, you probably shouldn’t! Are you more like Tacoman or like me?

 

3-5k to switch I would say no. That said I would not buy a at unless there was no mt

 

It’s a tough choice, I guess I need some seat time in one.

Anyone near me that wants to trade for an hour

The pro’s of the auto are definitely the added tech and that my girlfriend can drive it.

Con’s is that I can’t drive my Tacoma like my STI anymore haha

 

Go test drive a manual & see if it's worth it to you. I gave up on manual 15 years ago, but I see that some people still need or want them. Just way the pros and cons. One thing that would kill it for me, is if you're in stop and go traffic a lot. And unless you're trading in trucks every couple of years and like loosing $$, you'll be stuck with your decision for awhile.

Personally I'd just keep the AT, but only you can decide for yourself.

 

Or a sports car or race truck or Fomula 1 car or NASCAR or Semi truck or motorcycle

 

I’ve considered just picking up a used WRX or Lexus IS300 and playing around with it just to “get it out of my system” like you said. It’s been about 6 months since I had my last manual so maybe I’m just remembering all the good and forgetting all the bad lol

 

Where's near?

IMHO, there is no getting it out of my system. I gave up cars for bikes for about 12yrs. FWD MTs were boring, ATs in anything were worse. The MT Taco covers it for me. I actually want to drive it and it gets me places that my last bike used to. So, it covers all the bases, even DD in traffic.

 

If you want something exciting, not "boring" get a hot sports car with a manual. I can't see a manual in a truck making anything exciting actually.

 

No way to know until you drive a MT and decide for yourself. The couple of AT Taco's I test drove were TERRIBLE... Shift happy, sluggish to downshift and the salesman even told me he had people complain about the AT and bring the Taco back and trade into a Tundra. So I went with the MT.

The MT is great... Easy to shift... Light clutch pedal... tight, relatively short throws... but it is still a truck and isn't as fun to drive as a sports coupe or an STI (IMO). But you can really ring the 3.5 out with the MT which makes on ramps fun. The engine really wakes up higher in the rev range.

But is it worth taking a financial hit to get into a MT.? Only you can decide that. Truth be told, if the TSB for the auto had been put out and widely reported as fixing the issues with the AT I probably would have gone with an AT now that I'm 8 months in to ownership. Love the truck but sometimes I'd rather hit the start button, drop it in drive and just go.

 

In Feb. 2016 i bought an SR5 AC A/T, by Nov. 2017 I realized I had made 2 mistakes, cab size and transmission. Traded in for my 2017 TRDOR M/T. That said I didn't hate the A/T but I got board with it, of course most of my trucks have been M/T's. You'll get a lot of opinions and few facts. One fact is the M/T is geared lower (both the transmission and axles). Lower gears help with things like acceleration and towing but lower fuel economy. For me it was worth trading, yes it cost me some, but I was just ok with my 16 and love my 17. It's really personal preference. M/T have fewer options, which my or may not matter depending on what you have now and what you want. A M/T Tacoma will be a TRD 4x4 v6, DCSB or ACLB Sport (US) ACLB OR (Canada), Real key (no push button start). I'm Probably forgetting some, but those a the main ones I recall.

 

That is you, this is me. My sports car is my bike. Less money to buy or maintain. There is no sports car that gives the feeling of carving a corner on two wheels, no to mention sub-4sec 0-60 for less than the $6k that I paid 10yrs and 90k ago.

The MT Taco is an entertaining and engaging drive for me. I want to drive it. The AT? No thanks. I wouldn't have even bought one.


Note that exciting is your word. In today's world, exciting in any modern sports car equals surrendering your license.

 

Not exciting in the same way as a sport car or motorcycle necessarily but I prefer to be more involved with the driving so we own all manual transmission cars for that same reason. It's always in the gear I want. We also bought a 2017 Forester with a stick and that's an even more boring vehicle than my Tacoma. But the CVT on those really stinks compared to automatic Toyotas.

 

It’s more engaging than exciting. No regrets with the MT here.