Six speed opinions

Buying new tacoma trd double cab and would like opinions on the six speed transmission.

 

My only regret about my truck is the six speed transmission.

Search "throw out bearing" When you are done reading, go buy an automatic and be happy.

 

I love mine-Have not had the throw out bearing issue. I had a problem with the shift fork bending and Toyota backed up their warranty with a full replacement transmission.

The URD short shifter was a great 100 dollars spent. Really solid feel now.

 

My clutch squeaks when it's hot outside but other than that no issues. I had to search for quite a while to find my 6 speed and am very happy I waited and didn't settle for an auto.
I got the opportunity to check out a TRD short shifter in another members truck. Now that has made it's way onto my wish list. My wife is going to take away my credit cards and internet if I don't stop adding stuff to my list...

 

i have a 6 speed sport 4X4 (new dec/2009)
-one regret that i have with the 6 speed is the 5 foot bed. if your going offroad package (double cab) you get a 5 foot bed either way though.
wtf toyota?
-first manual ive ever owned. im happy with it and its easy to drive. I find the tranny shifts really smooth at higher rpms. i went with manual cuz ive never owned one and wanted something different, overall no regrets (except the damn 5 foot bed). Never drove an automatic taco before so cant really comment on the difference, all i know is you cant go wrong with the auto. not looking forward to fighting with toyota over throwout bearing issues if that ever happens. as from what i read on tacomaworld this 6 speed is plauged with issues that toyota seems to ignore.
-auto gets better fuel economy if thats important to you, i dont worry about it. also at highway speeds... engines with the manual tranny spin way faster. (roughly 2500 rpm at 70 mph).
-good luck with your new purchase; if you have any questions lemme know.

 

One thing that is nice about the higher rpm is that you don't have to shift out of 6th very often at highway speeds, makes cruise control very nice even with stick shift.

 

I pulled mine out and installed a T56 transmission with APR's conversion kit.

Best mod I have made.

 

Would that be A PITA with an auto or not that bad.

 

Im rocking the 6spd, not one problem and i just put on 46000 miles. I run my truck hard since i use it on our farm. If you do get the manual get the URD STS, like the other post stated. Best 100 bucks spent.

 

It would be a pita, if you started auto.

 

That is true, but it's also kind of stupid. They give you 6 gears, and yet there's so little difference between the top three that once you get to 6th you rarely need to downshift. As a result, fuel efficiency takes a dive on the interstates.

Personally, I'd rather have a higher 6th gear and have to downshift now and then. After all, I didn't buy a manual expecting to never have to shift.

 

I don't know if it's still a problem with the new ones (though I highly suspect it is), but the electronic throttle control system on this truck doesn't mesh well at all with a manual.

If you've never driven a normal manual transmission equipped vehicle and this is all you've ever known, you may never realize how retarded this system is.

The way the computer keeps the throttle high and then slowly lowers it after you've removed your foot from the pedal is ridiculous. And maybe worse is how when you go to start out, you can't reliably rev the engine. It's like you have a little retard between you and the actual throttle. You tell it what you want him to do with the accelerator pedal, but there's no freaking telling what he's going to do, or when he'll decide to do it. I've mostly gotten used to it, but it can be maddening.

I had a friend drive my Tacoma just the other day. He only drove it about 10 miles. He knows how to drive a manual, and he couldn't shift this truck worth a damn. He said, "The engineers must have been out of their minds when they designed this". I agree with him.

 

No regrets I would never by any vehicle period that was an automatic. I love my 6 speed and never a single problem.good luck

 

Not the smoothest shifting manual I've ever driven, but I couldn't drive an automatic so I guess I'll learn to live with it.

I had a squeaky clutch for a while, then I just rotated the plunge shaft and it went away and hasn't come back.

Only have 6500 km's on the truck so I can't speak to reliability.

 

I've driven quite a few Taco's being a Toyota tech, and the automatics feel doggy compared to the 6 speed (to me, atleast). The 4Runners feel like a slug with the 4.0 and automatic.

Just my two cents.

 

2009 6-speed..clutch assembly replaced august 2009 because of squeak issue. problem came back june 2010. after several attempts to fix it by dealer I called the factory rep. he fixed it ...so far so good. the 2011 tacomas have the same issue.

 

What did this squeak sound like? Did you try rotating the plunging rod under the clutch pedal?

 

I wanted the manual when I bought mine, but have since found out that my reasoning was totally backward. I was looking for reliability, fuel economy, and off-road ability, and the automatic trumps the 6-speed in all three of these areas.
That said, I haven't had any specific issues with my truck, but I have only had it a couple months.

 

I have owned standards since I was 16. I drove the 6 speed and didn't like anything about it. I have the 5 speed automatic and very happy. It could be my age but the clutch felt too heavy and the gears to notchy. 1-2nd was too short. Test drive both and see what suits you better. I wouldn't let a throw out bearing issue steer me away from the manual though. Just my opinion.