Tacoma Stalking, er...uh, Spotting, with Charlie™ (3rd Gen Edition)!

The next generation of cars won't have any transmission - electric motors are direct drive.

Its the way of things. Almost no one has experienced operating the planetary gearboxes of the coach-built buggies. Few people can operate a three-on-the-tree. And while a four-on-the-floor has been dying for a while, it will be a while longer before its completely dead. Too many people still find the joy in it.

 

Im coming to pa to sell my truck tf...

i can buy a base 5lug for 4k cad up here

 

True. When I ordered my 2020 SR 2.7 I wanted a MT but was told they just don't make them anymore. Aside from that I just like MT, I especially wanted one because nowdays it's probably about the best 'theft deterrent' there is. Very few now under the age of about 30-35 can drive a stick anymore.
I always tease my oldest son (32) that if he can't drive a stick, he doesn't really know how to drive. And then I get the 'rolling eyeball' look. And then when I want to jab him a little more, I tell him about how I learned to drive a stick on an ancient old Ford pick-up with a non-syncro tranny and how you had to 'double clutch' to shift gears .. Then I get the 'eyes glazed over' look...

 

While I'll be sad to see it go, this truck will most likely be the last manual I buy. EV's and hybrids don't come in manuals and in the 5-10 years that will be all there is in this segment. That said, having test driven a few electrics, the instant torque is incredible and you quickly forget rowing the gears with a <5 sec 0-60 time. Relatedly, all the reviewers are saying the hybrid and PHEV Rav4 destroy the gas-only version in every metric. I'm pretty excited to see that type of power delivery and 30 mpg in a truck.

 

Honda made a couple different Manual Hybrids.

 

Lol let me explain...
They make about 6% of Tacomas with a manual transmission. Why only 6%? Because very few people want them. Trust me, if everyone wanted them Toyota would build them as they are in the business of... you know... selling vehicles.
HOWEVER, this is like that guy you know that like strange things - if you have one hundred friends, and you tried to sell them your MT Tacoma, 94 of them would not buy it. Hell, you could give it to them and they wouldn't take it. Now, to those six people left, they would love to have your truck!
So, is it desirable to most of the public? Nope. It is desirable to a very small group of the general public.

 

Why didn’t you ever teach him? I just taught my GF’s 14 year old how to drive a manual (not in my Taco, he got to wear the clutch out in my VW Buggy). That was as much for me as him though as I generally have to move a car or two out of the way in order to drive out of my garage and I’ve decided that can be his job

 

Someone must be buying them because Toyota, Ford (in the new Bronco) and Jeep are still offering them.

As far as selling them goes, I know it’s anecdotal but a year ago a friend of mine sold his 4wd Second Gen with an MT. He sold it locally within a day and took lots of calls from all over the country from people who wanted it.

I look at it this way, my previous 4wd was an old Isuzu Amigo with a hurt engine and 220K miles on it (oh and it was an MT). I sold it in three days on CL to a guy who drove 100 miles to get it. There is a buyer for just about anything.

 

Sure there is but it is not because it is generally more desirable. They are rarer is all.

 

Soon the new Bronco will be the only 4x4 offered in a manual.

 

Hey, I tried, Oh boy did I try. He, for some reason just didn't have the feel for it. Which is weird, as he can ride a dirt-bike with clutch and shifting gears no problem. But for some reason, the 4 lessons I tried to give him on a Corolla was nothing but slamming the engine down stalling it and burnt clutch smell. I needed this car as it was my daily driver at the time and didn't want 'driving lessons' destroying it. A father can only do so much. After a while it turned into a 'You can learn to drive a stick ... It's just not gonna be on MY car .. That I need ... Cuz I still need this to go to work and back'...

 

How soon? Last I checked both Toyota and Jeep are still making 4x4’s with three pedals.

 

That makes sense, some kids (and adults too) take to it easier then others. I have a cousin who when she was 16ish her Father was trying to teach her in his car. She stalled in the middle of an intersection, got frustrated so she opened the door, got out and walked home. I eventually taught her in my VW but she was a difficult case for sure!

 

The term my dad used was "mechanical sympathy" - some people just don't have it. I may have too much of it. I apologize to my cars if I accidentally hit a pot hole.

 

LOL Guilty I do the same thing! Treat the machine right and it’ll treat you right

 

It’s also all about the Big Mac, fries, and 48oz Diet Coke. Really hard to shovel fries with one hand in the wheel and one on the stick.

 

A real pro can reach across and upshift with the left hand while holding the feed bag with the right.

 

Ehh, taco will loose the manual eventually. They all do. That's why I see keeping a fun car around that you can still turn to for the nostalgia and to remind yourself of the joys of driving. Currently doing just that.

I've had a no eating rule since day 1. Made an exception for one friend who proceeded to lose all of his fries/shake in the footwell and on the dash...never again.

 

Hah! When I got my Macan I implemented a ‘no fries rule’. I wouldn’t even pickup Togo fries. Then one day my wife asked me to pick up burgers and fries on the way home. The day after she had made some spectacular pulled pork sandwiches. It was really hard to say no. I brought home fries.