Manual Transmission Question - How smooth/easy are the shifts?

don't know about BC, but i do know you've got guys right across the border who can sort you. i personally feel the truck drives so great when dialed in, that i would make big effort for it.

hell, i used to live in Seattle and commuted for work in Victoria, and that was for a measly paycheck.

 

Driven manual last 35 years, 2007 DCOR until a few weeks ago when I upgraded to 21 DCOR MT. Simple and smooth, undisputed. That said, just applied KDMax this AM and the tune makes it 10X better - hands down.

 

I don't know what it costs for the Sidney, B.C,-Anacortes, WA, ferry although I was once a ticket seller at the Sidney terminal decades ago. It is now $75Cdn each way for car and driver for B.C. Ferries, Sidney to the Mainland. I don't leave The Island more than a couple times a year.

 

IMO, the manual transmission is the only way to get this truck and enjoy it. I drove both a manual and automatic, and 100% conclude that manual is better. The auto kept shifting at odd times, would not develop power low enough in the rev band, did not give that much better MPG than a manual. I would have bought a manual tacoma if they had got the whole seat height thing right. It, as all Toyota products, is a great looking vehicle, and just the right size for most peoples needs.

 

Count "5", then drive.

Works in cold N.E winters.

 

I actually wait till it kicks out of high idle, then away we go.

 

Thanks. I hear you bout the lazy part.. I should've done this before installing the BAMF skid trio.

 

^This. You said it much more elegantly and concisely than I could have. With that said, if I had to make the decision today, I’d still take the manual without hesitation.

 

Absolutely, the manual is a no brainer! The gearing is correct for the truck and you can fully control the shift points. Im not knocking on the manual at all. This might be the last manual tacoma generation.

 

Seems to be fine over here. I think the gear ratios are not bad at all.

 

Well said my friend.

 

2WD low mod is fantastic if you tow any kind of trailer or constantly have to back up a steep driveway or something.

 

It sure drives way better with the tune, no question about it!

@DanoTay im in Surrey BC and have the VF software.
You have the 19 so you should be on the latest ECU id? I got techstream too so it’s possible to check and update if needed.

 

its great...once you get yourself a core short shift kit w/ hurst assembly and an equally heavy weighted shift knob. the one i got from perrin is 400g. i wouldve bought from twm, but unfortunately, the company is now defunct. such a shame too cause their products were prime. anyhow, you want the shifts to be all wrist action and notchy as hell, not like youre rowing a canoe lol. well, atleast thats how i have my truck setup.

 

My Taco, shown here, is a 2016 - Goes in for its 95,000 mile service on 6.24.21. It's (of course) a Manual.
Very smooth and easy to drive. My wife has no issues...I should add, 40+ years ago when we met, she was driving a Mustang Manual.
Forget about trying to find a dealer that has one - Most dealers are convinced that no-one drives a manual and they don't want any on the lot for fear that they won't sell.
My advice - Order the truck you want with the options you have to have and enjoy driving it off the lot...You will NOT be dissapointed. Remember that you can always add to your truck. The after-market selection for Tacoma's is HUGE and usually cheaper than buying at the time of purchase - Clay

 

I am not very computer savvy. I am one of those rare people who does not own a smart phone and as such i would only get an aftermarket software up date from a shop that does that sort of thing; not something that I would do on my own.

 

I'm with you. I have a Getrag manual in my BMW. My truck feels pretty agricultural to drive.

Sadly I doubt any money is going into Tacoma manual transmission development, so this is as good as it's going to get.

 

I'm going to join the chorus saying this transmission is unrefined. The clutch is not too heavy, but it isn't as forgiving as others I've driven.

I learned to drive with a manual transmission Chevrolet Silverado and a Honda Accord. I've owned an Acura Legend, a Mini Cooper, and a Hyundai Galloper (rebadged first-gen Mitsubishi Montero), all of which were sticks. A good friend had a Mustang GT. The Tacoma is closest to the Galloper in terms of shift feel, though the Galloper had a lighter clutch. The Silverado and the Galloper both had longer throws than the Tacoma.

Best transmissions:
1. Honda Accord (a bit light but smooth and precise, felt velvet-lined)
2. Mini Cooper (Getrag 6-speed, somewhat heavy clutch, precise shifts, very fun)
3. Acura Legend (nice Honda 5-speed, similar to Accord)
4. Hyundai Galloper (the diesel engine was a dog, the clutch was too light, but the shifts were smooth and easy)
5. Chevrolet Silverado (looong throws, forgiving torque band)
6. Toyota Tacoma (finicky about engine speeds, often clunks shifting into second, clutch is moderately heavy in traffic)
7. Ford Mustang (car was a rocket, but the transmission was stiff, compounded by an awkward seating position)

That said, I still prefer the manual Tacoma to the auto, and it was a key reason I bought this truck. No regrets!

 

I've only owned two manual transmission cars (driven many others but I'll only talk about vehicles with real seat time) - both Toyotas. This truck and a 2007 Scion tC. I've found that both were easy to drive, but the Tacoma is harder to drive WELL.

While both vehicles have significant rev-hang, the Tacoma's seems much worse.

The Tacoma's drive by wire is completely anemic even compared to the older 07 'tCs. I have to stab at the pedal multiple times or for a long time in order to get the revs to come up when downshifting. Can't even think about double-clutch downshifting like I used to do in the Scion. But once again...it's a truck and not a racecar. Neither was the Scion but I digress.

Sometimes the revs like to do whatever they want. I get into a groove driving through town then BAM. Idles drop very quickly and I get a pretty nasty shift. Sometimes this is from the AC compressor and sometimes it's not. I can't pin down why and I always feel terrible after it happens. Like I hurt my truck haha.

The actual shifting and clutch operation is smooth as butter. To me, the clutch feels pretty light. I like the feel of the throw and feel no need to modify anything at the stick.

I like the gear ratios a lot with the exception of 6th, as I feel 5th and 6th are way too close, and we can stand to get 1-2 more MPGs with a higher 6th.

Overall, I like driving my truck. I think it has a little bit to be desired but I attribute those things to poor drive by wire (tunable, if you so choose) and just being a truck.

Or maybe I'm just bad at driving stick

 

I like the long throws becuase it allows me to fantasize that I'm a truck driver in the 1970s with a moustache. Way of the road, bubs.