Manual, still loving it

I'm so glad I got a manual ORDC 2.5 years ago. Have since done the 2LO mod, clutch accumulator delete, URD short shifter, and Magnuson SC which all make it even more enjoyable to drive.

 

Wife unit: "You're seriously buying another manual?"
Me: . .

30+ years 4 vehicles and she's never learned to drive a manual..............

 

+1. It would have been great to have 4 doors, but 6' bed + manual was at the top of the list for me.

 

Mine refuses to learn also. Oh well, I don't want her driving my truck anyway.

 

Yep. A month before the Tacoma arrived I gave her one last chance to learn on my 2013 ford focus before I sold it. That focus had the smoothest most forgiving 5 speed I have ever driven. It was freaking buttery. Nope, too busy not interested blah blah.

Taco shows up and it's beautiful, people are fawining over it so now she wants to drive it. Tough shit lady, that train has left the station forever.

 

Now that my 11 year old is big enough to ride shotgun, I've been showing her how to shift gears from the passenger seat.

 

First laid eyes on my wife when she was 16 driving an International Super Scout II with stick. 3 years later we started dating and I figured she was only going out with me because of my '87 SR5 4x4. I was impressed that she knew how to drive stick. Ended up married, have owned almost every Toyota vehicle made and always tried to stay with a manual transmission. We were out a few years ago looking at Tacomas to replace a Venza and found Tacomas boring to drive until we hopped into one with a stick. Ended up ordering one that day.

33 years later and here we are. Number 2 son works at Toyota, drives our old 2009 Corolla XRS with stick and is saving up for his own Taco. He recently spotted a 2021 Taco come in on a trade in and I bought it a couple of days later.

 

I strongly miss the Frontier 6 speed compared to this one, but I’m happy to have it manual either way.

 

Greetings all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I only check in very occasionally but when I do I enjoy reading some stuff here.

My 2023 Tacoma (search my posts) has been wonderful. We couldn’t be happier. Thanks for all your suggestions when I asked a few questions.

Great to see the manual still has a following. I was losing faith! Hopefully it will live on for awhile. I’ve been driving a manual transmission for around sixty years. My wife too.

To each his own of course, but I can’t imagine buying a truck with an automatic transmission. What’s the point? May as well just buy a car. Same thing.

That said, what I found very surprising is how incredibly difficult it was to find a stick shift Tacoma nowadays. Honestly, I had no idea and almost gave up. I’ve been out of the vehicle buying market for a long time and it’s interesting how times have changed.

Whatever transmission you have, enjoy the heck out of your truck. It’s a Toyota Tacoma…what’s not to like?! From my experience, with proper care and maintenance, you can’t go wrong!

Best wishes in 2024.

 

I just dont understand why they cant put the manual in the dclb.

The only reason I didnt get one myself.

 

I wanted to like the Tacoma in a manual, I love manuals in everything else. Unfortunately there was a bracket under the dashboard that didn’t agree with my size 16 shoes and shifting without pointing my toes to clear on every shift. I don’t regret the auto, but if I fit the truck better the manual would be in the driveway. My wife is very competent and also loves a manual.

I have a 2021 Bronco 2 door with a manual, other than the common “chewing on rocks” sounds when cold it’s awesome and very forgiving. I love that Ford figured out how to allow the cruise to remain engaged through a shift.

 

While my former Frontier could cancel the cruise setting during a manual shift, I see my Tacoma will continue with a cruise setting after shifting.

 

Tacoma maintains cruise through shifts on radar cruise, and cancels cruise on shifts with standard cruise.

 

I wouldn't be driving a Tacoma if it didn't come with a manual.

 

The stick is the only reason I'm in a Tacoma. I shopped only new 6spd 4x4s.

I hate driving Jeeps on the road, so the Wrangler was out. Tried to order a Bronco, but I couldn't get one without, at least, a 5k markup.

Found a TRD OR Tacoma for MSRP and it was just kind of meant to be. I’m really enjoying everything about it except the length.

 

I went through a similar process. The reason why I didn’t go with the Wrangler and the Bronco is because I want a bed, I want the additional towing capacity the Tacoma has, and the Tacoma is better for a daily driver.

 

I was today years old when I learned this, will have to try that on my next trip

 

It’s actually kind of shocking how smoothly it does it. You can even rev match downshifts for hills and never leave cruise.

 

Yeah that makes total sense. I worked for an offroad racing series for 5 years and I’ve had a number of off-roaders as rentals.

I’ll never forget driving 4 hours in a JK sport on a windy day and feeling completely exhausted by the time I reached the host city. Live front axle vehicles are just not for me.

 

Only curious if you considered a Gladiator.

Prior to trading my F150 for the Tacoma, I was so close to ordering a '24 Wrangler Willys 2-door as a second vehicle. Problem with the clutch kept me away from the dealer.

A Tacoma wasn't on my radar until early September.