Looking to buy my first manual Tacoma

I'm looking to buy a truck and I think I've settled on a Tacoma. I've never driven manual transmission before and don't know anyone with a manual car. Would a dealer teach me how to use it before I buy? Is there anything else I should know about the manual transmission on a new Tacoma?

 

Buy the auto, better mpg in the V6. Manual in these trucks are meh. Get a manual wrx

(I drive a manual 4cyl, would still buy a manual 4cyl because I think it is faster than the auto, but if I were to buy a V6 I would get the 5spd auto)

 

I had a dealer offer to teach me to drive stick once.. a Jeep/Chrysler dealer.

I had to rent a manual on vacation once (only place that would rent to people under 21 years old had no autos), told everybody to hold on and taught myself.

 

I just purchased my 2012 tacoma v6 4dr 6-spd stick in march and I still love it. I'm averaging 18.5 mpg highway city. I absolutely love having the ability to control my transmission how I want. I can use it to skip gears, down shift to slow down. The feel of moving gears is by far a true drivers passion. I have the tx pro which comes with the offroad package trd exhaust, and the short shift kit already installed (which is really nice). Their are pros and cons to having a manual however, such as inner city driving is cumbersome pushing and releasing the clutch can become a pain if its red light after red light, also another is if you try to eat and drive, forget about it unless its highway with cruise cause you need all your hands to drive. But you can throw the truck out of gear and let it just roll down a long hill, you really never have to change the gear oil or a filter. Most typically with a stick you don't have anything go wrong other than the clutch and/or throw out bearing (after millions of miles). With an auto you have pump, discs, solenoids, maintenance and such that can go wrong. But its easier to do burnouts with an auto than stick, however that's not an issue with me. Learning to drive a stick is easiest with a small truck in preference a truck with a gas pedal with a real cable to throttle body such as a tacoma (cars that have throttle by wire are difficult to learn on because they are so jerky and difficult to find a happy spot in the throttle range). I'm sure that their are plenty of youtube videos demonstrating how to, however the best way is to take the truck yourself (by yourself! less embarrassing) push the clutch to the floor working it in and out trying to feel where the clutch engages itself (the spot where the flywheel and the clutch while running in neutral begin to touch and grab usually about half way released) , then push the clutch in and put the truck in gear, give it a little gas as if your taking off without a load and begin letting out on the clutch (just slightly above idel). The tacomas sweet spot for the shift rpm without ac on is around 3400rpm and 3800rpm for a/c running, just push the clutch in while also at the same time taking your foot off the gas pedal then with just one finger(while learning) pull the shifter back, then rev to 3400 rpm and again repeat with the feet but push the lever forward with one finger(this is key). The transmission with speed will typically allow the lever or shifter to move into the next gear 3rd, it should snap to the center and go into gear without pushing it left or right. Then just release the clutch completely and give it gas continuing to accelerate. You should notice while at idle and not moving it requires moving the shifter left or right to find the gears, but while moving most typically it aligns itself to the next gear effortlessly. I love my stick, and wouldn't trade it for anything. If you are considering purchasing a truck with stick, any reputable new car dealer such as mine showed me the truck entirely, explaining in detail everything. They should have no problem explaining how to drive stick or showing you the basics.

 

WALL OF TEXT

 

Paragraphs... USE THEM.

 

No, he said it once.

Although you DID make me go and read it again just to verify....

 

This

 

I would but when I read it I feel like I'm running out of breath.

 

*whew!*

 

I love my 6 speed but the flaws of the whistling throwout bearing that i need to replace and i hate the lag of computerized throttle that catches third but other than that does well on the trail 4wd can be tricky some times but other than that i like it

 

I've been driving manual since I first got my license in 1978. I love the control and the feeling of actually driving the vehicle vs. mashing the gas pedal.

As far as buying a truck and learning how to drive stick? I wouldn't do it. Learn to drive stick on someone else's vehicle and if you like it then buy the truck.

Better yet, rent a stick vehicle for a couple of days and put it through the abuse that a newbie stick driver will impart and then make your decision if driving manual is for you.

 

X2, This will make and/or break you ,
If you ride these trucks to hard on the clutch you will pay for it, If you have never driven stick I would go rent one and drive it around town.... Not highway.... Town. This will tell you if you can/should drive stick...

 

OP, if you aren't a complete and total clutz, learning to drive a manual transmission will take 15 minutes of your time. Mastering it is a process. However, I would suggest learning the stick so you can decide whether or not you like shifting through the Tacoma's gearing. You will only figure this out if you test drive it yourself.

I drive an 08 6 speed. I bought it new and have had no trouble with it. Personally I like it. Thankfully I am never in a hurry, otherwise I would be hugely dissapointed...

Good luck!

 

My friend found a $500 car on CL and learned. He scrapped it after 7 days before you had to register it and got $200 back. It was better then the eventual $1500+ clutch replacement on the newer truck.

Not reality for most, but it's fun to dream......

 

Back in 2001 I bought a car with manual transmission, and salesperson assisting me didn't even know how to drive stick herself! I asked to take the car on a test drive, and she was like, "normally I'd pull the car up to the front of the lot for you, but I can't drive stick so do you mind driving it out from here?" I didn't mind (although found it to be a bit unprofessional), but none the less, it's a good thing I wasn't expecting driving lessons that day.

I can appreciate your enthusiasm in wanting to try out a manual transmission. It seems 90% of vehicles sold nowadays are automatics, but the un-dying devotion many of us have towards the manual transmission is testament as to why they're still highly sought after.

I'm not exactly old...but I'm old enough that when I learned to drive, there were a lot more manuals on the road. Both of my parents cars were manual transmission, and that's what I learned to drive. I remember some of friends thought I was crazy for taking my driver's test in a stick-shift, but I didn't understand why...I knew how to drive it and had never even been in an automatic, so why not? I would say that all kids learning to drive should learn how to drive manual transmission, but I know that's really not even possible.

Back to the OP's question though...I wouldn't. Either find a way to learn to drive before you buy a new car, or buy the automatic. For what it's worth, as someone who has owned both a manual and automatic 2nd gen Tacoma, you really can't go wrong with either choice, as the auto trans is great on this vehicle.

 

Is it just me, or does that number seem very high? I've been driving manual transmission so long that I don't use the tach to tell me when to shift, but if I had to guess I'd say it's about 1000 RPMs lower than that quoted above...

 

It is incorrect to judge shift points based on engine speed. There is a lot more to it. The shift point is a variable engine speed somewhere within the engine's operating band, which you select by *feel*, based on some combination of load, required acceleration, and intuition.

 

I would say that is high but not by 1000 rpm more like 400-500 rpm depending on how much get up and go the driver wants. 3000 rpm is the sweet spot on my 05.

 

Well put.