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Automatic vs. 6-Speed

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by calbadose, Mar 17, 2008.

  1. Mar 17, 2008 at 9:26 AM
    #1
    calbadose

    calbadose [OP] Active Member

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    Carbondale, CO
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    2.5" lift, grill guard, topper, cat-back exhaust, TRD supercharger, 10" woofer, MTX amp, Pioneer head unit, yakima rack, bedrug, k&n air filter
    Is there any big plus or minuses with each type of tranny?

    I have always leaned towards manual just cause it is more fun and I feel I have more control over the vehicle.

    I have seen lots of discussion on the forum about better gas mileage with the automatic.

    I am torn right now cause I have a truck on order that is manual but am getting a better deal on one in Denver that is automatic.

    Basically, I am wondering some of your stories on whether the automatic or manual is better in regards to maintenance, performance, etc.

    I am so indecisive it kills me sometimes!

    -Cal
     
  2. Mar 17, 2008 at 9:59 AM
    #2
    Demoncleaner

    Demoncleaner Well-Known Member

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    TRD exhaust Homemade bed mat & bed extender, front Drings, Short clutch throw, Summer: Stock 17's Winter: Blizzaks on 16' black steelies
    Your gonna get the gammut of responses on this one...

    On the interstate above 70mph, the auto will get another mpg due to its taller 5th gear. If you drive alot of traffic, then obviously...
    Living in a hilly & snowy area with little stop and go traffic, the manual is great. Its fun to drive, and there no substitute for control. I seem to get the same or better mileage than the auto guys in around here. MPG Sticker may say 15/18 now, but the old 16/20 is more accurate. I avg 17 winter, 19.5 summer. Got 18.3 yesterday 250 miles (20 mi in 4hi) and half that was towing a 1000 lb sled trailer.

    Drive both and see which really suits your style and environment you'll be driving in. Denver is a tough one, you got snow and mtns, but also alot of city traffic and open 75+ mph interstates.
     
  3. Mar 17, 2008 at 10:23 AM
    #3
    VIPER131

    VIPER131 Active Member

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  4. Mar 17, 2008 at 11:29 AM
    #4
    piercedtiger

    piercedtiger Devout Atheist

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    Southern Tier, NY
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    I have the 6spd. Autos never seem to shift right for me. I'm always watching the RPMs or listening to the engine thinking it should change gears, but doesn't. So I just got the 6spd. Test drove an auto, didn't like it immediately (which means the small quirks I noticed probably would have driven me nuts and made wish for something else) so I just told them to get me a 6spd without testing one.

    I like the fact I can put in a gear and it stays there until I tell it otherwise. The newer auto tacoma's are better apparently, but they used to have a real problem with cruise from what I heard. They would downshift 1-2 gears and launch ahead when it dropped below the set point, pass the set point, upshift to OD, drop below set point, repeat. Sure, some people got around it by leaving it in 4th. Personally, I don't like a vehicle that hunts for gears.

    Never had any problems with mine and I have 43k on it. With at least 400 miles of towing a U-Haul auto transport with 4 different vehicles.
     
  5. Mar 17, 2008 at 12:08 PM
    #5
    Janster

    Janster Old & Forgetful

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    Doesn't really matter.... I've owned both and like both.
    Whatever suites your needs, likes, and desires.

    When I bought this truck - I test drove both the manual & the auto. I really didn't like the way the manual shifted. The RPM's stayed high when you pressed the clutch in. I'm not used to that and I refuse to 'get used to it' with something I'm paying over $25,000 for - So I bought the Auto.

    There were other reasons why the Auto was more appealing to me....
    The tow package with tranny cooler, larger towing capacity
    I've read lots of complaints about the tacoma clutches
    Gas mileage is only slightly better (according to the sticker)
    I'm not getting any younger and this is easier on the knees/feet.

    I have two other vehicles that are manual trannies.... and my husbands daily driver is an Auto.
     
  6. Mar 17, 2008 at 12:18 PM
    #6
    Hotdog

    Hotdog My hair is all natural Moderator

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    the auto is faster:p
     
  7. Mar 17, 2008 at 12:21 PM
    #7
    zmtnbik

    zmtnbik FMLYHM

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    Personally, I HATE autos! My last Taco (200 Pre-runner) was an Auto, only because they didn't offer a manual with the v6. Never did get used to the shift patterns of the auto.

    Driving I-70 every weekend, the manual is the only way to go. I control the shift points and I feel much safer on the snowy, ice covered roads. The aforementioned "hi rpm" when the clutch is depressed, can be alleviated with a few mods (CAI) helped a lot as did the URD MAF controller.

    Also, I have heard of too many stories of guys having the backend brake loose on slippery roads due to an unexpected upshift/downshift. Living in Colorado you might want to take that into consideration.

    As for the dealer in Denver offering you a better deal on an Auto, mind if I ask which dealer? I'd call BS and tell him to give you the same deal on the manual. When I bought mine, I had 2 dealers fighting for my business.

    BTW - this debate comes up all the time, manual guys love their manuals, and auto drivers love their autos.
     
  8. Mar 17, 2008 at 12:23 PM
    #8
    maverick491

    maverick491 Towing Guru

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    Like has been said before, you'll get the full spectrem of responses, and really it comes down to personal preference, and the only way to find that out is to drive them both and decide for yourself. As far as reliability goes, Autos are pretty much just as reliable as manuals now, so don't let that be an issuefor you.

    As for the RPM's hanging when shifting, some have said it is a function of the drive by wire throttle, but that is not technically the case. It is a function of the Engine Management Computer. Here's how I've come to this conclusion. I noticed it when I picked my truck up, and for a few days there after, and then I figured I just got used to it. Well a week or so ago I had the battery disconnected for several hours while I installed an alarm. The battery was disconnected long enough to re-set the computer, and as soon as I started the truck up and went around the block the RPM's were hanging high again, which it did for roughly the next 200 miles or so, (as the computer was re-learning) and now it drops back down to nearly idle when I depress the clutch, so it would not be something you have to get used to, but something the computer adjusts out once it learns your driving style.

    Janster, I just needed to fix one thing you said.

    The tow rating on the V6 trucks (not counting x-runner) is the same regardless of cab configuration or transmission choice. They are all 6500 lbs with a 650lb tongue weight.
     
  9. Mar 17, 2008 at 2:02 PM
    #9
    calbadose

    calbadose [OP] Active Member

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  10. Mar 18, 2008 at 7:14 AM
    #10
    nd

    nd Radical Town. It's a hell of a place!

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    I've driven a manual all my life and never thought i would buy an auto. i was planning on buying a 6spd manual with my taco. but after i test drove a few, i was unimpressed with the manual but loved the auto. the auto tries to mimic a manual. the shift points are great for me. if i'm driving slow it shifts under 2000 rpm. if i floor it it redlines. and either way its smooth as silk. both are good transmissions, it just comes down to what feels best for you. drive each one then make your decision
     
  11. Mar 18, 2008 at 7:36 AM
    #11
    007Tacoma

    007Tacoma I dub thee malicious!

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    I never thought I would buy an Automatic, but I did so that I could get the long bed.

    I love it! :D
     
  12. Mar 18, 2008 at 12:35 PM
    #12
    maverick491

    maverick491 Towing Guru

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    I thought you were getting 4WD this time?????????
     
  13. Mar 18, 2008 at 12:55 PM
    #13
    danusa

    danusa Well-Known Member

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    The Taco is auto. All the rest are stick. I don`t go to town much. But the auto is nice when I have to.
     
  14. Mar 18, 2008 at 1:00 PM
    #14
    TacoTurd

    TacoTurd Defying Alliances since 2007

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    That's too much. Buy one and put in on yourself. It's 2 bolts.

    auto > manual
     
  15. Mar 18, 2008 at 1:24 PM
    #15
    Flycatcher

    Flycatcher Master of the Universe

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    For me, manuals are for sports cars and motorcycles. I really like the auto in the Taco. I think it shifts right were it needs to based on how hard I am pushing it. In the winter, it's my daily driver and sticks suck in traffic. They're not much fun on a steep boat landing either. Conversely, if I were getting an X-runner, the stick would probably be loads of fun. Someone mentioned losing traction during shifting with an auto on a slippery road. That doesn't sound right to me at all. I have never lost traction during a shift up or down. It doesn't really make sense either since you lose RPM and therefore power when it upshifts. I actually put my dad's manual pickup in the ditch when I was a kid cause I let the clutch out too fast on a snowy road and the posi rear end broke loose and came right around on me. I would agree with the other auto guys, the gated shifter subs in pretty nice as a manual in a pinch.
     
  16. Mar 18, 2008 at 1:38 PM
    #16
    007Tacoma

    007Tacoma I dub thee malicious!

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    Yeah. I test drove one for about 100 miles (to my house and back to the dealership). I decided after that drive that this vehicle was going to be a hauler only. In my hundreds of thousands of miles of driving I have never really needed 4WD even living in the Colorado Mountains. I need this truck for the highway and towing. I really didn't feel that I needed the 4WD if I was going to get the Limited Slip Differential (which both the 4WD 6spd and the PreRunner Auto came with). So, I could get the PreRunner cheaper, and it came more loaded. So I did. I love it, and that is all that matters.
    :D

    So, now I have a Cadillac Tacoma. Its my cruiser. :cool:
     
  17. Mar 18, 2008 at 1:57 PM
    #17
    zmtnbik

    zmtnbik FMLYHM

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    If you are looking at Bighorn in Glenwood and Stevinson in Lakewood, then I would take a trip to the Go Dealer on Arapahoe and I-25.
    Tell them you can get a 6-speed manual for the auto price..and see what they do.
    As for the $60 exhaust tip..waste of money, especially if you are going to get the TRD later. Also, DO NOT get the TRD exhaust installed by the dealer...you can get it much cheaper from TRDparts4u.com and it's an easy 30 min install.

    For the record, my OTD price, was 1500 below MSRP.....MSRP is not where you base your starting point. Dealer invoice is where you start. Shop around, you will get the deal that YOU want not what they are "offering"

    Good luck, pm me if you have any more ??'s
     
  18. Mar 18, 2008 at 2:55 PM
    #18
    calbadose

    calbadose [OP] Active Member

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    2.5" lift, grill guard, topper, cat-back exhaust, TRD supercharger, 10" woofer, MTX amp, Pioneer head unit, yakima rack, bedrug, k&n air filter

    Where do you find it cheaper? I looked on ebay and google it and everything I get is a little more expensive than $520?
     
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    #18
  19. Mar 18, 2008 at 3:04 PM
    #19
    calbadose

    calbadose [OP] Active Member

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    I saw it on TRDparts4u.com...

    $389.40 + $120 shipping = $509.40

    for $10.60 more the dealer puts it on and it is also warrantied since they did it. Sonunds like a better option than buying and DIY.
     
  20. Mar 18, 2008 at 3:46 PM
    #20
    maverick491

    maverick491 Towing Guru

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    However, if you take the TRDparts 4u.com price into your local dealership parts department they will most likely match the 389.40 price. Then it is up to you if you install it or pay them to install it. By the way you should pay no more 70 bucks for them to install it. (and that would still be hitting you for an hour's labor for a half hour job.
     

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