Manual...anyone?

I ordered a Double Cab OR 6 speed manual, dealer gave me a build date, 3rd week of October.

 

You just sound lazy!

 

Where are you located?

 

I read that all major auto manufacturers (including Toyota) have agreed, without being forced to do it, to install a form of radar on all new vehicles that will automatically apply the brakes if a car gets too close to the car ahead. I don't know the timeline for implementation. I'm not putting on here.

 

How would this work on an off-road vehicle?? Hits the brakes if I get too close to a steep hill, a sagebrush, a tree, etc....

 

No idea. For that matter, how would you park up against the side of a building? Maybe the car would have to be travelling a certain speed.

 

Manual transmission is literally the only reason I buy midsize trucks. If I could get a 6spd manual Tundra I'd be all over it.

 

Here's the link. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/12/b...raking-systems-standard-in-new-cars.html?_r=0

 

Nevedabugle - You're making a wise decision buying a new truck. I hope you get your wish and get to test drive one first before ultimately giving them thousands of your hard earned dollars. There's something special about buying a new truck. Plus it's a Tacoma and a gently used one is going to cost almost as much as a new one.

It's a damn shame that most people don't enjoy driving and think a vehicle other than serving primarily as a garbage receptacle is a machine that is used for transporting people and items from place to place. Unfortunately the manufacturers build for the masses not the people that actually enjoy driving.

I could be wrong but if people spent less time looking at their phone and more time looking at the road, we might need all these ridiculous safety regulations.

 

The acceleration with stickshift would be awesome with 400ft lb of torque.

 

A Ford and Chevy man here - Last weekend I bought my first non GM or Ford vehicle, a base 2015 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4. A Toyota dealer 40 miles from here had two base 4x4 Tacomas on the lot with manual transmissions. I live in Texas. Sometimes you have to travel to find what you want. None of my three local dealers choose to stock a base Tacoma with a manual transmission.

It was the test drive that impressed me enough to seek out quotes over the following week - based on an advertised price in Olympia, Washington that was $2,500 below the original full sticker price.

What I'm saying - if no one is willing to keep a base truck with a manual transmission in stock, way fewer will be sold than the present 1 to 5% take rate. Note, I couldn't find a 2015 Colorado work truck with a 2.5L & manual transmission within the state on a dealer lot. I did test drive a 2015 Nissan Frontier S - 2WD - but in the end the Taco with 4x4 riding on cheapo Dunlops hands down came across as a superior product.

 

I am also glad Toyota, despite all the shortcomings of the 3rd, is offering MT in the configuration I want (DCSB OR). I wish they offered it in DCLB as well so folks needing a longer bed would not have to give up on the proper driving experience.

Manuals seem sadly to be a lost cause in this country. I am kinda stocking up on MT cars so they last me my lifetime. The only car I can imagine buying without a manual transmission is an electric one (ha, obviously!). Slushboxes, or even dual clutch autos can DIAF as far as I am concerned.

 

A lot of hate for autos. Curious, are all of you guys speaking to preference only? Modern automatics are better in almost every way, I can't think of like one specific scenario that a manual does better.

 

You can call it a preference, I guess. For me, manual is simply easier, more natural to drive. I never understood the traffic excuse. I find manual to be much easier to drive in traffic than auto (don't have to brake as much and keep moving my left foot between gas and brake pedals).

 

when the battery is dead and you're parked on a downhill and need to start the truck.

also its preference.

 

It's all about driving verses being driven.

 

In my case it's a preference - one to keep the engine in its power band on the twisties and on hills. Secondly, to slow the vehicle on a downhill run or even a grocery store parking lot without a a lot of brake use.

You can do the same with a modern automatic using its manual mode - but its different feel. Modern automatics use a lot of EPA inspired mapping of the shift points.

 

I had quite the arguement with Toyota about not having a manual tundra.

The dealership in Alaska only had one manual 2015 extended cab and it's in Fairbanks. (365 miles north from me)

Thankfully I found a used 2012 manual Tacoma.

 

Truth.

 

I was just curious what you all had to say. Own a 2013 TRD OR 6spd myself. Do firewood with it and yeah the ONE thing It really does better is speed control down a hill with a loaded trailer etc.

And yes preference in the fun twisties

But really my '09 TRD auto was a better off roader, better mileage, and plain easier to deal with and drive 99% of the time