Which transmission

Which transmission would be better all around for driving to work in hilly terrain and allittle off road time to time? And which would be more fun? I have heard that the manual is more predictable over the automatic.

 

How young are you, and how much do you want to screw with a clutch? My AT is great in the foothills of Western NC. I use ECT and S mode all the time. Whatever gear I want it in, S mode will do it.

G.

 

3 pedals or no pedals. I'd take being in complete control of my shifting patterns over having an eccentric computer do it for me any day. Been driving manual as a daily commuter in LA for over 13 years straight.

These kinds of threads inevitably just turn into people defending their purchases no matter which transmission they went with...at the end of the day, just take both for a test drive and decide which you are most comfortable with.

 

From a practical perspective there isn't any real advantage to a MT anymore. If you enjoy stirring the stick when you drive then get the MT. Long term cost are the same. An AT costs more initially, but is worth more down the road when you sell or trade.

 

Get a 6 speed manual! But if you are not sure, test drive a automatic..than the 6 speed. Bet you will pick the manual for the fun

 

That's really a matter of personal preference. Most of my vehicles have been manuals and I think they are way more fun to drive. I also like the control a manual gives over an auto. Auto can be easier in some cases, but I'd rather have the fun and control. I've driven many manuals daily to and from work and also for work and they never bothered me but some people get tried of shifting or using a clutch.

 

It's all about personal preference.

 

I’m all about my manual transmissions. If Tacoma’s didn’t come with them, I wouldn’t drive a Tacoma.

 

This got me into a Tacoma. If they sold the Tundra in a manual, If have gotten that.

To me a manual is an experience, and manual trucks are awesome. With that said, many people dislike manual trucks. Harder to off road, harder to tow, harder to launch a boat, harder in traffic, worse fuel economy now days.

Lots easier to change a clutch than replace a full auto transmission.

Smiles per gallon for me.

 

I drove a stick for so many years when I was younger that at this point I enjoy the AT. Hard to drink my Starbucks and shift Back in the day, common belief was AT was prone to failure and being more complicated would cost more to repair. A clutch on the other hand was a couple hundred bucks. That is not the case today. A Toyota AT should get you 250,000+ without breaking a sweat. But I can see the attraction. I'm looking at a Miata for a zip-around fun car, and if I decide to go with one it will be a MT

 

I drive an AT, but if you want fun, the MT is hard to beat in most situations. The AT in my truck is fine, I don't have the complaints some do. I drove from Central Ohio to almost Chicago and back a couple of weekends ago and had 0 complaints after over 10 hours of run time.

But no way is any AT more predictable than a MT. No way lol. That's the beauty of a MT.

Personally I think the best times of a MT are over though. I grew up driving MT and loved everything and everyone I had until I bought my FJ in '08. I just think emission standards and efficiency goals are slowly sucking the life and fun out of them.

I loved the DSG in my VW, best of both worlds, and a little bit of the bad of both worlds too, but if that was an option in a Taco, I'd have it, almost regardless of price.

For OP though, sounds like you want a MT.

 

If you are not sure what you want - that means you probably need an automatic. You have to want a manual.

 

I was actually looking to buy an Automatic, but after a test drive, I was unimpressed with how it shifted. I decided to test drive a Manual and that changed my mind. Very happy with my choice to buy a Manual.

 

OP the struggle is real when it comes to the 3’rd gen platform.

There’s no 6MT OR package with a 6’ bed available south of the 49’th parallel.

I hate to say it but if it was me I’d likely have to give up ATRAC and the factory rear locker to get that configuration in a sport if the time ever came to make the jump into a MY16+.

I can’t justify owning a truck with a wheelbarrow for a bed....especially if the price tag is 35k+ for an MT DCSB.

 

One of each!

 

After 10+ years of owning 6MT Tacomas, I finally got to try out a 3rd gen with an automatic transmission in a rental vehicle. Yikes is all I can say.....couldnt wait to get back into a MT.

 

Manual is always more fun, I'd say, but you gotta do what's right for you. Try to test drive both. I was not impressed by the 3.5 / 6 speed auto combo in the trucks I drove, the manual feels like a better match for this engine IMO. My 2nd gen was an auto, the 4.0 / 5 speed auto was a good package, have to admit the auto was nice for sitting in traffic, but the 6MT is very easy to get along with in traffic, it'll happily idle along in 1st or 2nd gear. Some people say the 3.5 lacks power, it doesn't really, you just have to rev the thing more than a 4.0, which is fun with the stick, hit 3500 rpm and the whole character of the engine changes.

So, yeah, I say get the 6MT.

 

I don't necessarily believe that the manual transmission will be worth less down the road, especially being in a Tacoma. I personally think a "less-common" MT will be worth more in the used market.

 

Manual

 

I agree. A more rare combo when new is frequently worth more down the road. There will always be people who want a manual in their truck.