Anyone else not satisfied with their 6 MT?

Last time I drove it like I stole it.....
I think it liked it better....

 

WOW, I totally forgot about those, awesome!

 

I am loving the MT so far. This is the second smoothest clutch I have ever had, the first being my Miata.

I haven't found any issues so far--it drives like a really cool truck should IMO. I have zero complaints about the gearing. You should visit sports car forums if you want to hear bitching about the gearbox.

I got it in part to pull a 2800-lb trailer. Won't be at elevation much, except for a rare trip to CO. I guess we'll see how it works, but if our S60 Volvo can pull the trailer, I'm pretty sure this truck can without too much trouble.

Yes mileage isn't great. Not liking that part, but it is what it is.

 

I get 21-23mpg while tootin' around town and in traffic. Highway is closer to 25 and even 26. In a truck.

Don't know why people think that's terrible. It's a truck, not a Prius.

 

The OP is either a troller or simply does not know how to drive a truck stick. I think it may be the latter.....

 

I love mine. Makes me smile every time time I get in and go which is becoming less and less since Wifey has been slowey taking over lol.

 

I driven both and it’s MT for me. I will admit that off-roading is easier in AT at times but is also more boring

 

Absolutely love to drive mine. It’s been over a decade since I drove something that makes me this

Granted I am one week into ownership, driving a stock taco, and not towing anything, I have zero complaints on my purchase. Two test drives and I was sold on the MT Tacoma. It is not fast, but it is not supposed to be. MPG are higher than what the averages state. And the clutch/gearbox combination is truly fantastic.

Sorry your experience does not put a smile on your face. Maybe you need to tune your truck, or maybe you are meant to drive something else. Either way, best wishes on finding automotive zen.

Cheers!

 

The first several weeks after purchasing this truck in January, I was lugging around complaining about power and the short 1st gear; contemplaiting if I made the right choice. I've now realized the truck thinks it's a 2 stroke. Higher revs smooths everything out including gas mileage. Lugging around will keep you in the sub 18 mpg range. 2500+ miles now and was utterly surprised to see 22.1 avg mpg after a long ride in the mountains. Haven't installed the accumulator delete mod yet. Have the parts, just waiting for warmer weather. Hope to get the OVtune on board sometime soon as well. And upon doing a little wheeling you'll soon learn to appreciate the short 1st gear, especially on descents. In order to drive sales up even further I believe Toyota should change their epithet to, "Drive it like you stole it".

 

Let us know about how ovtune goes. After I do some more work it’s on my radar.

 

Dude if you can't afford gas, why do you have a new truck payment?

From what I've heard it's 5% of Tacomas sold with a manual --- of what, 250,000 sold last year?

As far as the rattle saaaame - but do some research here. Seems to possibly be related to the throw-out bearing, and considered "normal" by Toyota
Insofar as the RPM recommendation - dude --- dude---- I never understood why so many people arbitrarily upshift their manual transmissioned vehicles at set RPM regardless of acceleration desire. Consider that an automatic upshifts at low RPM when you're easy on the throttle, and goes all the way to redline at wide open throttle -- do the same. I'll add that this engine seems to lug under 1100RPM, so i'd just make sure its not dipping below that on your upshifts

 

These 3.5s like to be opened up. I've been shifting closer to 3000 * rather than 2ish and it's much smoother and the mpgs are actually better.

*Depending upon conditions

 

I thought maybe I was crazy. Seems like the mornings I run it up a bit higher before the shift show better trip mileage at shut-down.

 

And to answer the OP - while I find the rattle to be a bit annoying, it's entirely ignorable, and my synchros are wearing in nicely and becoming less balky.
I Agree that Reverse is too tall - especially cold idle, truck wants to fly! (not ideal with its poor rear visibility)

However, I specifically bought the Tacoma because it still offers stick shift, and i'm happy with it even with it's flaws

 

Really don’t get the point of spending nearly $1,000 on a tune versus nearly the same money on fully built members with gear ratios that mechanically fix the same complaint (and mechanical > software).

Only thing I see myself changing in this truck with the transmission is the clutch eventually to something heavier. Living in the hills with stop signs and red lights are not conducive to any manual, let alone one with soft low end power.. on heavier tires

 

BINGO

 

Realistically Toyota will hit a point where it's not worth the tooling and production costs to deal with manual transmissions anymore.

 

I agree that at some point the manual transmission will likely dissapear. I bought my Tacoma after extensive use of the generation 1 and some generation 2 overseas. They are great trucks but after 100K my truck has developed a violent shutter that extends through 1500 and sometimes beyond. I have only owned a manual transmission and have hundreds of thousands of miles on various manuals but this seems odd. I tried a new clucth pack, throwout bearing, TRD throughout bearing and sleeve and still have the issue. The squeaking noise is from poor design by Toyota. Bottom line. The next Toyota I do will be an auto. The Automatic transmissions have come a long way in the last two decades and they are at a point that I am ok with walking away from them. After the kids learn to drive a manual, "hasta la vista, baby". I still do long for the day the D4D and the heavier duty HiLux is available but I am not convinced that will ever happen.

 

I am a manual transmission guy to the core. I even swapped my auto in a 1994 Impala SS to a T56. All my trucks have been manuals and all my cars have been manuals. When I started towing a travel trailer I found a manual is a pain in the “you know what” especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where I live/camp. I sold the manual and bought an automatic. My Tacoma is used to tow a travel trailer, so I got an automatic.

Summary: I’m a manual guy through and through and for towing, an auto is much easier.

EDIT: Got the wife a Mini with auto. That things shifts crazy fast and hard. (I would still prefer a manual though.)

 

I'll agree that for slow operations, such as moving a trailer or technical offroading, the automatic is much easier, and even would wear less as you can spool against the torque converter rather than burn the clutch. Some automatics are pretty dumb going up/down hills with trailers, but at least they let you lock out the higher gears, usually. The manual transmission is just so much more engaging and enjoyable in the day-to-day driving. Helps keep me off the phone too