Is a manual Tacoma really “sought after”, rare or more valuable?

Just a legitimate question, if I sell my 3rd gen, 2nd gen, 1st gen Tacoma 4x4 with a manual transmission as opposed to an automatic transmission will I get more money for it?

assuming the trim is a TRD Offroad with a crew cab.

I have been considering trading in my DC for an AC and on the fence if a manual is worth it in a truck. I like driving with the S feature, and have young mans testosterone that makes me wanna do stupid shit, so I’m wondering if I’d have more fun doing stupid shit in a standard?

just curious what your experience buying/selling manuals was... I always had bad luck selling cars with manual transmissions... anyone that wanted it couldn’t afford it and anyone that could afford it didn’t want it

 

Generally speaking, a manual tacoma is more difficult to sell in this day and age because the buyer pool is smaller. BUT those that are seeking them out know they are harder to find, and likely to pay a bit more to buy it. See also: DCLB tacomas

 

I don't think you will get any extra money for a 3rd Gen MT, around 6 percent are sold with them so it can take awhile to locate one.

 

I bought manual because I enjoy driving a manual transmission more than an AT.

Cant say resale value was all that much of a concern. I never had any issues selling an MT truck

 

I had to have my MT shipped from Illinois because there were none available anywhere near me. I don't know how rare they are overall, but it definitely took some effort to get one.

 

I have a 2019 OR MT and it was cheaper than an AT by $1200 or so. There must be a reason that MT's make up only a small percentage of sales. Personally, I plan on keeping mine for many years so I'm not too worried about resale. MT is fun unless you're in a traffic jam in which case it sux.

 

I am giving my 2YO the privilege of learning how to drive manual trans (I guess in 15 years) and he will probably use it to go to high school or college...

Something like driving MARTY’S truck nowadays.. haha

unless I double my salary or win the lottery I am not changing my truck...... or if my left knee starts to fail... (hopefully not)

 

in a short answer yes. its not about being all hooah hooah or anything like that. a 3rd gen mt truck just feels different than an 3rd gen at truck. plus you can do things that you cant do in an automatic; like kick start. could also in an unfortunate event be a psuedo theft deterrent since manuals are a dying breed (ymmv of course and lets hope no one ever has to go through that experience.) another note of contention, if you put an aftermarket exhaust, a mt truck sounds better than an at truck. the tone sounds exaggerated on an auto when shifting. you dont have that with standard. as for selling experience. ive sold a lot of vehicles in my years, and again ymmv cause this is just my experience, but ive always had quick interest in my vehicles that were mt.

 

MT is about $1200 cheaper whether new on the lot or used per KBB.

The chances of finding someone who's willing to pay more for a MT in a 2nd or 3rd gen Tacoma is pretty slim.

 

It's a niche but for those looking for one it's harder especially if they are particular about colors and packages. That couples with the 5% production rate and they only make them once every three months it's pretty slim pickings. Based on that math the year I bought my pro there were only 250 made with a manual. The manuals seem to go more to some regions than others.

The value may go up on them if Toyota discontinues manuals all together because then its more finite. Would be sad to see them go but might create a feeding frenzy around 2023 +/-.

 

I think over the long term, a manual will bring more money, if the truck is well cared for. Bring A Trailer Tacomas that are manual, in general, bring more than automatics. Short term, I don't think you will see a premium. Manuals have to get to the right person. That person will pay more for it than an automatic.

 

Manual is definitely harder to unload. I dont think they add any extra value. Usually it is a deduction when looking at used car value guides. The sad reality is 90% of the population doesn't even know how to drive them anymore......

 

I got lucky af getting my manual. Dropped off 2017 auto for blower motor replacement, walked around the lot and saw a blazing blue pearl being taken off the truck. Asked dealer if they had any manuals and said yea we just got one in... 24hr test drive and bought the blue offroad and sold the 2017 auto. Hated the transmission anyways.

 

If you want a manual transmission buy one but don't over pay for it mainly because it will be worth a little less than an automatic if you sell or trade it down the road . You might get lucky and it will gain value in the future when Toyota stops making them and the die hards want them , good luck .

 

When I sold my MT MINI Cooper S privately this spring I felt that I had less BS and shady people interested. A MT driver is perceived as one who is likely more passionate about the car and maintained it better. The bar to own and operate a MT is higher. The pool of buyers is smaller, but “higher qualified”, and they’ll pay a premium for the right truck, well maintained, with records.

 

Same here. bought a MT because I love driving one. I am aware that it will likely be harder to sell when I'm finished with it. (My car prior to my Tacoma was also a MT and I believe was more difficult to sell than it would have been if it were an AT.) At the end of the day, my enjoyment in driving it for what I hope will be many, many years outweighs any difficulty in selling it once I'm done with it.

 

Dont think you will get more money for a manual. Unless you buy an MGM or something MT PRO now, and keep it in your garage for like 15-20 years, then i can see it costing a lot more than new. Thats if toyota will stop offering MTs. We all know they will, just a question of when.

I never had a hard time selling my MT vehicles. When i sold my ranger, the guy was specifically looking for a manual, worked out for both of us. I sold all my vehicles on craigslist too, no issues.

Im a fan of MTs so i will be driving them untill it will be impossible to find one. I never liked ATs and if taco didnt offer MT, i would have had to get the frontier. Taco with AT would be meh for me, nothing special at all. But MT, i get all excited.

My buddy has 19 off road and he says he wouldnt want a MT if it was given to him for free. He always tells me how dumb manual is. Its the opposite for me haha. There are very few guys like me though. Look at this forum, i can count maybe 15 active members that love their manual.

But few things i really love about the MTs are: you can always jump start if your battery dies, most of your friends wont ask to borrow your truck, you can choose the gear that you want to be, not some computer and of course the fun factor. I find any excuse just to go drive my truck.

 

More and more manufacturers are steering away from manual transmissions all together, so I have a feeling after some time and they will become more valuable to those of us who don't want to drive an automatic.

 

No you will not.
If fact, you will find they are harder to sell as the market for manuals is much smaller than for autos. A US News & World Report article recently reported that only 18% of the US driving public can operate a manual.

When I purchased my Corvette Grandsport I was not able to find a manual as every dealer I contacted stated that they didn't order manuals for inventory, only special order, because they sat on their lots too long.
And the Corvette C8 has gone the way of most world class sportscars and are no longer offering a manual trans Corvette. Sad but true!

 

I went manual because i'm a driver and find joy in being in control of my truck and selecting the gear I want in the rev range I want for the condition i'm in. Also with modified exhaust a manual trans car or truck sounds much better then the automated version.