Buying a 2014, Help me decide on trim and auto or 6spd? Snowy conditions

thanks for the 1,000 mile update. my truck is the first vehicle i've had with an auto. i didn't like the mtx on test drives so i went with the auto. i think about what might have been and try to figure out if i would have grown to love the mtx... don't think so. lovin' the auto.

 

I'm not 100% sure on that one

 

me neither - jk.

 

I lived in Telluride, Colorado for many years. Just moved to Oregon. I guess i don't get the big deal with driving in the snow? Maybe i'm just old and have lived in Ski towns for most of my life? Hell, i used to drive the Mother in Laws PT Cruiser in sub zero weather in unplowed roads for 40 miles round trip on grocery runs. Used the damn thing like a snow plow. As far as manual vs. auto in the snow, ehhh.. personal preference. More of a case of sliding while downshifting a manual i guess? My 57 willy's truck didn't care either way, just slam through the gears. hahaha Oh...I bought a manual. For this size of a vehicle a auto would feel strange. If i was driving something larger an auto would not bug me at all.

 

I frequently hear complaints from people with automatics about poor speed control when using cruise control. 2 gear downshifts, full throttle then overshoot the set speed. Jumping back and forth either between converter lockout or searching between 4th-5th.


Then there is all this surging some complain about at stoplights, seems sensitive to fluid level.


I'm happy with CC with my stick.

 

just went to the dealer and test drove the Auto again, not as much of a slug as I remembered. Any thought for resale, auto vs. manual for a TRD OR? In the end if the auto reduces running cost and time for maintenance over the manual I think it will be worth it. Even though a manual car is fun driving.

 

I think manuals are more fun in the snow, easier to control drifting and such. It is harder with autos cause you never know what gear the thing is going to shift into when the wheels start spinning...

 

Agreed way more fun!! Safer? Easier for a new driver in the snow? However i have to agree they are more fun.

 

Autos are definitely easier to resale.

 

Auto guys are gonna tell you auto, manual guys are gonna tell you manual... It all boils down to your personal preference. I had the auto in a TRD Sport, didn't care much for it so I traded it in for a TRD OR manual. I love it. Whole different truck. I did lose one MPG though. (my #'s are 20.5 mpg auto vs 19.5 mpg manual)

 

Drove nothing but manuals until this truck. Hated the 6-speed in snow. Compared to my previous vehicle (manual 86 4Runner) I thought it was awful. Loved the auto. Three winters later, I don't regret the decision at all. It was the best choice for me. Good luck, OP.

 

Make sure you drive it before pulling the trigger.

Reverse on my '14 is just plain ugly to nudge it into. I have to let the clutch out a couple of times sometimes to work it in.

Otherwise, I love my MT. I put a TRD short shifter in, which reduced the throw lengths nicely.