6 speed manual any good?

Get the 6-speed and welcome to TW!!!

 

^^ Thats what I like to hear. The only Tacoma available in manual now is the 4x4, I'm sure that will disappear soon as well.

 

No draw backs. Squeaky clutch aside.

Just remember that it is not a manual tranny for doing drag. Treat it right and it will be nice and smooth just for you. Just don't let idiots drive it!

 

eh, I like the 6speed. you can get mileage out of it if you drive it right. I get between 18 and 19mpg on country roads and 20 to 21mpg on the highway. As far as the rpm hanging between gears, my dads 04 GMC 4.8L 5speed 1500 does the same thing, so its not just our trucks. the biggest complant i have is the ratio gap between 1st and 2nd. other than thats its pretty good.

 

I've test drove both, and the clutch felt heavy, but as I learned from ever knowledgeable people on TW that the bigger the truck the heavier the clutch. I did find the stick sluggish but I agree that once its broken in, it will be easier to shift.
Now for my personal experience, my first 3 cars were all manual (2 Honda Preludes and a Dodge Dakota). Then I went to a Suzuki Grand Vitara auto, I hated the auto, I found myself missing the stick soo much. So I'm still waiting on my truck to get in b/c I had to order it, but I'm looking forward to driving manual again.

 

have 6 speed manual and i love it. I know people say the auto gets better gas mileage but by 1 or 2 mpg which to me is nothing. However I have no mods done under the hood or bigger tires I get 300 to the tank when i drive around town 17-18 mpg, but when i go on trips hwy driving my last tank was 19.2 mpg and the best tank i ever had was 22.7 mpg and 410 before the gas light came on 70mph all the way. This to me sounds ever bit as good gas mileage even though rpm runs higher as the auto, plus an auto is borring to drive. BAM

 

glade to hear all the positives on the 6 speed, I was a little nervous about ordering my truck with it but I do love the manuals! Now I just have to wait for it to be delivered.

 

I bet you'll be happy with it.

I do know one thing, the 6 speed is a LOT of fun to drive in the snow if you have four wheel drive! That is, if you're lucky enough to get one without the cold shifting issues. Unfortunately the clutch can get a bit grabby on takeoff in 2WD though.

Coming from Hondas I questioned my decision for the first couple months driving this thing. Once I learned its quirks it became easy to drive, and really I enjoy it now.

As for mileage, last tank's week in a nutshell... first drove an hour and a half on the interstate, then return trip faced a 30 mph sustained headwind, then a foot of snow fell and I put on over 50 miles in 4WD, and it started warming up and got over 30F for the first time today right before I filled it up... 19.9 mpg. Definitely acceptable considering I don't have cruise control yet.

 

I wish I had of gone with a 6 speed but the wife surprised me with the truck and she doesn't like manuals so....

 

no problems here

 

+1 to manual.

 

agree . only nannies drive automatic's in a truck

 

You have more control in snow in an automatic

 

yea but what about when you try to brake and abs goes on it is easier to throw it in neutral in a stick.

 

I drive mine towing a travel trailer in 6th so maybe towing with the 6 is better then the auto because of the O/D lock out for towing with the auto? I don't know what an auto turns at highway out of O/D. Any way towing mileage sucks towing regardless no matter what the trans. Bottom line I like my 6 spd it gives me far more control in adverse conditions.

 

If you are trying to brake , why would you want to put it in neutral ?

 

Autos in the snow are much easier to stop when they're in neutral because you don't have to fight the tranny that's wanting to push the car forward. I lived in a very heavy lake-effect snow area until about six years ago, and I would often put my autos in neutral when trying like hell to stop.

 

I gear down as I approach the braking area , especially for decents in 4x4

 

Manuals are easier to slow down. Just back off the gas and use engine braking to slow it down quicker than an auto that's not directly linked to the engine. Unless you're on a steep hill or pushing the gas the RPMs will drop slowing you down. My wife downshifts her

$53 auto rav4 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 / window deflectors, out-channel vent shades (smoked)

auto rav4 more than I downshift the manual truck to slow down. Truck is heavier with larger tires yet slows faster when I left off the gas than the car does.

My wife's auto rav4 launches forward when you tap the gas and the tranny kicks in. There's no easing the clutch out and slowly applying power. There is no-go and go. Period. It's actually caught me by surprise a few times and I've had to hit the brakes quickly. With the truck I can also force it to start in a higher gear to prevent wheel spin (2nd instead of first). Show me how you can do that with an auto.

 

Except for a few cars way back in the day I have driven mostly manuals my whole life. My 97 is a manual and one of the definates when I pick out the 2012 is manual trans.
As for the gf/wife thing I'm actually backwards from most of you. Every car she's ever owned, that includes race cars, has been a manual and she will not drive an automatic; she even told me if I get one of those sissy autos I can't park on the driveway. So in my case if I don't want her to drive it i'd have to get an auto, haha! But I like her driving on long trips so I can sleep
But I was wondering why the lit shows better milage on the auto, it's usually the other way around???? Now that I have read what you guys said about the gearing it makes sense. Too bad you can't pick your choice of gearing like the Fords