Automatic Tune vs Trade for Manual

I recently took the Tacoma on its first long road trip out around the Kootney’s of BC. Was a great drive with awesome weather, and I got to take her down some FSR's with more technical paths and trails. However, during my driving the problems around the automatics transmissions shifting issues and gear hunting became obnoxiously present. Before this road trip I had mainly driven the truck around the city I live. Besides the occasional ‘unsmooth’ shift point around town, I hadnt really noticed any of the issues I had previously read here on TW. My girlfriend who could care less about my unhealthy obsession with this truck even noted how "off" and "unfun" it felt driving the truck on the highway and hills (I was shocked she formed an opinion that was in support of my own)

Being that we all spent a significant amount of money on our trucks, its only natural that we want the most out of the vehicle as well as our experience while driving. I started doing some reading online and found several tuning options available here on TW to help correct the gear hunting/shifting issues that the Tacoma has for both automatic and manual transmissions. I have been in contact with a tuner who can supply the OTT 7.0 tune to my truck, and I am considering having the work done.

The more I keep reading online though, the more I find users strongly advocating for the manual transmission over the automatic, with little to no input from those who have automatic transmissions that have been tuned, with their comparison and driving experience to those who have a manual.

Before upgrading to my Tacoma I previously owned an 07 Civic with a 5 speed manual gear box. It was fun and "zippy" around town, and before making the switch I made sure I test drove both a manual and automatic transmission of the Tacoma. I wasnt expecting a replicated driving experience to my civic, but man I honestly found the truck to be quite "luggy" and "sluggish" with the 6 speed manual. So much to a point that I immediately dismissed the idea of buying one with a stick shift. I was also turned off by some of the sacrifices that the manual trucks have compared to the automatics (no push button start, remote start, panoramic view cameras, locking rear differential, crawl control, also the dreaded hood scoop hahahaha). I understand that this is a truck and not a sports car, that is was my first time driving a manual truck with a new and different clutch, and that the "creature comforts" of the automatics vs the manuals should not a main reason to pick a vehicle trim/transmission

I am looking for advice or opinions on my dilemma as to whether or not I should trade in my current set up, wait the 5-7 months for the new truck to show up as I dont want to purchase used, and switch to a manual.

Or, spend the $500 and get the tune for the automatic and see if I can fall in love with the driving experience again.

We drive trucks, not sports cars. Is the manual that much better compared to a tuned automatic?

Any words of wisdom is always appreciated

Thank you for reading, take care

 

give the 6MT another shot. It's a ton of fun to drive. It's not my money so I'm not gonna tell you to trade it, but if you're on the fence with the AT now, you're probably due for an upgrade.

There are plenty of tune options for the 6MT too if in the end you don't like the throttle response.

 

I would test drive again, plus the Pro and Off Road MT have Camera's, a Rear Locker, and A-TRAC instead of crawl control.

 

There will still be a throttle lag with the mt. I think the tune helps with air/fuel mixture also. The tune will make the a/t enjoyable to drive again.

 

Thanks for your input. Its hard to find the exact features that are included with the truck upon purchase. Being up in Canada, we are much more limited as to what is "customizable" with the trucks compared to our friends to the south

 

The manual is a completely different experience from the auto. I’ve driven several manuals in my life and would recommend manual if you want a more “hands on” situation. However, It’s been my experience with the 6A that a KDMax Pro (or pro+) tune will resolve any “issues” with shifting at the wrong speed or rpm. @PapaRee will work with you, tweaking the tune, until you’re happy. If I were you I’d try a tune before going through the hassles of switching vehicles. (What’s a few bucks if it’s going to solve a nagging problem?)

 

I was in your position almost 2 years back. I'm also in Canada (Calgary) so have similar experience with both limited spec options, plus the mix of city and mountain driving.

I should preface; I'm not in the 'save the manuals' brigade for the sake of it, but I am from the UK originally so other than a Tacoma have only owned 1 auto (a twin turbo V8 bmw X5, so a verrrry different experience).

I initially test drove both manual and auto, I liked the manual, but like you mentioned, I did find the auto got away a little easier, so with the mix of city driving thrown in, and after being persuaded by my wife, I opted for the auto.

2 weeks in I hated it.

I had it OV tuned, hoping to get shift lock so I could control when it held gears, but they couldn't give me that feature apparently.

For me the tune was nice, but didn't fix the root issue. Every time I headed out to the mountains I was effectively never out of 4th. I contemplated a regear, but for me it was too much further cost for something that still wouldn't truly solve the issue.

I traded in for a manual, giving up my off road premium for a manual sport. I've never looked back, it's a completely different truck. Yes, I have to downshift to keep in the powerband in the mountains but it's nowhere near as as often as the auto.

I don't want to upset auto owners, I'm pleased folks are happy with their trucks and enjoying them, but the auto drove me insane, it's a terrible gearbox.

If you can track down a manual at a dealership (there are some in Alberta I believe) you'd likely get a great trade in on your truck.

 

Thank you for your response, exactly the kind of opinion I am looking for

Did you end up getting the sport premium package? If so, what extra features did it include that were similar to the off road premium?

Mind sharing how the dealership treated you with your trade in? Did you have to pay more to trade? Did you get money back? Was it a wash?

The tuner I have been talking with for the OTT tune says they can put gear locking in, which is super intriguing. Kind of the best of both worlds in a way. But, apparently there are quirks and you cant use ECT without S mode being activated or the truck gets confused and doesnt shift properly. Seems like an unrefined add on

 

The OV tune on the manual is the ultimate solution here.

Been driving my MT taco since 2018 and loving it, but did experience sluggishness at low RPMs and the feel of my truck was that it lurched into a power band at about 3k+ RPMs, really hitting full power at 4k. Not ideal for daily driving.

With the tune it's a pleasure drive, there's power throughout the whole band and it's much more linear, and the throttle lag is all but gone. I am having to re-learn how to drive this truck essentially, my only regret was not getting it tuned sooner.

 

I also did end up getting the OV Tune on my Manual. I didn't really have any burning issues with the stock manual, I just felt the benefits (shifting aside) it brought with the Auto and was keen to see what it would bring to the manual, I'm also very pleased with this.

I gave the dealership a hard time when I switched. The auto was my first taco, I had read-up in advance so was aware of this issue, they tried to explain it away as all 'fixed' now with TSBs, they effectively pushed me to the Auto, because A) they had one on the lot they could sell, and B) it was an off-road premium. The Auto I bought was discounted pretty well though, it was technically 'new' as in never registered, but it had been driven by the manager so had ~15K (kms) on the clock.

I had financed the auto, and financed the manual during the trade. I effectively probably paid an extra $3-4K to make the switch (funnily not far off the cost of a re-gear). My sport is a sport premium, so lesser spec'd, I lost the following features:

• 360 cameras - was nice, but I can't say I miss them.
• Crawl control - never used it, I have clutch modulation for that now
• Push to start - this is the only thing I miss, my last 3 cars (including 2 manuals) were push button
• There's probably other things I've missed, but their absence implies their insignificance (to me)

I should note, I swapped pre-vehicle shortage, so who knows, with the 2nd hand market you could get a really good deal. I went into it knowing I would lose money, you always have to pay to change at a dealership.

Despite the journey above, I'm now happy with my truck. I drove Calgary to Kelowna and back the other weekend, a great little trip.

 

I'm highly confident you could obtain push to start and 360 cameras after market if you really wanted it. I've been curious to see how that the PTS might be made to work with the manual.

 

Man, you are really selling me on this idea hahaha

Ill have to have another conversation with the sales rep I dealt with last time about making the switch, and see what he says money wise

Thanks a lot for your input

 

I currently have a 2019 TRD OR manual. When I was looking around, I drove every Tacoma in the lineup, from SR trim in automatic, to TRD PRO in manual, and everything between. I personally am a MUCH bigger fan of the manual with how it feels, and how it drives than the automatics. You did say that you have a more limited supply of Tacomas up north where you are, but they do have a OR premium in the manual transmission, which is definitely the way to go. It has all the interior goodies that you currently have, just the only difference is that it has a 6speed instead of an auto. I ended up pulling the trigger on my truck (TRD OR) over the TRD OR premium mainly because of price, and also at this point, I don't have a need for a leather interior or sunroof or anything like that, and with my truck, as it is, I don't have to worry about much interior stuff breaking. No power seats just mean that the power seats can't break, and no sunroof just means that my sunroof can't leak. I personally am a much larger fan of the manual in the Tacoma(by no means am I a die-hard automatic hater, I just like driving a manual for a daily driver).

Long story short, if you can find one, get yourself a TRD OR premium in a manual. If not, no biggie, you can get whichever you like. but I personally am a fan of the manual, and the manual works well for what I do, and I don't have to worry about any transmission goodies, as a lot of my friends who have autos(both tuned and not tuned) have to deal with.

 

I'm not sure if this link will work or not, but here's a build out at US MSRP for the truck I'm talking about above^ TRD OR premium in a manual transmission

https://www.toyota.com/configurator...r/01G3/interiorcolor/LC27/packages/option171/

 

OR Premium would have been my ideal choice too. Sadly, at the time when I was purchasing we only had 3 options for a manual in Canada:

1. Sport Premium - Short Bed
2. PRO
3. OR Access Cab

I believe now the only manual option in Canada is the Sport Premium Short Bed.

 

Thanks for your input

Unless I am wrong, you cant get an OR manual crew cab in Canada, only automatic. If I could, I would most definitely choose that as an option

The sport premium doesnt have some of the nice features I want, and I would definitely be looking for someone to trade hoods so I could loose the scoop. Can always add things after the fact though

 

I believe you are correct, and I dont wanna shell the cash for the Pro

 

It's a weird one for sure. I'm not positive about Canada's supply, but at least for the US, the only OR you can get in a manual is the crew cab short bed. No long bed access cab manual OR, just the crew cab short bed. Not sure why, since the access cab long bed and crew cab short bed is the exact same frame/powertrain, but it is how it is.

 

due to no obvious reason Toyota seem to do things differently up here. Like not giving us the LED headlight factory optional extras on premium trims I'm still gutted about that.

 

That is definitely a weird one. This is just me completely spitballing, but has anyone ever bought one over the border in the US and then transferred it back to Canada? I have no clue what the fees attached are, or anything like that, or if you even can feasibly do that, considering that it is a pretty big process with older cars, I'm just wondering about with newer ones, or brand new ones?