Converting Manual Transmission to Automatic

Ok I know that I will get a lot of ridicule for what I've done so have at it. But maybe my experience will help those two or three odd balls that want to drop in an auto to replace their manual.

I'm a rural letter carrier so driving a vehicle with an auto is a necessity. A local mechanic shop had done several conversions successfully so for $2200 they agreed to do it. However, as many of you are already thinking, the wiring harness, length of drive shaft, and a few other smaller things didn't match up right. So long story short after 3 months and an extra $900 on a wiring harness, I have my auto tacoma and have put about 40000 hard miles on it since. I say about because after all that the lsd, speedometer and odometer STILL don't work. The mechanic said he would never attempt a conversion on a vehicle that new. Apparently older vehicles were designed more consistently. So my advice is don't do it. I'm saving for a 2016 TRD off road long bed 4x4. Life's too short to drive a truck you don't like.

 

I would have thought the ECU and other computers & sensors would have been the limiting factor.

 

I believe he was able to solve that problem rather easily. Can't remember what he did though.

 

Why wouldn't you just sell it and buy a auto? Way easier, and cheaper as well.

 

I tried. Couldn't get a decent price due to dents and scratches :/

 

40k miles in 3 months?

And you want to do that in a brand new TRD OR 4x4?

Sounds like you're wanting to shoot yourself in the wallet.

 

Solid intro - Welcome to TW!!

 

No it was in the shop for 3 months. I've put about 40000 on in a year and a half. The postal service reimburses at just over 70 cents per mile I drive for them so it pays for the truck after awhile. But about half the miles I drive are for my lawn business.

 

Thank God.

I was thinking.. 40k in 3 months is a ton of driving. A brand new truck will be a beater within 2 years, that's a poor investment.

Cool then.

 

True, but Tacomas have the best resale value of any vehicle in the country. It's very hard to find a used one and save any money per mile driven. New ones have higher insurance costs but the new engine improves mpg so it shouldn't make a big difference either way.

 

New engine MPG is largely the same as the previous engine, so not a particular improvement in that area.