Getting a 6-speed manual?

Hey guys so I'm looking at 2nd gen tacomas now and I saw this sick 05 white double cab


It looks really cool, and I'm pretty sure it's the TRD Offroad package because from one of the interior pics it looks like there is the rear diff button . But anyways, my problem is that it's a manual, and I have never owed a manual. My mom could easily teach me, but I do ALOT of driving. Easily 1000 miles a week, mostly highway. Anyways, is a manual going to be a pain to drive for the amount that I drive? The dealer is asking 16000, and the interior is leather. I'm sure I could get it for 14-15000. What do you think? Is a manual a bad idea? How do you like manual?

 

I have never owned a vehicle in my life that was not a Manual, its not that hard to learn and you will enjoy the hell out of it and be bored by automatics.

 

130xxx miles not to bad! Thanks for letting me know about manual. And yeah it is crazy, but hopefully soon we will be buying company cars so I don't have to put the miles on my tacoma.

 

I say get it. I have a manual and love it. Ever since I learned to drive a manual I hate driving auto vehicles. It's so boring. I will say that of all the manual vehicles I have driven my Tacoma is the most difficult one to learn to drive smoothly but still not bad at all and still much better than an auto.

 

My 05's a manual and sometimes I wish it was an auto... For convenience sake. Other than that, it's cool... lol

 

Thanks guys. And does anyone know about this TRD sticker on the hood and stickers on the sides? What package is this supposed to be?? Like...an xsp? lol

 

The decals look custom to me. But if it has a diff lock button it is most definitely an off road.

 

Yeah i'm pretty positive it does but hard to tell from picture. Thanks for the help btw.

 

I would look up the VIN just to be sure.

 

You'll love the manual, especially since it sounds like you do a lot of highway miles. Stop and go city driving would be much less fun

 

Ive never owned a manual vehicle up until about a month ago. Always an auto, but Ive driven many manuals from friends...and been riding motorcycles for about 8 years now. I frikkin LOVE my 2015 Tacoma 6 speed. Its even better with a supercharger on it...or so I hear

 

truck in sig. 58,000 miles took me 6 years. About 50/50 city/highway, and since I don't do stop & go/rush hour city much, really enjoy the 6 speed. If mpg is an issue, the automatic gets 1 to 2 mpg higher, especially at 70 or above. Also manual is much better in hills, but I guess that's not an issue in Fla. You can easily skip a gear or two if you don't need the power to get up to speed. 6th is good for 45mph or higher. Fuelly has me at about 19 city, 21 highway.

 

I would definitely run the Vin to find out which package it has. Because I'm not seeing bilstien shocks and those are TRD sport wheels which that is definitely not a sport. And a lot of people mistake the trac ccontrol button for the diff lock . Otherwise 6 speed is a cinch. I could teach you in under 5 minutes.

 

I'll be the dissenting vote here. I've been driving for over thirty five years now and despite owning a decent number of vehicles including air-cooled VWs, Land Cruisers and Fiats, none of them have had an automatic transmission. I wish my current Tacoma was an automatic. The five speed in my '95 Tacoma was great, the six speed in my '05 I don't care for. The transmission and clutch assembly are weak as noted in multiple posts on every Toyota forum and many have had issues with them. I generally baby mine and other than the clutch squeak, I've had no real issues in about 140,000 miles but it gets lousy gas mileage and I just don't care for the feel of it. It's not as bad on the highway but around town it just isn't that great of a transmission in my opinion. I'm also not a huge fan of it off-road.

Since the truck in question is an '05, look at the production date and inspect for all of the issues of that the early models had including frame rust issues and motor mount weld failures.

 

Most of my vehicles have been manuals. I prefer the involvement; makes me think about what I'm doing. Probably would have liked a Model T where you had to control the spark too. As for stop and go traffic, you get used to it. Your mind just knows when to shift. It's really not that different that pushing the gas pedal and then the brake in stop and go traffic. You'll also learn to hang back from the vehicle ahead of you.

 

Where are we seeing these interior shots.

Post up a link

 

Not so many years ago manuals got better mileage and were more durable. Now the Taco autos are darn near bulletproof and usually get a bit better mileage. So it's just a matter of preference, and if you want a manual, don't worry and just get one. Kids taught themselves to drive for decades before there were auto transmissions...and those manuals reeeeeealy sucked compared to what we have now.

 

Get the 6 speed.

I love mine & just think, most scumbags who would carjack you can't even drive a stick!

 

I've never owned an automatic, and I work out of my car too. The few times I drive an automatic I usually get frustrated and hate it (not being able to go to reverse and then forward quickly, engine braking, etc). With the amount you drive it'll become natural very quickly, and the highway is easy

 

I have never owned an automatic car but I regret my 6-speed tacoma soooo much, and I LOVE my truck. It gets horrible mileage and is affected by "chirping". 1st gear is too short/2nd gear is too long - you will be working that stick way more than most manuals. My vote is pass on any 6-speed tacoma.