manual or automatic, which do you prefer and why?

A stick is great for about a month, then the reality sits in and an auto is way better and has better resale. You can do anything with an auto that a stick can do and also have more control. I will never get a stick again. Pop always said let the machine do the work.

 

+1 i agree i just sold my fully built Subaru STi 400whp monster and i can say there is a reason they dont and never will sell STi with a Auto... no sports like car will i ever buy a auto but for a truck like the Tacoma it can really go either way for me... Ill probably be getting a Auto soon myself though

 

lol my buddy has an auto 4runner that could not make it up the same sand hill as me because his auto would not put the power down (same engine as me).

 

What does that have to do with the transmission?

Same tires?
Same air pressure?
Same transmission ratios?
Same rear-end ratio?
4X4?

Also, the 4runner is heavier than the Tacoma.

 

well you got me there.

I have 265/75/16 BFG A/T's with 4.10 gear ratios and a 5 speed. He has 285/75/16 Definity Dakota M/T's and more than likely a taller gear ratio (not sure exactly what it is.) We were both at around 30 PSI in the tires and yes, he is 4x4 as am I.

Every time he got right at the top the wheels would just stop with the truck floored, like the clutches were slipping or something. The drives and shifts flawlessly though so I don't think it has any problems.

 

Hated the toyota 6 speed with its attempt to help you drive. Rev hang, etc. I did not want to get used to it. My 87 4Runner with 245,000 miles on it drives better than the stupid 6 speed in the tacoma. Got rid of the tacoma for my FJ with an automatic. The toyota automatic is awesome. Smooth, confident shifts and it locks up reliably when towing at highway speed

 

I learned with a three on the tree.

 

my mustang is manual , my TJ is an auto (working on getting a tacoma)... nothing beats the manual on an open twisty road, but I drove it to work on the few nice days we have had so far this year, and was very happy to take the jeep on the crappy days cause driving a powerful manual car in traffic SUCKS.

 

I drive a semi truck all day....so i prefer automatic for my taco

 

Me too! My dad has an old 1968 Ford Bronco with a plow, it has a 3 on the tree, gosh I finally know someone else who has driven one!

 

wandering slightly OT here
I drove many a car and truck back in the day with 3 on the column.
Personally owned a 65 ford galaxy with 3 on the tree.
It was faster through the quarter than my 64 1/2 stang

does anyone remember the chrysler push button auto?s



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAslCTRwsPk

 

I drive a 1st gen with a stick for many reasons:

- ease of maintenance
- cost of maintenance
- cost of repair/replace
- reliability
- no fear of overheating
- no worrying about leaky tranny cooler lines and tranny cooler
- greater ability to hypermill
- improved fuel mileage (1st Gen)
- Saving wear and tear on brakes. (assuming you know how to drive a stick PROPERLY - which means matching the rpms when down shifting)

 

if you do much off-roading manual is the only way to go... but i opted for the auto in my Tacoma because i don't plan to do much off-road. my old Ranger was a 5 spd 4x4 tho and it was great off-road

 

Spent the better half of my 20 years of driving using a manual. I've since learned and gotten lazy I guess...shame on me. Shifting gears in constant traffic sucks; same goes with parallel parking. There are better things to enjoy in life, so it's Automatic for me from here on out. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Sorry to see so many immature responses on TW these days.

 

Manual. Learned how to drive using a manual. Automatic gets too boring but it does have its perks in traffic. I like the feeling of having more control over my vehicle as well. I can also control how high I want the engine to rev.

 

Either

 

Wurd

 

I think having a manual on the boat ramp is actually better, if you have the right gears. I put the truck (dodge 2500 diesel) in first in 2 hi and dont even have to step on the gas to get it up the ramp.

4,000lb boat
http://www.magicpowerboats.com/15.html

 

Used to prefer manual, but now with a knee that had surgery on it after tearing my ACL and doing 99% city driving, I prefer auto.

 

Manual