Manual transmission impressions at 220 miles

When my 17 was brand new it was an absolute MF'er to put in Reverse, once it hit 7500 miles it finally broke in and has been fine since.

 

Were all stocked up on Nancy Boys

 

The day I bought it, I put it in reverse rather than 1st twice. Hasn't happened since. Like so many other things, your body just learns how to do it correctly and the mistake isn't made again.

 

First night driving mine I thought it was my first time driving a manual, it took awhile before it was even easy to put it into reverse..

 

I actually just had the Eureka moment today and can get perfect shifts everytime I try.

The thing (for me anyway) is to accelerate slower. As soon as I only used 10-20% throttle while getting up to ~3200 RPM, every shift was smooth.

I guess the moral of the story is to drive it like the Toyota Vitz accelerates in Gran Turismo

 

Agreed I popped it into reverse when I wanted to go to first but I think it was because I was frustrated and pissed about the hill, pre tune days.

But otherwise the first time I put it in reverse I had to look it up in the owners manual to make sure I wasn’t doing some motion wrong. Push down or pull up in the stick kinda thing.

 

I've driven manuals where you had to do that. Probably the best location for reverse was on 5spd MT's that was all the way to the right, and down. Pretty hard to screw that up.

 

Our Mazda3 is push down and left-up - totally reasonable, i just dont like that there's not a safety like that in these - the only times I've had issues was when i spaced out at a light and got honked and freaked HARD LEFT UP GO

 

LOL. I bet that probably got that guy to rethink blowing his horn.

 

Ya know, now that you say it, my '98 4R is the 5MT and theres been a couple times switching between the Taco 6MT and the 5MT where I've considered absent mindedly "shifting to 6th" on the highway....


MAYBE IM THE PROBLEM

 

The 6 speed is an interesting transmission. I have no real complaints other than reverse but there is a reason for that by design I can see where some don't like it. I have been driving for 62 years starting with a "3 on the tree" and driving millions of miles. Only have had 1 automatic until I taught my wife how to drive a manual! Her newest is a 6 speed manual. I have no "accumulator" issues and won't be removing it.

My wife can drive mine. A manual can not be inconsistent you have to be smarter than the transmission.

 

Here is a little hint on the reverse, It actually is a synchromesh yes in reverse I have yet to see a exploded view but you are slowly bring a large gear to a stop before you can engage it smoothly. Depress the clutch for a bit before you try reverse it took me awhile to do that but guess what it doesn't grind like most manuals if you are in a hurry.

 

I'm at a whopping 320 miles now, ha, getting more tuned in to what it wants. As long as everything is normal, and it seems like it is, that's all I care about.

I'm having a lot of fun driving it, so happy I've come back to a manual.

 

That's the thing OP. The MT's are just plain fun to drive. Are you going to get everything right all the time,,, no. But I'll guarantee you'll have a hell of a lot more fun trying than the auto guys will, that don't have to do anything at all.

 

You're better off leaving in first gear. Toyota doesn't like people starting in second. Torque comes in too high in the rpm range to get you moving without slipping the clutch if conditions aren't perfect.

The third gen clutch is difficult to feel the grab point unless modded.

 

Yes sir, so much enjoyment I feel like I'm 17 again back in my 1991 pickup. My first vehicle, purchased new, and sold me on toyota forever. I do wish it made more power down low, and no everyone I'm not modding it at this point in any form.

 

Almost every manual I’ve driven had reverse to the left of first. But they were VW and Audis, so I’m used to the location. The action is a little different.

 

All my Toyota trucks, pre Tacoma, had reverse all the way to the right, and down. They were all 5spds though.