Manual Transmission with regard to resale value - seeking opinions.

If we didn't beat dead horses around here there would be damn little going on...

 

Not at all but everyone is an “expert” I noticed.

 

Look if I offended anyone I'm happy.. your are all already here because you own a manual.. they are the best thing next to sex beer, and guns.

But in 2022 they are completely nostalgic.. we are the old sailors on the ship on its retirement run. Enjoy it

 

Yes - I actually do like square riggers too!

- Problem???




Hmmm... Maybe there is a connection there somewhere!

 

Yeah, even with airbags and 4 leaf springs this truck just doesn't like heavy loads. I carried more weight in my Mazda B2300 and it felt much safer.

 

I mean, those Mazdas sat like, 4 inches off the ground.

As opposed to these sky high tacos

 

A Tacoma purchase would primarily be a "bridge vehicle" for me. My wife and I want to purchase a travel trailer in the next five years and we will definitely need to be in the 1/2 ton market. Specifically, an F150 4x4, Super Crew with the heavy duty payload package. That setup is good for at least 2400lbs of payload but the issue is, it's a damn expensive truck, even though it is modestly optioned (60k). I'm torn...I'd really rather not finance a 60k truck right now, especially since we don't even own a camper. I'm thinking a MT Tacoma would be a great truck to buy now and trade up down the road.

 

A tacoma isn't exactly a spots car model like listed above. Some of you guys with manuals are out there.

 

Well, you could always do what a friend of mine in heavy construction does. He uses a Honda Civic as his daily driver. Lives in a 8000 lbs TT but doesn't own a truck that can move it. When he wants to move it, he rents a large uHaul truck, empties his storage room (where he keeps stuff that cannot be stored with his TT), hooks up the TT to the uHaul and tows to the new site, drops off the TT, goes to nearby storage and unloads the truck, drives the uHaul back to the old town (because gas is cheaper than a one way car rental so he says), and drops off the uHaul truck and picks up his Civic. Drives Civic to new TT site. Rinse and repeat every 2 to 3 years.

 

I'd buy a 10 YO 3/4 or 1 ton and tow with ease if I was towing often. That's just me, though.

 

This is not true for me. I love manuals but that doesn’t mean I’m going to say everything about them is perfect. After a long day at work having to press the clutch 200 times on the 5pm drive home can be as annoying as a mf. I would pay a little more for a manual but not much. A Tacoma with 150k is still a used truck with 150k. No way I’m paying thousands more then it’s worth just to have a MT but that’s just my opinion. I don’t expect other’s to agree. Also I’m not hand washing dishes but again just me.

 

Several have made the point that people are not learning to drive manuals any more. it was a thing back in 91 started with a new company and was handed a set of keys, then asked to take a load to the dump. I was stop right after I turned around to go, then asked if I could drive a manual with a split axial. I said I grew up in North Dakota. Away I went.
My wife can't drive one, I worked at a dealership for a few months and half the younger tech's couldn't either.

 

I did not use the word perfect anywhere.

I don't regard an manual as an inconvenience, more of a commitment. If you buy one you are going to be shifting every time you want to go somewhere.

That said an automatic most definitely can be a convenience, plowing snow for example.

 

I had a 1978 Landcruiser 4 speed manual and wanted to buy one again in reasonable condition in 2018 but anything drivable was cdn$70k+ so I bought my Taco. Look at prices of old manual Landcruisers, Broncos, Blazers or Scouts for sale...the phenomenon isn't just about sports cars.

 

Be interesting to see what manual vs auto FJ cruisers are going for these days.

 

Doesn't matter it's an FJ

 

My next Tacoma will be a manual for certain. I “settled” for an auto with my TRD Sport, and while I’m grateful I’m traffic and sometimes during a groggy early AM commute, I ultimately miss the manual. I’d search one out and travel to get one

 

For starters, only about 10% of tacoma's are manuals. So anyone who loves manuals, the market is extremely tight. Not ot mention that tacomas might not be offered in manual at all for gen4. In fact, I have been hearing that orders for MY2022 do not allow you to select a manual, depending on region.

If that is the case, which seems likely, then a 2022 (maybe, 2023, if they make them) Tacoma's are the last ones with a manual transmission. Would that increase the resale of a manual in 5-10 years? Most likely. but I intend to still be driving that truck. In 20 years, the manual is a dinosaur. Look at your toddlers now and think whether they are going to even know how to drive a manual, let alone want ONLY a manual, in 20 years.

End of the day, buy exactly what you want. The truck might depreciate 1-2% more or less based on whether its a manual. Focus more on what matters; Maintenance, rust prevention and enjoying it now - they might be gone soon.

 

I’m so glad I didn’t settle. Many a salesmen tried to convince me otherwise. But I know for sure I’d have those same feelings as you had I settled for the A/T.