Manual Transmission with regard to resale value - seeking opinions.

Messed up quoting yours. I meant, why not drive a manual in traffic if one likes a manual. Guess I jumped too quick on this one without giving it much thought.

 

I had to buy a MT just so I wouldn't forget how to drive my MGB in the summer! :-D

 

Re: Manuals in traffic

With long term use one rarely consciously thinks about shifting, it is just what you do to get where you are going.

By the same token -- I don't have a dishwasher, that doesn't mean that washing my dishes in the sink is an inconvenience to me.

 

Only time I don't enjoy it is actual traffic jams, like sitting in traffic crawling along at 3-5 mph. If this happened to me often, it is still not a reason to get an automatic, but to move to a smaller town.

 

I will put money on the seller not waiting for the right buyer and sacrificing it for a lower price.

 

I'll take the other side of that one based on stuff like this.

 

Prime example

 

A BET!!! Who else wants to get in?

 

U imagine a manual transmission EV Tacoma?

 

I am referring to the future and not the currently totally insane car market. I’m not saying they are not worth it. What is the likelihood of having a 16K mile 15 year old truck to sell? Very low - for me at least.

 

Sounds like an awesome combination!

 

OK, how about this? Pre pandemic, at or near MSRP ish for a '94? Nice condition but not exactly premium upgrades either.

BAT, eBay, AutoTraderOnline and even craigslist give wide exposure to unique vehicles beyond immediate location. People are more likely to buy out of state now than 10+ years ago and I would predict that trend continues as buying over the internet becomes more common with the help of carvana, cars direct, etc.

I bought my Tacoma out of state as I cast a wide net, it would have gone quick in so cal, managed to get what I wanted at the price I was willing to pay and wasn't too much of a hassle.

Imagine 10-20 years of additional tech to optimize the buyer/seller matching process, improved country-wide searching/filtering/transport and dynamic price algorithms tied to vin, carfax data, etc (e.g. google's version of kbb). Add in the nostalgia factor in a global marketplace chock full of low quality crap and the buying power of, say, people like me, Gen X, in retirement, who might become the crotchety old men we used to make fun of. With easy and ubiquitous rideshare, the only vehicles worth owning will be those which can accomplish things ridesharing cannot, towing, hauling, offroading.

Rare, reliable and robust are only going to put pressure on price in an upward direction.

 

My son bought a his Lexus sedan after quite a search because he wanted a 6-speed manual. Almost all the ones that came up where auto trans. I would suggest that like my kid's search, that right buyer will pay a couple extra thousand dollars for the stick shift, but if you want to get that premium you have to also be willing to wait a little longer for that buyer. Marking the price up a couple thousand requires you to wait, but you have the good stuff.

I drive a 2004 Tacoma single cab 2wd with a 5-speed. I have regular "call me" potential buyers (often at the dealer when I go for an oil change.) My wife drives a loaded 2012 Miata hard top convertible, a touring edition with a window sticker price of almost $36k -- with the 6-speed manual. We found an impatient seller who sold it for the the price of the auto box version. She used to get offers for more than we paid for that car. It is getting older how so the offers are no longer what we paid, but still good for a 2012 with 65k miles. Neither are for sale -- we don't own anything with an automatic transmission (and that did suck when I dislocated my right shoulder about 10 years ago.)

 

I don’t think about shifting or changing gears, but I still reach for the parking break that is not there. I wish they has kept the T handle.

 

Slightly smaller audience now, less resale. But in 5 years when somebody wants a newish MT taco, 3rd gen will be it. Unmodified and in good condition it's going to stop depreciating.

 

Ok. Maybe your right. But maybe gas is $10 a gallon and it can’t even be sold at any price. Maybe you can’t operate in CA anymore. Maybe people will be flying around in electric car-planes.

You guys enjoy your manuals. I was considering it seriously but the wife wanted auto and had a good point. Perhaps OP is asking about resale for rare vehicle - but it sounded like normal vehicle that gets used - not some Jay Leno garage truck.

 

Took me about 2 years of punching the dashboard to finally break that habit

 

In the not so far off future, All cars, trucks, etc will all be electric. It’s coming fast. Gas and diesel vehicles will be obsolete. It will be so expensive to own, parts will no longer be made, gasoline will be outrageous expensive, gas stations will be replaced with power stations. So no I don’t think it looks good for the future of any fossil fuel vehicles. My 2 cents.

 

I can't believe this conversation is 8 pages.. look, manual transmission cars don't do anything better then automatics.. The people who still love manuals are simply better car lovers. We love the control and connection we build with our babies.. manual drives are clinging to driving as an expression of our identity.. My wife never has to ask me twice to run to the store.. I'm excited to drive my truck EVERY DAY! Some days I baby her, and some days I slam her gear to gear leaving toyota rubber.. but she's always happy to play along... my wifes auto is like taking a girl to the prom when you know she just wants to make it home snuggle up and read a book

Maybe the auto tacoma is better with 6 gears instead of 5. I still don't get why 4runner got 5. It weighs more, so in theory it should have 6 or 7 gears.. but I digress.. I had a roommate with a 4runner with a manual.. it was fun but like a g2 so as I look back, it sucked... everything sucked, but it was better then anything else at that time..

in 1930 all cars were manuals.. automatics were introduced as an add on feature which is why they cost more in 1950. But in 2022 a toyota manuals cost more to produce then an auto.. even though they sell them cheaper... Both automatic and manual drivers expect that. But with modern engineering and streamlined manufacturing adding a manual to a production line crushes it. Especially with Toyota because they are ki zen. So all transmission employees have to be trained on all installation proceeses remember toyota doesn't build 250 magnetic Grey offroads in a row like Ford or Dodge. They build 3 or 4 in a row, followed by 1 or 2 pros in a color, followed by 5 sports in lunar rock, and on and on.... in the factory it's a head ache.. but your "preparing the logistical nightmare " on the back end.


Now let's revisit Ford.. we just cranked out sets of 250, 500 or even several thousand of the exact same truck... lots filled with Red rams, no Grey or black...

toyota has zero problems.. the factory is creating the distribuption based off of previous allocation... toyotas dumped more money into plant painting technology then the US airforce (a fact) so cars literally roll down and get painted mid production in 11 steps@ No gigantic lots of one model in one color.. distribution can rely on flow from the factory not the other way around

The actual transmission costs more too.. because Toyota is only buying maybe 20000 a year vs millions of autos.. economics 101

Ford tried to short run cut corners painting and got burned.. my 07 sport has lived in saltwater air 75% of its life its 15 no rust