Manual Transmissions Were Just 1.4% of 2023 US Sales

I actually joined this forum to buy one… but I wound up importing my 2nd gen MT from Hawaii instead. A few years later it was just an automatic that was available.

 

sorta true - if you can only drive an automatic over there, you get an automatic-only license

 

I would have put up with a hood scoop if it had a stick. : )

 

Manual transmissions are a perfect match in base trucks, but because the sales volume is so low, there’s been a natural tendency for Toyota to pair them with higher trims.

True that Toyota dealers ultimately decide what we get. Unfortunately, if a Tacoma sitting at a dealership has a stick, a vast majority of customers walking the lot either won’t (or can’t) test drive it. So if you don’t get many requests, and immediately sell every auto that arrives, why order more sticks?

One thing for sure, for the vocal minority who still want a stick, better get them while you still can. For Toyota, offering them on the ‘24’s served as a successful marketing buzz play, so there’s little further real value moving forward. Knowing also that they apparently can’t get along with the hybrids means there’s a good chance they’ll quietly get dropped in the next couple model years.

 

The point you kind of glossed over is dealerships can be coaxed into grabbing an allocation of a manual Tacoma by simply giving them a $500 refundable deposit and telling them what you want. Yes, it is unlikely you'll be able to walk on to a lot and buy one today, but if you want a stick, you can easily get one by waiting. In my case it took 8 months, partially because the chip supply for all of the Advanced Tech goodies I wanted was still limited; it is likely my truck took so long to be found was due to the chip supply and not the fact it had 3-pedals under the dash.

 

With how insane and heavy the traffic is getting in AZ in recent years I ordered mine in AT. It's the first AT vehicle I've ever bought and after having manuals since 2007 and I miss the control and driving experience every day. But since I mostly just idle in traffic now, the AT is much nicer to live with. However, even with a tune the shifting is still not perfect for me and likely never will be since I'm so accustomed to MT. Had my area not been exploding with growth though, I would have likely tried to order an MT (which was 6+ month wait vs my AT, minimum). Toyota really does make them hard to get.

But my 87 Supra is a 5-speed so at least I have an R154 to play with. I'll go nuts if I don't own at least one manual vehicle. <3

 

I wonder what the percentage of Broncos and Jeeps that were sold are MTs

Wife and I currently have 7 vehicles in the stable. All are manuals.

We seem to enjoy them.

 

I didn't even know the bronco was being offered in a manual, but is it even worth looking at one?

 

They’re not custom ordered. If they made more, they’d sell more.

 

We like ours. But to each their own.

Ford did offer it in a Base model with Sasquatch Package (lockers front and back, upgraded diffs and 35s) cloth interior, no added tech or safety features.

 

LOL... a manual definitely does not suck in a truck... might just be you.

 

I tried to buy one. Had an order in for 14 months before Ford abruptly stopped manual production in March 2023.

My order was for a 34K Big Bend with a locker. The currently entry level bronco is 42K. I do not believe they're worth it at the current prices, but they were 2 years ago when they were literally 10K cheaper.

 

We were early reservation holders so we had price protection. The value of the base with Sasq package was tough to beat. I know the price has jumped significantly in the last 2 years.

 

I did too. The price protection expired at the start of the 2024 model year no matter your order status.

I watched the price jump 7 times in the 14 months while I waited for an order that Ford had no intention of fulfilling. It's a shame too, I liked and still liked the Bronco, especially a 2 door like yours. The manual model I managed to test drive was easily the best stick I've experienced in an SUV/Truck. Yours looks fantastic in EG! Hope you enjoy it.

At the original prices the Bronco was a fantastic proposition. At the current prices I genuinely don't know how you justify the purchase.

 

I feel the same way about the new Tacoma prices.

 

Same. I felt gross picking mine up at its 37.5K MSRP last year, but relented on it because I needed something and was worn out after 18 months of getting jerked around by dealerships. But 8 months later, an equivalent 2024 is 42k...and they increased the destination on top of that.

Also I thought I'd be able to get a post edit done in time, but I really do think your EG 2 door is gorgeous. My order was also in that color. Hope you enjoy it!

 

Yea sittin on the 101 at 115 degrees in the summer would stink. I don't work anymore so I avoid rush hour at all costs.

 

Yup, but luckily the truck doesn't ever really get hot inside with full ceramic tint and thermal insulation behind all the body panels everywhere else. Muuuuch nicer to be in than the tC I just got rid of with a glass roof (even with full ceramic and thermal insulation).

 

From what I understand, in 2022, Jeep was around 2% but that probably has to do with the ZF box being ungodly good and the MT being very borderline for the platform. Either way that's not Jeep limiting the market because special orders are super common and when I was shopping, every dealer had them.

Was more than enough to get me to buy the AT Gladiator but I certainly miss my third pedal from time to time. Probably coming back from the dark side soon and the only reason I'll stick with the AT is that they don't do a manual T4R.

 

Had them in the past when I was younger so it’s probably the younger crowd. But yeah they suck. Been there done that.