Should I buy an automatic or manual Tacoma? (2021)

Manual, until you smoke the clutch on a trail, then automatic.

 

Manual all the way. Even in traffic. All conditions.

 

In my younger days I wouldn't have anything but a manual. But most of my driving today is in town and with today's idiots on the road in traffic, I'd never get in high gear.
When I say idiots, I mean those with a cell phone in one hand and a Starbucks cup in the others, bumper-to bumper and weaving traffic like they're on the last lap of the Daytona 500.
(Can you guess how old I am? Now excuse me while I go run those little whipper-snappers off my lawn.)

 

If I could go back and change anything, I would spend the extra $ and get the manual.. The auto trans is garbage bud don't waste your time!

 

You’re going to tow and haul?

Automatic.

 

This is correct.

For what it’s worth, I’ve studied and written on driving extensively and taught thousands of civilian and professional drivers over the last 23 years. Unless it’s an act of God, crashes are caused by:

- Going too fast.
- Following too close.
- Not paying attention.

Pushing in traffic leads to all three and, as previously stated, results in little if any gain.

 

I had a 1991 4Runner for 15 years and 272K miles, followed by a 2006 Nissan XTerra with 305K miles and never replaced a clutch in either of them. See if an automatic lasts that long.

 

I don't think the transmission is problematic. You don't hear about wholesale failures. The driving issues are an underpowered engine, especially weak at low end torque, and the OEM tune that is heavily biased towards fuel economy rather than performance. These issues are mitigated somewhat with a manual, and/or a custom tune.

 

Really depends on your driving preference. I will say for resale value, I'd go with the 4X4. You may not need it right now, but if you ever get in a spot where you do you will be glad you have it. The long bed is also a nice option.

 

They both suck. Wait for a redesigned Taco and hope they improve things.

 

Now this is a useful comment. /s

 

Yeah, I'm bitter, can you tell.

 

transmission problems?

 

I bought an ACLB Manual in May. Love it, it's a blast. I'd never buy an automatic Tacoma unless there was no option for a manual, regardless of how I planned to use it.

 

Oddly not very specific. Maybe a Ridgeline is more your cup of tea?

 

No thanks, I'm good.

 

Should have been less $ to get the Manual

 

You would think, but real world is manuals on dealers lots is rarity which dealers take full advantage of with price negotiations.

 

It's around $2,000 more for an automatic than the manual for a Sport or Off-Road, and $3,000 more for the automatic in the Pro. There is no manual option for the SR, SR5, or Limited Trim levels. In the Sport, you can get the manual in Access Cab/Long Bed, or Double Cab Short Bed. In the Off-Road and Pro, it's only available in Double Cab Short Bed.

It's possible he was saying to go up a trim level to get a manual, for example going up from SR5 to Sport trim for the manual. It's about $4,000 more for a Sport with a manual, because there is no 2WD option for the Sport Manual. The DCSB is about another $750 over the Access Cab, if that's more your style.

 

If you paid more then you got ripped off .