Third Pedal for the win!

It used to be that learning to drive a MT was a general life skill everyone acquired and now it's going the way of the rotary telephone so generation sensitive can stare at their social media while driving with their knees.

 

Agreed. I've grown to like and expect a multi-state drive to bring a car home. It makes for a great day. (as long as it is pretty country!). I went to eastern Oregon for my Taco. (8 Hrs).
- Shipping is definitely not as enjoyable! (considering all the car carriers plopping over; it's actually nerve-wrecking!).

The worse mileage stated by Toyota on the M/T is on EPA measures. Have a look on this board - most M/T drivers experience better actual real-world mileage than the A/T (me included...).

I have a few thoughts on the other aspects you've raised:

The first time I experienced the Crawl Control did it for me. It is a mess in my opinion... It is simply cruise control at low speed. If I had it - I'd never use it. it is embarrassingly noisy. (for many, it does not even work!). I enjoy practicing off road driving skills, I do not really want to be just a passenger... -There is a looooong thread on that one!

I also like the key - Perception-wise, it may be a step back... BUT There is a purpose there... you need it to take advantage of the Clutch-start-cancel capability specific for the M/T Tacos. - AND it also enables old-school starter control when in a pinch. Push-starting... etc., etc... back in the old days, these capabilities saved the day in remote places! (in 80's - 90's toyota trucks). Can't do that with a button / auto. The key is a MUCH welcome feature, in my book! The key also eliminates the RF issues - Insurance gave a discount for this!

I have an old (OLD) mini cooper (non BMW). They have push-button starters - AND a key. That is how it worked back in bush-button days... In modern cars, these have been long overdone... These are like the push button handbrakes - they reduce user-functionality for the sake of a marketing gimmick. Back in the day, the buttons were often on the floor... Will this be the next sales gimmick?

Manual PRO owners do get short-changed on the JBL stereo (I cannot imagine the reason for this...) HOWEVER, based on the JBL systems performance, I do prefer my additional storage available in place of the Sub. I may upgrade the speakers as this makes just enough of an improvement..

 

I once had a 1963 Mercedes 220 diesel. It had a key and a pull starter; first position warmed up the glow plugs, all the way out operated the starter. This, combined with the 4 on the column manual shifter made the car just about theft proof, at least for a drive-away thief.

 

My thoughts exactly. Wife has a 2019 A4 and that transmission is butter plus it gets 34mpg freeway since it has so many gears. Automatics have come such a long way from the 3 and 4 speed versions.

 

To be honest, I drove my manual Corolla with my knees a lot when I was in high school, and that was before cell phones. Usually, it was because I was eating a hamburger with one hand with a drink in the other on my way to work after school...

 

Lmao how it says they tried and then got out & fired shots

Tweaker temper tantrum

 

that's some serious skill there, I don't think I can pull that off if I have to steer and shift

 

My theory on the key is it works in conjunction with the Clutch Start Cancel Switch, that allows you to get out of a tricky situation by having the truck in gear and riding the starter out.

 

The Tacomas with push button start are also a lot easier for professional thieves to steal codes and then the truck. But the real reason to own a taco with M/T is because the M/T does a better job of addressing the 3.5V6 wimpy low rpm performance.

 

The 4.30 Gears definitely help get you into the higher revs quicker.

 

I think my current WRX will be the last manual i own. Learned on m/t cars and while fun, they aren't worth the pain in the ass they become in Southern California traffic. I love it in the mountains but those drives are maybe once a month if not rarer, versus daily traffic. Tradeoff just isn't worth it on a DD.

 

Except for that tall reverse ratio lol.

Also, 2nd could have been a bit closer to 1st. 3.98 to 2.02.. that 1-2 is quite a leap for this engine with the factory calibration, unless of course you wind it up more.

Tuning helps access what's there at low RPM FWIW. A few simple tweaks with vFtuner makes a noticeable difference. OVtune's SFOB files for best results down low.

 

Interesting. I used to have to commute for hours too in traffic in my manual 86. Never really minded it. Made traffic more bearable imo. I have an automatic now and just two pedals is kind of boring. Got rid of the 86 because I got tired of having a small car. Manual made every little trip more fun, even if it's just to the grocery store.

 

Lol, add the 4banger to the equation! My only real bitch is the 1-2 leap, compounded with the notchy 1-2 shift, makes for old man shifts (which I am, so ). I feel for those who never had the pleasure to experience a Competition Plus hooked to a Muncie.

 

I've heard that argument, but there will always be a demand for manuals. If Toyota does stop making Tacomas with a manual transmission then buyers who want one will pay a premium to get one in a few years. Smaller market but rarer item.

 

The decline has been going on quite a long time. Over 30 years ago, some friends asked me to help them move, which was expected -- but they really needed me because the only U-Haul truck available was an old one with a MT, and they couldn't drive it. I sure like the simplicity of a MT, but I appreciate the convenience of an AT these days.

 

Where I live it is the opposite in terms of demand. When I bought my 2016 MT and 2020 MT I laughed when I saw the salesman's face after telling him I only want an MT. Took a little while to get both and other dealerships were not interested in trading theirs to the dealer I was seeing. I got lucky on my 2016 and was just in the right place at the right time. When I picked the truck up the salesman thanked me for getting it off the lot as many people walked by it and inquired about it. The put a sold sign on every window.

 

If they can't find it in the cell phone..........they're lost and without a clue.

 

Traffic I don’t mind but 60-120 minutes of stop and go…. Kill me now