Manual VS Automatic

Qwiksndmn said:
Well I cant answer your question about crawl and terrain select wether it's worth it. I have a manual 6 speed and haven't used the 4x4 yet either.

I had a 2005 4.0 6 speed and think it was snappier in 1st 2nd and 3rd. 4th 5th 6th felt weaker. In my 2016 3.5 6 speed I notice the opposite. 1st 2nd 3rd weaker. 4th 5th 6th is strong and pulls good. It can hold hills without downshifting. It's not a ton of difference it's just my opinion. I really like my 6 speed.
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There's a guy on YouTube who traded his 2016 Sport for a 2017 Off-Road simply for the crawl and a few other trail features. He's got a video of him going up a hill on snow without crawl on and the truck is fighting for traction. He stops and switches to crawl and it just paws its way up the hill. The way it works is it pulses the brakes on wheels that it feels have no traction.


I like driving manual, but diff lock and crawl were a huge selling point for me, coming from a state that sees heavy snow in the winter.
 
I like the off-road styling plus the rear locker. I got the manual bc it is more engaging to drive. The crawl control is probably nice on occasion but is far from needed. 2 grand gives you an a/t - crawl and mts and push button start/keyless open. It's a good deal, just not for everybody.
 
The shift knob on the 17 TRD pro is just awful, they tried to make it the same shape as the automatic shifter and it's just this big knobby uncomfortable thing. I swapped it out for my old TRD knob the second I got it home and I am so in love with this truck
 
Let me know when you guys figure out when and where to shift for best mpgs cuz right now I'm at like 16 mpgs average


2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-road MT
 
I bought a 2016 extra cab off road automatic, my first automatic in a truck. It did great, the self shift and ect made a big difference over fully automatic. But I was not pleased so I ordered a 2017 TRD Pro manual (cement). I also have manuals in my 1982 4X4, A 1986 extra cab 4X4 and a 1992 extra cab4X4, all with manual hubs. Gosh it is just so much more fun having to work a clutch and find a gear on my own. You just seem more connected in your driving experience and off road it is just more satisfying and challenging to do the work yourself.
 
I’m on my 4th manual Tacoma plus a few manual 22R/RE’s. Only problem I had was in my 05 X-Runner; had to change a shift fork and tail shaft bearing but it wasn’t the truck’s fault. I’ve loved all of them. I think the 16-17 manual trans is my favorite one of all so far. It does great off-road; slow climbing or sliding around dirt roads. I personally wouldn’t ever buy an automatic anyway, so I have nothing to compare to. At first thought, the crawl control seems like a decent idea but I know that I wouldn’t like it because I have control issues. I don’t like my vehicles doing anything that I don’t tell them to do. [emoji38] So,... my advice is; if you are already considering buying a manual, just do it!
 
I love manuals... and have a 2017 4wd V6 six speed). If you haven't been driving on manuals a long time .. well.. it take a while for you gray matter to tune in to them. My shifting is "brain automatic" -so far I rarely go into 6th unless I'm cruising fast.
 
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I’ve had 5 speed manuals in a 2002 regular cab 4x4 2.7 liter and a 2012 access cab 2.7 liter 4x4. I miss the manual sometimes but after driving over 100 miles a day to work and back it didn’t take me long to miss an automatic.
 
bchurch said:
If i can swap my auto for a manual, im going to. Soooooo sick of the shift happy pos auto.
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I would have got a manual. Still might. My wife just can't drive stick and with how much snow we get here idk if I want her driving it while still learning. Love the manual. Wish I had it!
 
toyotasaurus rex said:
I bought a 2016 extra cab off road automatic, my first automatic in a truck. It did great, the self shift and ect made a big difference over fully automatic. But I was not pleased so I ordered a 2017 TRD Pro manual (cement). I also have manuals in my 1982 4X4, A 1986 extra cab 4X4 and a 1992 extra cab4X4, all with manual hubs. Gosh it is just so much more fun having to work a clutch and find a gear on my own. You just seem more connected in your driving experience and off road it is just more satisfying and challenging to do the work yourself.
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Agreed! Wish I got a manual!
 
I've driven manuals all my life by preference. With Toyota 5 speeds, when shifting, I'd skip a gear, 4th, to get to 5th from 3rd. Manuals gave better gas milage as well as a better more enjoyable road feel. With the new 2017 TRD Offroad 4x4 I just bought, it has the premium technology package and so, all the extra 4x4 goodies, Entune JBL, BSM, moon roof, etc.

I switched to automatic transmission now for 3 reasons, 1) to get those extra features, 2) age has taken toll and was effecting my shifting ability and 3) the Toyota Dealership simply did not stock many manual transmission vehicles ( 1 used ). It was odd that the dealership claimed that today, kids were not willing to learn how to use a manual transmission as the reason they didn't stock them. They didn't sell.

I'm happy with the automatic transmission and won't miss manual.

BTW: Road feel has always been super important to me in choosing vehicles. I totally detest those boats that are way heavy, way cushy with over powered steering and brakes in particular. The worst thing about my 2017 TRD OffRoad 4x4 in terms of road feel are the braking systems - very touchy and still taking some getting used to.

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
 
Parker said:
Let me know when you guys figure out when and where to shift for best mpgs cuz right now I'm at like 16 mpgs average
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Parker, your 2017 TRD Offroad 4x4 looks just like mine with that Inferno color. You have manual and I have automatic. You are griping 16mpg and I am getting an average of 18 to 20mpg with spikes up to 30mpg. Most of my driving has been in the city with some jogs on the freeway at distances. One trick, that most drivers do not do and that I do now adays as I have gotten older, is to drive with some extra willingness not to race traffic. You know, that tendency to think that you have to go 5mph faster than everybody else and only wind up riding bumpers and increasing traffic congestion in the process. These days I lay off and allow good following distances so that I'm not always on the brakes and can just back off on the gas pedal to slow down and then accelerate again. In the city, I back off and slow down before red lights and watch in amusement as others zip by and hard brake right at the light. By the time I catch up, the light turns green and I accelerate to the posted speed limit again. Yes, it does piss some people off behind me, but they are not impeded because the light ahead is red anyway. But I benefit by better gas economy and yes, spiritual comfort, having less of that onerous gotta get there faster sort of neurosis that in some people, often leads to road rage.

FYI: The manual transmission in the 2017 does allow transmission override. From Drive, you shift left and it is in 4th. From there you can shift up to 5th and 6th or down to 3rd, 2nd and 1st. I have not had much occasion to shift up, but have shifted down when going down hill grades to get engine braking to keep things from rolling away to higher speeds and requiring extra brake pedal to control it. I don't know how many members have had opportunity to use this feature, but it works fine. And it may give that edge where the tendency of the automatic to kick down gears when approaching an up hill rise can be overridden.

It's not just the vehicle that makes a better ride.

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
 
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Parker said:
Let me know when you guys figure out when and where to shift for best mpgs cuz right now I'm at like 16 mpgs average


2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-road MT
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Parker, to answer your question really depends on driving conditions. I have a 17' TRD sport 6spd MT. My commute is 40kilometers (25miles) one way, takes roughly 1hr-1.5hrs depending on traffic. I stay in the right lane on the highway and drive like a semi trucker. Slow accel/decel. I up shift so each gear will start at roughly 1000-1200rpm. The trick is to just use your toes to accel or else you might lug the engine in 3rd and higher. For downshifting I try to get to a slower speed so I can let the clutch out without any clutch wear. Best mpg I've gotten was 9.1L/100km (25.8mpg), worst has been 14.3L/100km (16.4mpg). Hope this info helps.
 
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