Why do you drive a manuel transmission ?

TexasBigBlue

Well-Known Member
I often get asked why I chose my Tacoma with a manual transmission. I usually say it's to feel superior to other drivers, rowin through the gears, but in reality, as I drive around town snapping pictures of other Tacomas or dropping-off, picking-up stuff, it doesn't make sense. It doesn't get much better gas mileage, it's crappy in heavy traffic, and I can't hold the steering wheel, sip coffee, and shift gears at the same time.

In reality I love being able to accelerate in confidence and not guess when my transmission will down-shift or up-shift. It's great in snow and mud being able to ease the torque on and not dig in deeper.

So I ask; why did you choose a manual transmission?
 
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Its fun, more in tuned with the truck, more control, CHEAPER to buy, no "learning process" like the automated trannies, rare, fun, far less chance of being stolen, fun, rare, cheaper to buy, doesn't shift at the wrong time or place, no constant gear hunting and fun.
 
Gave up on manual transmissions in Toyotas years ago, always had issues with the floor shifter getting loose, and sloppy, plus clutches never last past 100k miles when towing. Their automatics just held up forever, and this latest one in my 2020 taco works slicker than goose poop on a wet lawn. I'd be a fool to go back to a manual, but to each their own.
 
new clutch jobs are not on the cheapo side for sure at the Yota parts changer tech shop
with everything (including a new master/slave hydraulic) its at least 2000$ in total, even more i suppose at the official yota dealer shop
 
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I used to have manuals. 5 speeds in a '77 Buick Skyhawk, an '89 Toyota Celica GT and an '81 Honda CS500C. Still have the Honda CX. Clutches always take a dump at an inconvenient time.

Now, I let the automatic tend to the task of shifting. Less maintenance, less trouble in traffic, easier to drive. If I have the need to control the shifting, I can manipulate the gear selector myself.

I don't need brag points or even care about brag points. Some people get a "woodie" if they have a manual.
 
I towed all over the east coast when I was racing motocross, enduro's, and cross country events with my trailer, and bikes. It got very old. Shifting my bikes a zillion times a race was enough, then to do it for a day in the truck. Best thing Toyota ever did was installing these automatics.
 
how is an AT LESS MAINTENANCE ??

i am reading browsing up on this very issue...
maintenance/changing the AT fluid (at whatever interval you so do choose)
it appears to be a VERY involved process, involving some jumper wire under the dash... WTF is that??? and then have to measure tranny temp WTF??
whether a simple drain/fill or removing the pan gasket filter and flushing all including torque converter with 'special' equipment that not every shop has access

MT you have just a basic 2 plugs for drain and fill, but the gear oil maybe a bit more pricey than ATF fluid IDK
 
I towed all over the east coast when I was racing motocross, enduro's, and cross country events with my trailer, and bikes. It got very old. Shifting my bikes a zillion times a race was enough, then to do it for a day in the truck. Best thing Toyota ever did was installing these automatics.

i've had a very few Gen1 with AT in their rig look at my rig and see it has MT and they be all WOWZA that is nice :cool:
 
one of the grumblings in the Gen1 world is that Toyota did NOT offer those 4-door crewcabs an MT option
automatic ONLY for those rigs... and perhaps PreRunners cab-n-half as well
 
how is an AT LESS MAINTENANCE ??

i am reading browsing up on this very issue...
maintenance/changing the AT fluid (at whatever interval you so do choose)
it appears to be a VERY involved process, involving some jumper wire under the dash... WTF is that??? and then have to measure tranny temp WTF??
whether a simple drain/fill or removing the pan gasket filter and flushing all including torque converter with 'special' equipment that not every shop has access

MT you have just a basic 2 plugs for drain and fill, but the gear oil maybe a bit more pricey than ATF fluid IDK

The maintenance interval on my Gen2 AT with V-6 is 100,000 miles.

The check procedure is simple. A jumper wire across a pair of pins on the OBD11 port to initialize the system, then a few steps in sequence of the gear shift lever to start the system, then wait, the truck tells you when the temperature is reached. Shut off the truck, remove a plug to verify fill level......done. Then its good for another 100,000 miles. Reality, the change interval could probably be extended. But fluid and filter are cheap vs a trashed tranny.

A flush isn't needed with a drain & fill. You can do either a D&F or a flush. No need to do both.

My "special" equipment was a ratchet, socket, fluid pump, jumper wire, drain pan and a cardboard creeper. Nothing really "special", except maybe the fluid pump, but it is also needed for diffs and Xfer case.

I don't have to monkey about with a clutch, slave cylinder, throw out bearing......... The only "parts" needed are fluid, filter and a gasket. All cost is less than $30. Yes, less maintenance.

How frequently do you need to maintain the clutch???? Throw out bearing? Slave cylinder?
 
The maintenance interval on my Gen2 AT with V-6 is 100,000 miles.

The check procedure is simple. A jumper wire across a pair of pins on the OBD11 port to initialize the system, then a few steps in sequence of the gear shift lever to start the system, then wait, the truck tells you when the temperature is reached. Shut off the truck, remove a plug to verify fill level......done. Then its good for another 100,000 miles. Reality, the change interval could probably be extended. But fluid and filter are cheap vs a trashed tranny.

A flush isn't needed with a drain & fill. You can do either a D&F or a flush. No need to do both.

My "special" equipment was a ratchet, socket, fluid pump, jumper wire, drain pan and a cardboard creeper. Nothing really "special", except maybe the fluid pump, but it is also needed for diffs and Xfer case.

I don't have to monkey about with a clutch, slave cylinder, throw out bearing......... The only "parts" needed are fluid, filter and a gasket. All cost is less than $30. Yes, less maintenance.

How frequently do you need to maintain the clutch???? Throw out bearing? Slave cylinder?

what IS the current day cost to REPLACE REPAIR clutch packs in that AT? when it starts slipping the gears

did you gloss right over that?

its probably much HIGHER cost than to replace clutch on MT, which is roughly 1500$ depending on that master slave as well
 
Can't say and I DIDN'T gloss over that. I've never had that issue.

Once upon a lifetime ago, college years, my ride was a '71 Buick Electra 225 powered by the bullet proof 455-4 with a Turbo 400 AT. It had well into the 200 kmile range without tranny service. It got to the point where it would have long delay to shift to 2nd gear. I had to nurse it along for quite sometime due to lack of budget. Eventually, got into a bind and the repair was forced. It was less expensive to install a rebuilt Turbo 400 than to repair. Fortunately, Dad came to the rescue with finances. IIRC, the repair cost about $400 in 1988.
 
how is an AT LESS MAINTENANCE ??

i am reading browsing up on this very issue...
maintenance/changing the AT fluid (at whatever interval you so do choose)
it appears to be a VERY involved process, involving some jumper wire under the dash... WTF is that??? and then have to measure tranny temp WTF??
whether a simple drain/fill or removing the pan gasket filter and flushing all including torque converter with 'special' equipment that not every shop has access

MT you have just a basic 2 plugs for drain and fill, but the gear oil maybe a bit more pricey than ATF fluid IDK
I can tell you the price for a qt of transfer case fluid is crazy. I can buy enough ATF for the life of my truck vs that one qt.....it's special.
 
Well I sure think the yota AT is made bullitproof
I haven't come across many deets on the gen1 AT having the clutchpacks fail and are well over 200k if not 300k nowadays
 
My 1st gen is an AT, my dad bought this truck brand new in 2002. The only reason he went with the AT is because my mom can't drive an MT, if it hadn't been for that he would've bought the MT! I prefer an MT myself they're just so much fun!
 
i was thinking the interval for AT service was 15k or 30k but perhaps that is for the golden days of AT
IDK
Toyota claims 90-100k for a complete flush on the automatics for the gen3, but that's just for normal highway type operation. You do towing, and off-road, that won't cut it. Better plan for 40-50 k miles instead. I think the ATF these transmissions today use is better than the old dexron3 they use to have. Knowing these asin built auto's, I feel better if they see a 4 qt drain, and refill every 40k if your going to keep these trucks a long time.
 
What is the fluid change interval on the manual??
Typical clutch life?

My ol' '77 Skyhawk needed a clutch around every 30 kmiles. I'd always have the flywheel faced, new diaphragm spring and throw-out bearing. Still, every 30 k.........new clutch. But 90% of my driving was in town with stop-n-go traffic and hills. Really enjoyed that car. I'd like to get another, but they have all been melted and reincarnated into soup cans.
 
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