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Manual or Automatic

PricklyPete

PricklyPete

Lifer
I am very seriously considering buying a 2005 Toyota Tacoma in the next month to replace my aging Mazda Millenia. The Tacoma has a really nice 245HP/282ft/lb engine and the option of a 6spd manual or 5spd automatic.

Normally (and especially on a car), this wouldn't even be a question worth asking as I would *ALWAYS* prefer a stick over slush box...something that has been all the more evident with my Mazda Millenia (worst slush box ever). Well, here's the problem: the Automatic gets 18/22 MPG while the Stick gets only 16/20 MPG. How's that you ask?... The gearing on the Manual is much more aggressive and has a shorter top gear for highway driving.

This is bugging me to no end. Yes, I would like the "fun to drive"/"I get to pick my own gear" aspect of manual, but I really don't want the lower gas mileage. One of the big reasons I'm not getting somethign like the Titan is to get the better gas mileage...the manual is not helping out there. Also, it is a truck...not an RX8, so being able to move myself through the gears is not going to be as exciting regardless.

So what do you guys think? Should I give up the small gas mileage increase for the fun to drive factor?
 
head on over to yotatech.com Its a great toyota community

you will get some good opinions over there. tell them sabre sent ya 😉

Im a 4runner owner and been a member there since I bought it.
 
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
 
get the manual, you will regret it otherwise. do you drive a whole lot every day or something? screw the gas mileage, we're americans remember
 
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
Click to expand...

interesting, since autos are widely recommended for towing...
 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Are you going to be doing a lot of stop & go driving?
Click to expand...

I don't have a rediculous amount of stop and go traffic (I live in a minor city...nothing big). My commute to work is ~7 minutes highway, ~5 minutes lights.
 
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
Click to expand...

interesting, since autos are widely recommended for towing...
Click to expand...

Having the manual, gives you the ability to engine brake which takes a lot of the load off the brakes.
 
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
Click to expand...

interesting, since autos are widely recommended for towing...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I believe they developed this gear box with the intention of providing a manual with a towing capability similar to the automatic. So far I have not been able to confirm it, but with the Towing backage, I believe both the automatic and the manual can tow 6500lbs. In the old Tacoma, the automatic could tow 5000lbs and the manual could only tow ~3500lbs.
 
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
Click to expand...

interesting, since autos are widely recommended for towing...
Click to expand...

Having the manual, gives you the ability to engine brake which takes a lot of the load off the brakes.
Click to expand...

However, it is a lot cheaper to replace the brakes than transmission components. Let the brakes do what they were designed to do. I mainly use engine-braking only for slick condition because of the gentle slowdown it can give me.
 
The '05 Tacoma looks like a great package. I was actually checking it out on the toyota site today after reading about the Truck of the Year award announcement. Personally, I prefer a manual transmission, but in a pickup, for some reason I can't explain, I'd seriously consider the automatic. Subconsciously I think I'm afraid the manual will be on the column like the pickup my folks had when I was little. Anyway, nice truck and good luck!

EDIT: I can't imagine anyone sane would chose a manual transmission to save on the cost of brakes.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
Click to expand...

interesting, since autos are widely recommended for towing...
Click to expand...

Having the manual, gives you the ability to engine brake which takes a lot of the load off the brakes.
Click to expand...

However, it is a lot cheaper to replace the brakes than transmission components. Let the brakes do what they were designed to do. I mainly use engine-braking only for slick condition because of the gentle slowdown it can give me.
Click to expand...

True, but using the engine to brake will take some of the load off the brakes which lead to less fading which you'll notice having if you're towing something heavy.
 
Originally posted by: CChaos
The '05 Tacoma looks like a great package. I was actually checking it out on the toyota site today after reading about the Truck of the Year award announcement. Personally, I prefer a manual transmission, but in a pickup, for some reason I can't explain, I'd seriously consider the automatic. Subconsciously I think I'm afraid the manual will be on the column like the pickup my folks had when I was little. Anyway, nice truck and good luck!

EDIT: I can't imagine anyone sane would chose a manual transmission to save on the cost of brakes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, for some reason, on a pickup, I'm less picky about the transmission. You're not really driving a pickup for the pure enjoyment of driving.
 
The reason autos are recommended for towing is because so few people can drive a manual well even without a trailer.

Drive one with & without the auto, a well done 6 speed MT is pretty cool to drive.

How many miles on your millenia? & can I have it?
 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
The reason autos are recommended for towing is because so few people can drive a manual well even without a trailer.

Drive one with & without the auto, a well done 6 speed MT is pretty cool to drive.

How many miles on your millenia? & can I have it?
Click to expand...

For a small sum. =)

It's a black 1999 S (supercharged) with 88K miles on it. Mileage it is a bit high, but the car still runs very well.
 
I gots a 2004 Tacoma which only came with an auto since it was a v6. The towing difference of 5000lbs and 3500lbs is due to the v6 vs 4cyl. It just so happens you can get a stick on the 4 cyl but not the v6. Anyways, I prefer auto's since I'm lazy and the gas mileage isn't that much of a big deal to me. If you get an auto and do happen to tow, you might want to investigate an auto tranny cooler.

I prefer www.customtacos.com and www.tacomaterritory.com to yotatech. Better forums and the information they have on their sites relating to Tacomas is more abundant. Congrats on your future purchase! You'll love your truck, I definitely do. You'll need to lift it of course, and put some bigger tires on it. Also don't forget the nerf bars on the side and you should also get a bull/safari bar up front too. That all is next for me after I get my bed sprayed tommorrow (Line-X). With the composite bed in the 05's you don't have to worry about that step.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the auto-tranny only on the v6 thing only applies to 04 and below models. As you're well aware the 05's can have either on the new 4.0 v6. Sweet engine, you're gonna have a blast in it.
 
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: CombatChuk
The gears are a bit more aggressive to help tow. I've always preferred a stick for it's simplicity and less maintenance.
Click to expand...

interesting, since autos are widely recommended for towing...
Click to expand...
Since when? You get less torqe and hp loss with direct gearing that with a slipomatic.
 
Originally posted by: AmigaMan
I gots a 2004 Tacoma which only came with an auto since it was a v6. The towing difference of 5000lbs and 3500lbs is due to the v6 vs 4cyl. It just so happens you can get a stick on the 4 cyl but not the v6. Anyways, I prefer auto's since I'm lazy and the gas mileage isn't that much of a big deal to me. If you get an auto and do happen to tow, you might want to investigate an auto tranny cooler.

I prefer www.customtacos.com and www.tacomaterritory.com to yotatech. Better forums and the information they have on their sites relating to Tacomas is more abundant. Congrats on your future purchase! You'll love your truck, I definitely do. You'll need to lift it of course, and put some bigger tires on it. Also don't forget the nerf bars on the side and you should also get a bull/safari bar up front too. That all is next for me after I get my bed sprayed tommorrow (Line-X). With the composite bed in the 05's you don't have to worry about that step.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the auto-tranny only on the v6 thing only applies to 04 and below models. As you're well aware the 05's can have either on the new 4.0 v6. Sweet engine, you're gonna have a blast in it.
Click to expand...

Actually, I'm pretty sure you can get a manual in the '04 V6, just not in the Double Cab (it is available for the Access and regular cabs). I'll try to get proof when I get a chance.

The manual truck I'm thinking of getting has the bull/safari bar and nerf bars already installed by the dealer. The automatic truck has neither, but is cheaper because.

thanks for the www.tacomaterritory.com link...had not seen that one before.
 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Originally posted by: PricklyPete


It's a black 1999 S (supercharged) with 88K miles on it. Mileage it is a bit high, but the car still runs very well.
Click to expand...

Does it have side impact air bags?
Click to expand...

Actually no. I am not aware that any Millenia had side impact airbags...although the 2001-2002 version may have. I know it wasn't an option in 99.
 
Originally posted by: Colt45
Buy a standard and get a taller gear final drive 😉
Click to expand...

Yeah, the 6spd gears have to be awefully close to each other in order to still have a shorter top gear than the 5 spd automatic.
 
Originally posted by: PowerMac4Ever
Originally posted by: new2AMD
head on over to yotatech.com Its a great toyota community

you will get some good opinions over there. tell them sabre sent ya 😉

Im a 4runner owner and been a member there since I bought it.
Click to expand...
4x4wire's TrailTalk Forum is also a great resource. Yotatech is basically a spinoff of TrailTalk
Click to expand...

I'll have to check that site out as well. Thanks.
 
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