AH64ID

The top three gears of a 5spd and auto are very close 2nd(A) is 1.53, and 3rd(M) is 1.45, 3rd (A) and 4th(M) are the same at 1:1.. and OD isnt really a hill climning gear... so really not too much advantage there...The thing about the auto is the torque converter can unlock giving more rpm than needed which makes for more power... but it also depends on the power the motor makes.. never driven a auto 22RE... I know there are times when an extra 300 rpm would put me above 3K, and it seems that right at 3K my motor has a ton more torque for sustaining speed....

Just apples and oranges... and each does have its realm....

thefallman

sorry guys an auto is way way better then any manual.

When you keep in mind 2 things. HEAT and PROPER OIL CHANGES. i have almost 300k miles on my 3vze auto tranny and it is now behind a 5vzfe and feels like it did when it was new. If you use the overdrive properly and the ect it make all the differnce in the world and isnt sluggish at all. I have had both, and i can tell you when wheeling there is nothing that can beat a good automatic tranny.

This truck is a work truck as well and has towed 4000+lbs loads countless times. towed the boat to the river every summer. moved me accross the country and back towing an eclipse. and moved my family halfway back accross the country again this year. Lots of hill towing and as long as you use the automatic properly it works fine. Just dont leave it in drive and expect to keep you tranny when towing a hill.

I cant begin to count the times i have pulled the manuals out when wheeling, snow/mud. Neither can i count the times i have gone places the manuals couldnt follow either. anyway just my 2 cents. i used to swear by manuals i even have a manual i bought to replace my auto when i bought the truck because supposedly it had a bad transmission according to the previous owner. but it didnt and i fell in love with my auto. wouldnt trade it for anything.

trythis

I have an auto 22re, and I really like it. I didn't want a manual after driving one for 10 years (s-10) because it wore out my shoulder. I attempted to tow 3000 pounds with a manual once, and the clutch is a limiting factor unless you have a granny (4L) and my manual was 2wd, so no moving up a hill when overloaded.

My automatic's torque converter does help a lot with towing and keeping my shoulder from hurting.
I also therefore prefer the auto, but there again I haven't driven a 5 speed yota, just my wifes 4 speed 2wd truck. that she doesn't have any more :-(

CJM

Thing is after driving a stick shift in my vette for a long time (whichis highly unforgiving in your shifts, its very tight), my old 2wd F250 and various other cars I am sick of shifting and sick of playing with the clutch.

Not all auto tranmissions are built the same, yota continually builds better through there contracters vs anyone else.

mt_goat

Well you're both right depending on the trail. If it is something that takes finese and slow crawling, the auto really shines. If it's something that takes wheel spin, speed and momentum the manual may be the ticket.

AH64ID

I like both... I enjoy the manual on the trail, but sometimes wish it had a torqe converter... for HD towing, not with a toyota.. but a cummins or the likes, all I want is a manual... my next yota will be an auto, mainly because kids are on the way and it will be the road trip rig...

thefallman

well next time your in CO, we will go have some fun. did i mention that those places i went were with my old 3vze. Its the driver and whether or not your willing ot fry a clutch in one trip or not. Personally i prefer an automatic where i dont have to worry about all those things. i know you dont have much snow in S. Cali but an auto REALLY shines in snow.

as far as Mt. Goats comment about wheel spin. i dont agree, i can spin just fine. i think that if you know how to use an auto and shift it properly it is far superior to manuals. there are reasons that the pro's are shifting to automatics in drag, rally and lots of other motor sports.

paxil4x4

I have driven both autos and manual transmission cars and trucks. I can say this about manuals, at least when they fail it's predictable and most of the time you can drive it for a few weeks, months where as autos usually take a dump they usually die fast. So it's manual hands down period.

trythis

Yeah, I had an auto on a car die. Since the differential is in the same case, it was an instant, clunk, screech. death. That was a Toyota with a 150K

ZUK

iTrader: (1)

add an external tranny cooler and temp monitor gauge....change the fluid about once a year with a hi qual or syn fluid......and watch it go for 300,000 or 400,000 miles.