We all know that the supposed value of a vehicle with an automatic transmission is more than a vehicle with a manual transmission. I got about $300 less Blue Book price when I changed my automatic to a manual. But this seems to be just an industry standard and doesn't take into account what the drivers of Toyota trucks and 4 runners actually want.

If everybody would rather have an automatic transmission then you would hear of a lot more people swapping to auto instead of vice versa. I think the issue is even more pertinant in older vehicles that have many more miles. More of these vehicles are used for off-roading purposes where a manual transmission would be prefered. Even if not off roading, the value of a manual transmission in an older vehicle (I would like to think) would increase because you have the repair factor. Manual transmissions are less likely to have problems, and more easily serviceable when they do have problems, and cost less when repairs are needed.

I have a 93 4 runner in good condition. It has leather, all power options, sun roof, disc changer, and an auto transmission. In other words it was the top of the line model in 93 and I don't think a model with a manual transmission would be made with all these options, though I could be wrong about that.
So, when I do a manual transmission swap, am I increasing or decreasing the value of the truck?

What's your opinion?

 

I think when we're talking about a 13 year old vehicle, it doesn't make sense to swap to a manual transmission if you're only considering resale value. I do believe that an automatic is more marketable, in general. Maybe a heavily modded 4Runner would sell to an offroader easier if it were a manual transmission. But, I think there are plenty of offroaders on YT that prefer auto's.

 

In general I don't think the KBB/NADA/Edmunds calculators do a great job of calculating value once a vehicle gets older and high mileage.

I think at one point on either the KBB or NADA calculator it couldn't even come up with a value because of the vintage and mileage that I had.

Also when I bought the vehicle there was a large difference between KBB and Edmunds TMV. The seller wanted KBB value and I wanted to pay Edmunds TMV. We split the difference.

I think if you watch ebay and the 4Runners there that manual trannies generally speaking command a higher bid than auto trannies (I only look at 1st Gen's)

 

Well no....that would not be a reason. The reason is that the auto sucks!

 

i feel that though i have a manual i would rather have an auto because it would be easyer off road in those conditions where you cant roll back or would need to to some tricky heel toe action in a manual. if you hav an auto you just put you foot down and go. plus its just easyer around town... but hey im not bashing manuals by any means i own one and they have their good sides, they are more efficent, simpler, and women cant drive em.

 

Hey I am a woman what are you talking about.

Anyway the auto will still roll back if you are on a steep enough hill.

 

Ahhh, the clear musical purity of the voice of reason! Well said!

 

Then apparently you haven't met any women worth meeting.
Incidently, the heel&toe thing is one of a myriad of nearly lost arts we used to refer to as "driving skill."

 

The law of supply and demand places the value of the vehicle in the eyes of the buyer. To the average 'mainstream' drone, a retrofitted manual transmission makes the vehicle less valuable because (a) it takes an increasingly-obscure skill set to drive and (b) there's a general apprehension about a vehicle whose engine / drivetrain has been significantly modified. To the less numerous buyers with special interests and preferences, the vehicle is potentially more valuable for offering a combination of features unavailable from the factory.

Mods make your vehicle more attractive to you and the population of folks sharing your preferences. The more (and more radical) the mods, the smaller that population becomes.... Beyond a certain point, the attractiveness to a small subset of the overall population becomes a penalty in the marketplace at large....

 

Well stated