Well, i think i am going to get an AUTO for 2 reasons

-Better gas mileage (doesnt sound right tho?)
-and it will be my first car, so i dont really want to drive a manual

 

manual is the way to go, my taco is my second truck and both were manual and i will probably never drive an auto

 

What do you mean by getting in trouble going up a hill. Do you mean having to stop, then start again and slipping back because of the time it takes to work the clutch? If so, I never had a problem cause I know how to drive a manual. If you have to stop on a steep hill, then go again, you just engage the e-brake then start to go and when the truck wants to go forward you disengage the e-brake and off you go w/ no slipping.

 

I never had a problem on a hill with manual either or anywhere else for that matter but I have driven them in 18 wheelers, tandom dumps and about any other truck or car you can think of. The problem is , some guy's and girls have driven them for several years and they still have problems. That can go for learning the correct way to drive an auto also but not as much.
You should not have to use your e-brake for that at all , but I guess it's one way to do it.
I'm just trying to point out that you DON"T need a manual tranny to get all the power from a 4 cylinder. That makes no sence at all.

 

What about towing on a 4cyl? BTW I'm probably going to get an auto just because it will be my first car.

 

The towing factor depends on where you live and how much you intend to tow with it.Towing heavy loads over mountains can be hard on any 4 cylinder but on the flats it should handle it just fine if you stay within realistic weights. Mike

 

If it's your first car, don't be afraid to get a manual. You will have it down in a couple of days.

 

If you know anything about hydraulic power than it makes perfect sense!! Go read up on hyd power, and maybe you will see where the auto tranny eats horspower. All we are saying is that the 4cyl is a little underpowered, and why use a transmission that takes a little of that needed power away.

 

Oh, and Beartracker, I'm not dogging auto's. My other truck is a 04' 2x4 colorado 5cyl auto. That truck comes lowered and has 220 hp and 225 ft lb, and nver really sees offroad, plus for a light truck has plenty of power that the auto doesn't matter. In fact for that truck I prefer the auto.

 

Towing will depend on your area and how much weight you are talking about. If your in the mountains then weight can be a problem for a 4 Cyl. If your a flat lander you will have all the power you need if you keep the towing weight within specs.

 

Well, the most i would want to tow is a ~1-2k pound jetski. I think i will just go with an auto. The whole reason that i want a 4cylinder is because of the good gas mileage. With a manual, it is like 2 mpg less (thats what it shows on other sites)

 

That'll depend on how you drive her. Manuals usually get more miles per gallon and have a little more hp left at the wheels than any slush box will.

Auto trans eat hp and fuel to make them work, period. A manual will get better gas milage IF you watch how you drive it in traffic conditions and don't wind her out at every light.
Four vehicles here and all of them are manual, I'd never recommend an auto trans. To each his own though, I'd buy an auto if the price was right. Plus, on the new yota that I want, you can't even get a manual trans in her. :cry:

 

It shows it as a big difference.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymod..._4Runner.shtml

 

I have a manual and I get 23-25 on the highway going 75. I don't know where you got that chart, but i've seen a few and that's the only one that says the auto gets more. It's a rule of thumb that manuals will get slightly better milage when driven moderatly. Go car shopping and look at cars window stickers, on most models manual have better milage.

 

Yeah, thats what i have always heard.

Thanks alot for your help, ill probably just get whatever i find first.

 

Whichever, it's still a great engine.

 

I bet the gearing is different on the 5 spd 4runner and that would account for the mileage difference. Go up one size in the tires and the mileage (after corrections) would be the same.

 

id say if youre getting your first car, definitely get a manual. i will never own an automatic, i dont care if its a minivan, it will be manual haha. you will get the hang of it within a week, and youll never regret not getting a manual later. if you love to drive, get a manual. if you just see your car as a way to move you from one place to another then the auto is for you. a friend of mine got an automatic mustang (waste imo) against all of our advice, he did some stuff to it i.e. exhaust, intake, rims, and sold it two years later to buy a manual.

 

My friend witha 2.7 taco prerunner auto always tells me how much of a dog it is.
I have driven similar 4runners to mine when test driving them (I probably test drove 20 + trucks before I bought mine)I found that the 22re autos were super sluggish compared to manual. It's just a plain fact, at least with the old motors. Gearing is even more important if you have an auto.

 

I think you be better with the auto. I tow alot, and a few times its been boats down a wet boat ramp. If your in a hurry to dump the boat its so much easier with an auto, instead of burning up the clutch with 5 people waiting on you. You can put it in 4x4lo to make it a little easier but its still a pita.

MPG I think that charts a little off. I believe the 2.7l 4x4 got pretty much the same MPG manual vs auto. But I dont know of auto actually getting better. Newer automatic transmissions, such as the one in the Scion actually do get better MPG due to some nifty engineering.

Another nice thing about an auto is when adding bigger tires you dont notice it as much.

Its usally owner preference though.