Adampops

We dont hear much about an manual transmissions on 3rd gen. 4Runners. Those of you that have them, how do you like it. Those that dont, do you wish you did?

I have always been a big fan of manual tranny's, and therefore I might go in search for a nice 3rd gen with one. My experience has always been with sports cars though, and therefore I have no idea if I would want a stick on an SUV. What do you guys think.

Jonathan

If you do a search you can find this topic as it has already been discussed. In fact there was a discussion on this about 3 weeks ago.

To answer your question though, I love my 5 speed and wouldn't trade it for anything.

dragr1

iTrader: (3)

I like my 5spd, but the 1-2 shift is real notchy and an automatic is much easier for offroading. I think the auto's probably get better gas mileage also. But I'll still keep my 5spd.

Dr. Zhivago

dragr1, if your 1-2 shift is notchy, it's time to either change the MT Fluid, or switch to a better brand of MT Fluid. I'd recommend either Amsoil 75W-90, or Redline MT-90. I don't have any shifting problems with my 5 Speed. ALL of the Toyota's I have personally owned, with the exception of the Tercel we got for my GF, have had manual transmissions. Whenever there were any issues with shifting, it was time to replace the MT Fluids.

As to the OP's question, I love my 5 Speed and wouldn't trade it for an Auto. I've been in several Auto 3rd Gens, and my truck is WAY quicker. Those Auto's really suck up the power. Since moving to 33's and with stock gears, I can still break the tires loose on dry pavement without really trying all that hard and chirp 2nd gear as well. Granted, there is still a power loss, but it's not all that bad. I can only imagine the horror that my life would be if I had an Auto tranny. For off-roading, I would much rather have the 5 Speed because I am a control freak.

Get the 5 Speed if you want better power transfer to the wheels from the stock power plant, especially if you plan on going with a lfit and larger tires and don't plan to re-gear right away. If you are going to supercharge the engine, be prepared to have the Auto Tranny valve body modified and that costs around $500 at the minimum, plus your truck is down for a week or two while it's being done. With the 5 Speed, that expense and downtime isn't necessary.

My .02
G

DSP

[QUOTE=Adampops]We dont hear much about an manual transmissions on 3rd gen. 4Runners. Those of you that have them, how do you like it. Those that dont, do you wish you did?
QUOTE]

They stopped making the 3rd gens in manual in 2000. That may be why you don't here much about them these days...

When I was looking for my runner last year, I only looked for 2000's, since that was the cutoff year. I love my 5spd, but be patient...finding a 5spd with all the options you want is nearly impossible...I got such a good deal on mine, I had to overlook the fact it was LOCKERless, and am in the process of finding a rear locked diff.

Good luck and remember
Auto's are for p*ssy's

ranma21

MIne is a 96 5speed manual SR5. Just love it, will never trade it for a automatic. It took me months to track down a manual on Ebay, most of the 4Runner are auto. I thought a manual 4Runner is always better in MPG?!!! And personally I think manual has less problem compare to automatic tranny especially if you supercharged it

eric-the-red

[QUOTE=DSP]They didn't sell any 3rd gen 5speeds in Canada :cry: That's why I'm sticking with my '93 till it dies.

mrmojorisinphan

I've had the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Generation 4runner all Manual and they are so much more fun and powerfull than Automatics. I wont even consider buying a 4th geneartion in the future because Automatics are BORING ...I'm holding out and praying that the new FJ Cruisers Concept will be released in a couple of years and will have the option of Manual transmission... those are going to be sick!

I recently purchased a 99 "highlander" 4runner with manual transmission, it took me a long time to find, but it was worth the wait...and I do beleive it's probably one of the rarest 4runners...what do you guys think?

ranma21

Yup yup agree!!!

keisur

I love mine. I wouldn't trade it for an automatic ever!

I would have to disagree if you get stuck. check out the vid on my page. the last time I got stuck in that rut, I was able to rock back and forth in first gear back and forth (up and down) out of the rut but going forward, holding the clutch in, rocking back, letting the clutch out giving it gas, and so on until I rocked out of the slippery muddy rut. couldn't have done that as effectively in an automatic without manually shifting the tranny in and out of rev-neutral- drive. I feel it's easier overall, for me, to wheel having full control of the tranny.

44Runner

Love my manual 3rd Gen. Wouldn't have it any other way.

More power
doesn't overheat
more fun
cheaper to buy

I drove an auto third while I was SASing and hated it.

miked

Well, I sold my '00 4Runner w/ 5Spd for a '04 Taco d-cab auto. It really doesn't matter to me, both seem to have the same amount of power. For highway/city driving it's nice to have the auto (which is what I do).

X-AWDriver

I was looking at Tacomas when I had a change of heart and wanted a 4Runner and I found three 5 speeds right away and I bought the one with the lowest mileage vs price. The bad part was that none of them had lockers.

My next Runner will be a '99-'00 5 speed with a Locker and a hood scoop.

DSP

Good Luck!
I hope you are willing to travel for your rig...
I went to Cali for mine and it didn't even have a locker...

X-AWDriver

I wish I could buy one right now since last week there was two 5 speeds w/lockers on autotrader within a 100 miles of me but one was scoopless but I could live without that little bit of bling.

The one I am mad I missed out on was a '99 SE 85k with a supercharger,monochromatic black with a scoop that went for $13,800 but it was an auto but had the locker.

rimpainter.com

I love my 5-speed. My second gear is notchy for the first mile or so when cold, then its very smooth from there.

Common complaints:

1. Cricket Syndrome: Sounds like crickets are stuck in the tranny at idle. Happens around 75K miles depending on where you live. I think its the pilot bearing that makes the noise.

2. Gear whine: Seems like the older one's are worse. Gear noise can be heard from inside the cab. Even the 2000 5-speed I bought on ebay did it, and it only had 18K miles. No bigee.

3. Stop and go traffic: Obviously more of a pain than an Auto.

4. Wheeling is harder than an Auto: I agree, it is. But you get used to it. The crawl ratio in 4LO is great. Wheeling is more fun IMO with a 5 speed.

I would not trade my manual for anything...even a locked Auto. It is really fun to drive!

DSP

[QUOTE=X-AWDriver]I wish I could buy one right now since last week there was two 5 speeds w/lockers on autotrader within a 100 miles of me but one was scoopless but I could live without that little bit of bling.
QUOTE]

WOW!!

I found a few 2000 5spds in Denver last year, but only one was not silver or gold, none of them had lockers.
I wanted black or green.
Almost bought a green one there w/ 45K on it for about 23,000
Then I found my black one (no locker) with 38K on it in Cali for 19,500
And they paid for my one way airfare, and picked me up at the airport.

Best car experience i ever had.

Hope it all works out for you
PS: I don't like the scoop, don't have one...

silverunner99

FYI, I got mine last year and its a '99. I have also seen '00s around with 5spd up here in Canada.
If you look hard and long enough you'll come accross one.

I luv my 5 spd

goldtaco9

I’m with DSP on this one. When I started looking for a 4Runner to replace my ’03 Taco, I only looked at ’99 & ’00 5-speeds. I mainly used the internet for my shopping and looked at (or at least called about) every ’99-’00 manual 4Runner within a 200 mile radius. About 3 in 100 were manuals. None had lockers. Oddly enough, most were silver.
They were all in very good shape so I wound up buying the one that was closest to my house. It is a very clean, high mileage, Dune SR5 with the big LTD-style flares and sunroof and 16” wheels and well, pretty much everything I wanted minus the e-locker.
I will buy one in the future and retrofit it. It was a real nice feature in my TRD Taco and I do miss it.
Mike

Mulkey

I wish I had a 5sp. I looked for a couple of months and found nothing. The auto was just to much of a good deal to pass on. Manual transmissions last longer especially with extra HP. Offroad is not even the same. 5sp is the way to go.