Last Call: Manual vs. Auto.. Why? (HELP!!)

[Montana Bronco]

If there were no stick, there would be zero percent chance I’d by buying a Bronco.

Same here. I am buying a stick shift no matter what.

if F-150 had a stick, I would buy it.
if Explorer had a stick, I would buy it.
only reason I am getting a Bronco is for the stick.

Sponsored

 

[dgorsett]

I miss this for that reason:

Generally not a fan of the reverse lockout rings/levers and odd placements.

So with both Crawler and Reverse waaaay over on the left on the Bronco and both past the 'lockout" (I think) could you do the same thing?

 

[MyFirstBronco01]

I really wish I could drive a stick comfortably to have one. I ride a sportbike, and its way different between the two, I know. I just wish I could adjust the pedals manually to get an inch towards the seats.... one can dream ???

 

[dgorsett]

I'm still up in the air, leaning auto. One thing is I think GOAT Modes and Cruise Control for that matter will be less effective and maybe even a PITA with the Manual.

Throttle response changes with GOAT will mess with your mind and muscle memory relative to vehicle management.

And cruise with a MT can be nearly useless in hilly terrain (the only kind of terrain within 300 mi of home)

 

[BigFootie]

I'm still up in the air, leaning auto. One thing is I think GOAT Modes and Cruise Control for that matter will be less effective and maybe even a PITA with the Manual.

Throttle response changes with GOAT will mess with your mind and muscle memory relative to vehicle management.

And cruise with a MT can be nearly useless in hilly terrain (the only kind of terrain within 300 mi of home)

I’ve driven MT for 50 years. Only issue with cruise control was when that was a wooden snow brush jammed between the seat and the accelerator. However, I will agree the hill on 70 heading out of Denver into the foothills did require downshifting so if that’s what you are driving in a daily basis........

 

[dgorsett]

I’ve driven MT for 50 years. Only issue with cruise control was when that was a wooden snow brush jammed between the seat and the accelerator. However, I will agree the hill on 70 heading out of Denver into the foothills did require downshifting so if that’s what you are driving in a daily basis........

It is literally 250 miles in any direction from my home to a road flat enough to not need downshifting at least every 10 miles. But I'm Ok just not using cruise. It's just part of my decision process, like trim level, Sas or no Sas and color I should have already come to a decision.

 

[Efthreeoh]

You

It is literally 250 miles in any direction from my home to a road flat enough to not need downshifting at least every 10 miles. But I'm Ok just not using cruise. It's just part of my decision process, like trim level, Sas or no Sas and color I should have already come to a decision.

You just can't leave the transmission in a lower gear?

 

[Dlerojo]

If you could get a manual with the 2.7 it would be a tougher decision. There's no way I would choose the 2.3 so decision made.

 

[Hkak45]

I have been cranky about not being able to get a manual with mid on the BD.

Then, this weekend, I buried my 4Runner in a snow drift filled ditch, up over the wheel wells, in a farm field in the middle of nowhere. Thought for sure I wasn't getting out. Finally was able to get the truck rocking back and forth, and with crawl control, finally got out.

I know the purists will say I could have done it with better driving ability in the manual. Perhaps that's true. But being able to rock that 4Runner back and forth with the auto, and not having to work a clutch, made it a far less frustrating experience.

It was in that ditch I came to peace with an auto transmission.

I have a 4Runner and a manual truck and I’m not understanding how you getting out of a ditch would be any different in manual vs auto. Yes you have to press the clutch but you can still quickly shift from 1st and reverse gears. 4Runner is awesome because it’s such an old school auto transmission. I just want to throw out there that my 4Runner shifts better than any of my auto transmissions because there are less gears for the stupid computer to worry about haha. Both Chevy and Ford 8+ geared automatic transmissions made me wish I would end up in a ditch but upside down so I’ll never have to drive them again as they search for gears while in slushy conditions. Everyone is different but just want to throw this out there that even in my 2019 4Runner, the transmission is better than any Ford auto I have owned or driven so something to think about. 5 speed doesn’t have to search for the right gear like a 10 speed would.

 

[Lakelife36]

So with both Crawler and Reverse waaaay over on the left on the Bronco and both past the 'lockout" (I think) could you do the same thing?

I was going to point out the same thing to @pan-y-cerveza. The 7M's shift pattern looks really favourable for rocking.

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

I have a 4Runner and a manual truck and I’m not understanding how you getting out of a ditch would be any different in manual vs auto. Yes you have to press the clutch but you can still quickly shift from 1st and reverse gears. 4Runner is awesome because it’s such an old school auto transmission. I just want to throw out there that my 4Runner shifts better than any of my auto transmissions because there are less gears for the stupid computer to worry about haha. Both Chevy and Ford 8+ geared automatic transmissions made me wish I would end up in a ditch but upside down so I’ll never have to drive them again as they search for gears while in slushy conditions. Everyone is different but just want to throw this out there that even in my 2019 4Runner, the transmission is better than any Ford auto I have owned or driven so something to think about. 5 speed doesn’t have to search for the right gear like a 10 speed would.

Like I said...I just came to peace with having an auto. 20 minutes of rocking, digging, and shifting, only to get stuck all over again I certainly wasn't missing a clutch.

I want mid on BD so getting a manual would be giving up other things I want. I realized then it wasn't worth it.

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

I was going to point out the same thing to @pan-y-cerveza. The 7M's shift pattern looks really favourable for rocking.

To be honest I wasn't thinking of this. If they aren't locked out from each other it's pretty ideal.

 

[dgorsett]

If you could get a manual with the 2.7 it would be a tougher decision. There's no way I would choose the 2.3 so decision made.

Sure, leaving the 6 spd in 4th would certainly climb the highway hills around here, but kind of defeats the fuel economy, wear and noise benefits of the OD gears. I would probably seldom get above 5th. near home. I probably just wouldn't use cruise much.
Similar note on my 6 spd auto F250 I often use the gear range limit feature to hold it no higher than 5 th when in the hills or when towing. I hope the Bronco 10 spd has this feature.

 

[broncoj11]

I don’t understand the manual transmission phenomenon. So for me it’s a fairly easy decision- automatic.

 

[Lakelife36]

To be honest I wasn't thinking of this. If they aren't locked out from each other it's pretty ideal.

Yes that is a pretty big IF. Ford seems to be quite adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Sponsored