Second Thoughts on Manual Transmission

[Comadivine11]

Tune it..

Or I could tune the 2.7 and get even more of a beast...

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[King Luis]

Manual for me still. Probably will be one of the last chances to get a cool car (sub $60k) that’s manual.

 

[Lcubed]

Is it fun enough to get worse mpg and a slower truck?
Not talking about the 6 either

The slushbox 4 will be faster and more efficient than the manual

Sure shifting is fun, but if you can't do it better than the machine then what's the point? None of us can shift better than the machine anymore

Shifting helps keep my attention on driving. My auto transmission car tends to put me to sleep while driving.

 

[7ToeJoe]

Stoplights? Where we're going we don't need stoplights.
Dr E. Brown

 

[Hkak45]

You conveniently left out the manual is slower too

Wouldn't be fun if you got a manual, your buddy got the auto 4 and constantly beat you from every stoplight


Like I said before, I drive manual, always have. But it's just not better anymore.
You can prefer a manual, you can enjoy a manual, but you're now taking a performance and efficiency penalty along with the extra fun

I could churn my own butter too, but really what's the point

Good thing I won’t be racing my buddies light to light in a bronco... it will be fun showing my buddies how my manual bronco takes skill not many have when concurring the trails without having the car do all the hard work for you. And I’m almost positive none of us are buying the bronco to have it be a super fast vehicle as if that were the case we would all get the GT. Some like manual trans, some like auto and that’s fine. I for one like feeling the car and being able to control it precisely and auto has not given me that feeling so I go manual. And yes I’ve driven the Ranger 10sp trans and I will gladly take the manual as it is faster since I don’t think about what gear to be in but my 10speed auto does..

 

[Wyo]

I love shifting and if it were a 5.0, I'd be all over it but for me it's just not quite the same with a 4 or 6 cylinder. Still fun I guess but not enough I don't think to make me give up the 2.7L. Just thinking that 310hp and 400lb/tq are going to be a blast off-road. Not as fun as a 5.0 would be but still fun. But even with that said, a part of me is saying to get the manual. Now if you could get it with the 2.7L that might tip me back.

 

[wolfpackinva]

Manual is fun. End of story. While I enjoy my wife's tundra, given the choice, I'm rolling out of the house in my 5 speed focus. And if my son let's me, i enjoy driving his 4 speed 86 F150.

Again. Manual is fun. And the bronco isn't being bought for sensibility. It's being bought for fun.

 

[niknailor]

Manuals keep me awake during driving. Not literally, but I can 100% feel the difference in my attention-span between manual and an automatic (I drive an auto for a work vehicle). Granted it's probably more the transmission characteristics itself, but the autos I deal with routinely feel sloppy, un-intuitive, hunt for gears all the time and just generally feel like poor experiences.

Granted, I've heard nothing but great things about the 10-speed auto Ford's using now, but between my general boredom with autos and gun-shyness from having to deal with TWO turbos as opposed to one? I'll pass. I don't want to feel like a passenger behind the wheel.

Manuals are great and I love having a third pedal. Turbo inline-4's are pretty easy to deal with, and I don't find the 2.7L a better experience in any other capacity beyond power and torque, both things I can fix via tuning a 2.3L down the road (and yes, I realize I can tune the 2.7L to a higher ceiling and floor, idc) if I desire it.

That is, unless a Raptor/Warthog variant is coming out. Then I'll eat my hat and pony up the dollars

 

[5280Bronco]

I know my experience is for a completely different vehicle, but i think it applies. In 2014, i ordered a fusion se from the factory and ib was deciding between the 1.6 manual and 2.0 auto. Drove examples of both engines in the auto (since you couldn't find a manual 1.6 at a dealer) and i loved the 1.6, but got blinded by the speed of the 2.0. Ended up ordering the 2.0 auto. After about 2 months, i wished i would have just ordered the 1.6 i was going to order in the first place. Sure, the 2.0 is faster, but the disconnect between myself and the car is unnerving and i regret buying the car. Not going to do that again. Speed isn't everything.

 

[zaki]

Even if you ignore all the performance advantages or convenience and look only at the “fun” factor of a manual, the following are true.

A manual in a HONDA S2000 or an NSX is an absolute joy. A near perfect manual in a sports car does not translate to the same experience in an off-road truck.

Even the best manual transmissions are only fun in the right traffic conditions and a pain in the usual traffic we all experience. This is even more true for a clunky or at best average manual in an SUV geared for optimum off road driving.

 

[TXRancher]

If I am "driving" (manual), I pay attention and perform better. When I am "operating" (automatic), I fall prey to distractions and drive like people I hate. I don't want to self-loathe anymore, going to be a manual for me.

 

[WNC_Bronco]

Been driving manuals for over 31 years. Both of my current rides are manuals.
Now i want a automatic and the 2.7,guess im getting old

 

[O'Carroll]

It’s all a house of cards....first you upgrade to auto then that means you can get the Sasquatch and then it’s cheaper to get the v6 and then you decide to just go for it and get the wildtark with lux and as it’s being towed away by the repo company you start thinking ”maybe I should have stuck with the base with manual after all”

Base, 2.7, manual, Sasquatch would be just about my perfect build, but since that isn’t available, I’ll spend the next three months spinning my wheels (see what I did there?) on trims and option packages.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

I'll be sticking with the manual, seems Ford made the decision for some of you with no Sasquatch or V6 with the manual which only bumps up their bottom line not yours. This isn't a sports car but the 2.3 shouldn't have any problem moving a 2 door Bronco down the road especially with a manual when the same combustion pushes the Mustang at a tick over 5 seconds to 60.

I've posted it before, the manual will more than likely be a limited time offer so I'll take it while I can and when you complain about lack of manual options in the future don't put all the blame on the manufacturers.

 

[Lifeliberty]

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