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What's with the manual trans hype?

Zinn

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The last time I drove a manual was at a Nascar experience at Talladega. Got to 174 miles per hour.

It was fun.

The idea of driving a manual through traffic - not so fun.
That’s what the crawler gear is for!
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centra28

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I've had the following offroad rigs:
79 CJ5 -- 3 spd manual
82 CJ7 -- 5 spd manual
92 YJ -- 5 spd manual
95 XJ -- 5 spd manual
02 TJ -- 5 spd manual
79 F150 -- 4 spd manual
11 Ram 1500 -- 5 spd automatic
16 Tacoma -- 6 spd Automatic.
06 KJ -- 5 spd Automatic
95 Xplorer -- 5 spd automatic

Almost never have I been driving automatic and wished I had a manual. But there's been many times, especially when rock crawling with some of my more built rigs that I've wished I was driving an auto over the stick.

What am I missing here? Modern automatics are so much easier to drive on and off road.
nostalgia
 

MaverickMan

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The last time I drove a manual was at a Nascar experience at Talladega. Got to 174 miles per hour.

It was fun.

The idea of driving a manual through traffic - not so fun.
Am I the only one who thinks slow traffic is more fun in a manual? I'm serious. I don't have to hold the brake all day, the slightest clutch slip for 0.3 seconds is all it takes to move 30ft. If people are being terrible people you get to do insta burnouts. And the shifter keeps you from playing with your phone and killing people. Its all a win for me.

Guess I'm weird.
 

MaverickMan

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That’s what the crawler gear is for!
The crawler gear does make up for not having selectable hubs. Low range is like set it and forget it.
 

Lowcountry Bronco

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I don't know if the true hype'rs out there actually translate to sales though. As someone already said I these are the same people or use whatever excuse to gallantly back out of actually buying whatever like no solid axle/no V8/no V6 with manual/no Sasq with manual/etc. The fact that the Bronco even exists is reason to celebrate!

Even though, I'm getting a manual! The 2.3 tie-in doesn't bother me in the least as I currently drive an '02 Ranger with a 2.3 and 5-speed after doing an early sale of my '18 GTI manual. I figure if I can manage to make it thru the day without bursting into flames while merging into traffic with that combo then I can surely be ok with the standard package in a Badlands, if not then I'll look at the tunes.

One extra bit, if you hate the manual there's always going to be the V6/auto combo out there but who knows how long Ford will offer a manual for if the take rate is too low. At that point you can market it as a unicorn and up/down grade as you see fit.
 

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One extra bit, if you hate the manual there's always going to be the V6/auto combo out there but who knows how long Ford will offer a manual for if the take rate is too low.
If you’re buying with the hope of selling on Bring-a-Trailer someday, definitely get the manual.
 

tokyo

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This thread is an interesting read with lots of great points about both.

I love manuals, learned on them and buy them whenever I can. Nothing more fun than a good shifting manual in a fun car.

I recently had a '98 GMC K2500 pickup with a manual and it isn't that good of a manual. It got old doing regular utility stuff with a manual (backing up an incline to hook up a trailer, towing a trailer uphill in stop and go traffic etc) The switch to the 2.7 A10 combo made it sooo much more enjoyable.

On the bronco in my mind its a toss up.. if its a good manual the 2.3 in a light 2-door could be really fun for sporty driving. Can't wait to drive it and see. But DD stuff and more utility uses an auto might be more enjoyable.

Ford essentially made the decision for me though by not offering it with the 2.7. I've found myself thinking "I love this power" more often than thinking "I wish this was manual". So power wins this round..

I have motorbikes to scratch my manual shifting for fun itch.. so that helps

Now if Ford ever did come out with the 2.7 in a slick shifting manual...
 

SevenT

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I want the manual since nothing replaces the joy of rowing the gears. An additional benefit is it is a Millennial Anti-Theft Device. Watch the heads explode when they see three pedals on the floor. ;)
 

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I guess everyone has their own experiences. Historically, I have had the opposite problems as you, with automatics not choosing/holding the correct gear in tricky circumstances, which is one reason why I prefer manual.
I haven't had a manual for 8 years and am happy with the autos I've owned since 1985 ish. But, I am concerned with the 10 spd, hunting for gears or always wanting to go a gear too high. My left knee is telling me to stick with the auto.

Who has experience with the 10 spd (especially with the 2.3), and will Sport mode keep things lively?
 
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Lowcountry Bronco

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This thread is an interesting read with lots of great points about both.

I love manuals, learned on them and buy them whenever I can. Nothing more fun than a good shifting manual in a fun car.

I recently had a '98 GMC K2500 pickup with a manual and it isn't that good of a manual. It got old doing regular utility stuff with a manual (backing up an incline to hook up a trailer, towing a trailer uphill in stop and go traffic etc) The switch to the 2.7 A10 combo made it sooo much more enjoyable.

On the bronco in my mind its a toss up.. if its a good manual the 2.3 in a light 2-door could be really fun for sporty driving. Can't wait to drive it and see. But DD stuff and more utility uses an auto might be more enjoyable.

Ford essentially made the decision for me though by not offering it with the 2.7. I've found myself thinking "I love this power" more often than thinking "I wish this was manual". So power wins this round..

I have motorbikes to scratch my manual shifting for fun itch.. so that helps

Now if Ford ever did come out with the 2.7 in a slick shifting manual...
That's the thing with the whole manual and v6, if the take rate on the 4 cylinder is low they'll never offer it on the bigger engine. It's all a business case, if Ford can make money on something they will. What was said about Jeeps, 5% take rate whereas my GTI was almost 50% so VW would possibly lose those buyers if they dropped the manual. The thing is once the manual option is gone it's pretty much gone for good.

I do know what you mean though, the manual in the Ranger I have is not that fun but maybe I had the GTI to compare it against, now that it's sold off maybe I'll learn to appreciate it some. My wife drives an FJ with auto, it's seamless but with it being so bulky to me I don't know if it would be fun or not as a manual, at least not in crowed traffic.
 

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dgorsett

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jdogi

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That's the thing with the whole manual and v6, if the take rate on the 4 cylinder is low they'll never offer it on the bigger engine. It's all a business case, if Ford can make money on something they will. What was said about Jeeps, 5% take rate whereas my GTI was almost 50% so VW would possibly lose those buyers if they dropped the manual. The thing is once the manual option is gone it's pretty much gone for good.

I do know what you mean though, the manual in the Ranger I have is not that fun but maybe I had the GTI to compare it against, now that it's sold off maybe I'll learn to appreciate it some. My wife drives an FJ with auto, it's seamless but with it being so bulky to me I don't know if it would be fun or not as a manual, at least not in crowed traffic.
Yea, and the problem is that they are pushing folks away from the manual by not offering it with the 2.7. This, and the cool trail turn assist... oh, can't forget remote start... and heck... what are the goat modes even going to do in a manual?

I'm desperately hoping that the 2.7+auto upgrade is $3500+, otherwise, i'm going to be tempted to do something that I suspect I will later regret.
 
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tokyo

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I haven't had a manual for 10-15 years and am happy with the autos I've owned since 1985 ish. But, I am concerned with the 10 spd, hunting for gears or always wanting to go a gear too high. My left knee is telling me to stick with the auto.

Who has experience with the 10 spd (especially with the 2.3), and will Sport mode keep things lively?
I have it in my '18 F150 with the 2.7 and don't notice any hunting. In normal mode it is pretty much invisible. Just does its thing and I never really think about it. When I put the hammer down though it thinks about it a bit and then things happen quick.

In Sport mode its a different story. It keeps revs higher and is always in power with near instant throttle response. Makes me drive like a wild eyed crazy speed freak. Wifey hates Sport mode.

Can't match a slick shifting sports car or motorbike for fun, but it is still really fun and has all the advantages of an auto mentioned.

Not sure on a 2.3..
 

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It's always difficult to compare manuals up against the S2K. Oh man, that was a fantastic transmission they built!
Honda can build some slick gearboxes. Friend at work sold a really nice G37 Coupe 6 speed and bought an Accord Sedan V6 6 speed. I had driven the G37 and didn’t love it but was a little skeptical til I drove the Honda. The G37 was ok but the gear spacing was just off for the powerband and, while I’m sure it might have been fun in spirited driving, it just sort of made it busy kind of like the Tacoma manual. Enough so to be distracting. The Honda was the complete opposite. It transformed the car and made you completely forget you were in a sensible sedan. Perfectly paired and spaced ratios, velvety smooth snickety snick shifter. Makes it that much more of a shame that Honda (like Toyota) won’t make anything interesting anymore. At least not in the average persons price range.
I really hope the 7spd is a good box. My experiences in the past with late 80s and early 90s Silverados were that Getrag was short for Gets Ragged Out. Hopefully they’ve come a long way. And given how much more power it makes than any Jeep I’ve ever driven, I’m willing to consider the 2.3 if the manual is a good one. Kinda holding my breathe though that it will be available with the 2.7 by the time I’m realistically in the market.
 

MaverickMan

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I think i may be spoiled. The first manual I drove was a early to mid 80s International box truck. Had a non turbo diesel and a HD 5 speed. Also i was carrying full height racks of tiny little tray potted flowers from a nursery to a store front about 4 or 5 windy country roads and a mile of 2 lane highway. It took some skill i had to learn quick or get fired.
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