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What's with the manual trans hype?

wvmtneer

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1st4rd

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Agreed. I have had a ton of manuals and up until the late 90s they offered a performance advantage in some ways over the then current 4 speed (3speed plus overdrive) ā€œslush boxesā€. These days a manual is a performance disadvantage and typically delivers less mileage along with reduced measured performance. Itā€™s completely a personal preference thing. I agree itā€™s more involving. For me, itā€™s particularly true on road. For others itā€™s the romance or connection to past vehicles they have owned or dreamed of owning. The final straw for me is traffic. Even a good manual gets tiring in a long commute or back up. To each their own, but your not missing anything I can quantify.
You are completely right about "not missing anything I can quantify" because it is not a rational choice. Why do you love a particular car - or color of a car - or anything for that matter. Not easy to quantify those things, a lot of times they just are. I grew up driving manuals so there is some nostalgia I'm sure but it is more than that.

I commute 40 minutes or so to work and for 4 years drove a car with the best automatic I've ever had (Lancer Ralliart). Funny thing happened when I blew up the engine and got a manual Crosstrek. The commute now feels like it takes half the time because I am driving, not just along for the ride. I am jumping at the chance to get a quality truck like this Bronco because it may be one of the very last chances to have a manual.
 
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Ecobeast

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I canā€™t think of many logical reasons to go with the manual. That being said I am definitely going with the manual.

Its more fun to drive a manual. Almost all of my favorite vehicles have been manual trans. My favorite vehicle so far has been my 2008 FJ. My only minor regret with that truck was the auto trans and I donā€™t want to repeat that with the Bronco.
 

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indio22

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I dont know how many of yall have ever taken an auto transmission apart ? I have and its enhanced my hatred for those over weight ,slipping,red stuff leaking ,overheating,never last the life of the truck boat anchors.
Years ago a buddy and I attempted to rebuild his TH400 auto trans. We got it back together but was making an awful grinding noise, lol. I just spent $1000 on a rebuild of my TJ auto trans, and that was a bench rebuild, I had to pull it myself else would cost more.

The new so called "sealed for life" auto transmissions are a pain just to change the fluid. And define "life". As a guy who tends to hang onto vehicles like grim death, my needs might be quite different compared to some guy who unloads cars not long after warrenty.

All my manual transmissions have been rock solid. My wife's Geo Storm did 220,000 miles on the original clutch! Wild card is the new Bronco manual trans, we have no service history to go on.
 

DrewBronc21

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Jokes aside (there's a beverage here!), I certainly "get" the applications and needs for paddle shift in motorsports.

But when it comes to public roads, your average driver doesn't understand how to properly use throttle and braking, or a turn signal let alone proper gear shifting. So a paddle shift is completely unnecessary.

For off-road applications I also don't see the need of paddle shifting. If the driver needs greater control over gearing then you might as well have a manual transmission. Otherwise, there's no need for twin puck clutches, DGS or paddle shifting. Stop and go pedals work fine.
Even my courtesy car loaner Subaru Crosstrek had paddle shifters on the steering wheel as do MANY newer cars And trucks. Pretty simple. Right paddle +, left paddle -. Better than your basic auto shifter on the console no matter what kind of car. Is it necessary? No. Is a Bronco necessary? No. I am buying a manual regardless but a paddle shift transmission may have have offered some additional engagement over the console only auto shifter for a recreational vehicle.
 

DrewBronc21

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You bought the wrong type of vehicle for your wishes and desires. Sorry dude!
square-peg-round-hole-gif.gif.gif
Didnā€™t buy it yet but Iā€˜m buying a manual. Only suggested paddle shifters would be a better alternative to the console shifter. Raptor gets paddles although a bit different functionality.
 

Hoofnmouth

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Years ago a buddy and I attempted to rebuild his TH400 auto trans. We got it back together but was making an awful grinding noise, lol. I just spent $1000 on a rebuild of my TJ auto trans, and that was a bench rebuild, I had to pull it myself else would cost more.

The new so called "sealed for life" auto transmissions are a pain just to change the fluid. And define "life". As a guy who tends to hang onto vehicles like grim death, my needs might be quite different compared to some guy who unloads cars not long after warrenty.

All my manual transmissions have been rock solid. My wife's Geo Storm did 220,000 miles on the original clutch! Wild card is the new Bronco manual trans, we have no service history to go on.
When i was 16 i tore a c6 apart carefully layed each part out on a blanket after cleaning,buddy came by said lets go to a big party at the beach ok lets go.
Big storm came thru mom got mad her nice car was outside ,she grabs all four corners of the blanket and balls it up in the corner and pulls in.
I come home after 3 days and see her car in the garage oh by what followed was hours of scouring manuals to figure out which way certian pieces go .
It worked fine but the thought of all those little failure points made me a manual fan forever.
 

MCG DAWG

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you might be thinking "my child would never be so stupid" and I hope you are right, but if he's not interested in texting, then having a manual wont matter.
He's only 12 now and I have learned to NEVER underestimate his ability to do stupid @#$%
 

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The last manual I had was a 2006 Wrangler. Most of my driving is in-town, in a small town, and it got very old. I said Iā€™d never get another manual unless for some reason I get a sports car. However, I currently have a 4Runner with hybrid automatic. We recently had snow and ice for a week, and the manual function of the hybrid was key due to steep hills here. Even in 4wd, I would have been sliding down hills had I not been able to shift down to 1st/2nd and just ease down the hill without braking.

I ordered a manual on the Bronco both to save money and also make it unlikely my daughters will want to take it over in a few years when they start driving. Not that I donā€™t plan on teaching them how to drive manual, but it will be less attractive. And unless Bronco MY21 has a hybrid option, I want the manual.
 

Wineguy

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Why a manual for me? Because I miss it. I wanted a manual trans on the vw golf Alltrack I got for the mrs, but because my wife canā€™t figure it out, I went Auto.
I told my wife I ordered my Base with a manual and she said ā€œBut then I canā€™t drive it!ā€ I said Exactly!
 

mtap

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No hype...teaching your kids how to drive one IS priceless...

like reading an analog clock or dialing long distance on a landline...
 

timhood

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You're not missing anything. Some of us just want what we want. Just that simple.
I prefer a manual so that's what I want. I've never said it was better or more convenient or anything else. It's just what I want.
That's like when you were a kid and asked your parents why and they answered "Because." :rolleyes:
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