Tacoma AT or MT?

[stclair]

Hi guys- I have been giving some thought to buying a used Tacoma DC with a TRD Off Road package. I've been looking at 2005-2009 ish models. I am inclined to always go with a MT, however they are scarce. Also, it seems after doing a bit of reading here, lots of folks seem to think the AT is a better option. I like the idea of not being stuck with a dead battery, and that a manual is just more fun to drive. Is there a reason there are not too many of them out there? Problems? Thanks for any input.

 

[4xdog]

I bought a 2001 Tacoma 4WD DC TRD with automatic transmission in February 2009 as a replacment for my long-serving 1988 Cherokee and my longer-serving 1981 Toyota 2WD four-speed manual pickup.

I'm very happy my DC has an automatic transmission. AT's have gotten so good these days I just don't see the need to row the truck around. (My 1962 Triumph TR3B has a manual, of course, and I'm happy to flog that one!)

The only issues -- and they're *tiny* ones -- is (1) the cruise control hunts around too much, especially on gentle hills where it'll kick down repeatedly for no good reason, and (2) the transmission and drivetrain will sometimes "clunk" with a slight shudder when coming to a stop. I think there's been a lot of discussion on the latter point, but I don't think Toyota have issued a TSB for a fix. (please update me, folks, if there's something I need to know there).

I'd go with an automatic again in a minute.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I would go with the stick shift:

Slightly better MPG
Cheaper to repair/replace
Better for towing
Don't have to worry about it over heating when off roading or pulling a trailer in the mountains
And as mentioned previously, you wont have the "downshifting for no reason while the cruise is on" annoyance.

 

[trump]

I know on forums you tend to run into a lot of people that have had the problems and not the majority of those that have not had any... That said, it's hard to ignore the talk about problems with the 6spd MT on the 2nd gen Tacoma. I drove my brother-in-law's and it didn't seem to have any problems, so I can't say anything bad about them. YMMV, but there seems to be a lot of hate for that transmission.

 

[benk0]

My search was for a 2005-2011 Tacoma Access Cab, TRD Off Road, manual trans in black. I live in Arizona and it took several months to find one. It had to be sent from Ohio.

They are harder to find for sure, but I love mine. I wheel it regularly and it has an "expedition setup" with a Bestop shell and sleeping platform (not seen here).

 

[Plannerman]

I had a 2009 MT and now have a 2010 AT. The MT was a lot of fun to drive but had weird clutch problems and was ultimately lemon lawed. Incidentally, the AT gets about 5-10% better gas mileage.

 

[hansonian]

I have a 2007 Tacoma with the AT and I've got no complaints with it. Up until I bought it I've always driven MT vehicles but with multiple knee surgeries and stop and go traffic I figured I'd give it a shot. I don't seem to notice any downshifting with the cruise on. Unless I buy a sports car I doubt I'd go back to a MT.

 

[stclair]

I guess for me, the two biggest reasons for having an MT are simplicity, and that if I'm ever in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery I will not be stranded. It sounds like a couple of you have had some trouble with your MTs. I wonder if the problem was addressed at some point? Seems if a vehicle was determined to be a Lemon, they are aware of an issue. Maybe newer is better?

 

[hillbillyjake]

there is a 15 page post on tacoma world on the man. trans. throw out bearing problems. alot of unhappy campers over there.

i have also heard that the at are a sealed unit. i have never personally looked at oneto confirm, but not being to change the tranny filter would be a concern for me. just a thought.

 

[Flagster]

I have a 2005 DC 4x4 TRD with the Auto...
My biggest complaint is that it does "search" a lot with CC on here in N. AZ for the right gear especially on slight inclines...where I wouldn't think of shifting a manual.
It is a bit annoying and I find my self taking it in and out of CC so that it doesn't downshift...
Often it will downshift two gears which is really annoying...other than that it is a very smooth and accurate tranny...I still wish I had gotten a manual for the "fun" factor and I agree with the complaints being few and far between...you are always going to hear the bad stories...I think now in the 6-7th year of production I would be very confident buying the manual option...

 

[JCMatthews]

I guess for me, the two biggest reasons for having an MT are simplicity, and that if I'm ever in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery I will not be stranded.

Wrong, you will be stranded. Everything else on you vehicle requires a charge to start. How will your EFI get fuel if the electric fuel pump can't pump fuel for instance. I just say this because I owned a Jeep Cherokee with the manual transmission and if the battery was dead there was no popping the clutch to get it to start.

 

[Plannerman]

In the case of my MT Lemon (and a friend who is having the same problem), the problem was in the clutch pedal assembly. Something kept binding up in it and Toyota was unable to fix the problem, even after replacing the assembly a couple of times.

Although I am a big fan of MTs in general, for this particular vehicle I chose AT when I had the chance to pick again.

 

[stclair]

Wrong, you will be stranded. Everything else on you vehicle requires a charge to start. How will your EFI get fuel if the electric fuel pump can't pump fuel for instance. I just say this because I owned a Jeep Cherokee with the manual transmission and if the battery was dead there was no popping the clutch to get it to start.

Really. I have pop started several manual transmission vehicles over the years. One of them was my 1990 Toyota pick-up back when I was younger and would kill my battery all of the time. Just the other day I came upon a younger guy in a parking lot that had a dead battery. It was a newer Honda, and a manual. We pop started it easily. However, if it is not possible with the new Tacomas, then there goes one of my main reasons for buying an MT. More info please. Thanks!

 

[tacollie]

Drive both and decide. The AT is a solid tranny and I think that the majority of the MTs are solid. I couldn't use cruise control in 5th without it dropping down two gears every time it hit a slight hill or a slight head wind but I was running 255/85r16s.

 

[fourfa]

My AT also does a confused downshift to third on a lot of inclines, where it'll hold speed in fifth with the CC off. Can't explain it but it's annoying.

I had my AT fluid flushed at Toyota recently, at 130,000 miles. The shop called back when they were about to start the flush to confirm that Toyota rates the fluid as lifetime fill, and the whole thing was unnecessary. I said please do it anyway, along with the filter. They did, 13 liters, and said the old fluid looked and smelled just like the new fluid. Those ATs are tightly sealed and don't seem to have any noticeable wear at 130k. No difference in shifting or mileage that I've noticed.