Wife's VW Golf TDI — Manual
My LJR — Manual
Our Grand Cherokee — Auto
(I don't do hard-core off-road; if I did I probably would want an auto.)
I have a Golf Sportwagen TDI automatic (DSG) if you want to trade
Wife's VW Golf TDI — Manual
My LJR — Manual
Our Grand Cherokee — Auto
(I don't do hard-core off-road; if I did I probably would want an auto.)
I can't wait until my formerly manual TJ is an Auto. ,
5spd 4.0 over here. (NV3550)
Autos are better on the trail, no doubt. All that being said you can have my stick shift when you pry it from my cold dead hands.
you can run into some challenges with the autos overheating - not significantly though. If your gearing is not correct they can be quite lethrgic - fix your gearing. For an auto they are fairly strong - but not as strong as a manual.
Manual is great for me, Daily Driver and mild trail use. Using the jeep to tow things and coping with my 3.07 gears. Sometimes have to go faster than I would like over obstacles, but I manage - maybe I will get a lower final ratio eventually, but I don't see myself ever getting an auto.
Auto trans get pretty hot blazing trail in the snow.usually better for a manual rig to go first.other than that not many scenarios I'd prefer a manual in though
You guys need an auxiliary cooler
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2006 with an auto here!!
I have always been a manual guy.
Trucks, cars and jeeps.
Now I am happier with my auto than I ever thought I could be. Probably won't own a manual again!!
It depends on your preferences, your use case, and the size of your wallet.
Mine's a trail Jeep - that's what's here in Florida - so the supposed "advantage" of the auto doesn't come into play here. From what I've *OBSERVED*, an auto isn't any "better" than a properly setup manual for rock crawling (watch "Trail Mater" or somebody with an old Unimog) - but it certainly is easier. In my case, the "tactile driving experience" of the manual is preferable because that's what I enjoy. My wife and I own 3 vehicles, only one of them is an automatic - and that one may get changed over some day. The fundamental fact of the matter is the auto will succeed where a stock manual will fail - because manual transmissions have been geared higher and higher over the years. The Jeep manual has nowhere near low enough of a 1st gear (nor does it have a 2-Lo which would help at times), so you have to spend beaucoup bucks on an Atlas or similar to make up for this lack. This is one thing the Bronco got right - at least on paper. Its 1st gear is 7+, similar to an SM465 - the way it should be. Only the fabled SM420 was lower geared (among lite truck transmissions), but even I wouldn't want an SM-420 today without a splitter attached to it, making it pretty hard to put into a Jeep, but it might be fun in a large pickup. So bottom line: its far easier and cheaper to simply use an auto if you need very low speed control and as Jerry says - the "infinite" crawl ratio, at least until it overheats. But boring.
GTFO!! Rory aint no real Rock Crawler! His two YJ's are autos along with his buggy. Those are the real Rock Crawlers.
Hand throttle is a must with a manual.
Watch him drive "Mater". Usually while hauling somebody's (automatic) ass out. That's some real skill! *RESPECT*
Not if its all geared right
Not if its all geared right
If its geared right, it'll do what you want at idle. No hand throttle required, but still a good idea. I have one on mine!