What’s your preference, automatic or manual transmission?

Tj04 said:
Convincing can be attempted ;)

But At least jeep doesn't use any horrendously shitty transmissions like they did in the e.g. Patriot, that regularly goes out at about 100-115k. Both of my brothers patriots trannys did around there as well.

So I do feel there is no wrong answer as well and no matter what you have is great!

These are just my bored ramblings at work. If I come across as an ass or anything I definitely don't intend to.
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My wife's Compass is on it's third input shaft bearing (under warranty) at just 100K miles, not good.
 
gus969 said:
Stick for me! Like the control, simplicity( much easier to repair) .
Automatics have left me stranded with cataclysmic fair Ute and expensive to fix.

If you drive a lot in a city / surburban, high traffic stops n starts that could swing someone for an auto I guess.
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I have been left walking twice by automatic transmissions with zero warning. Both times with kids in the car. Stick usually gives you some type of heads up. Besides, they are just more fun to drive. I get the other stuff, but I still like driving them. I’m just more careful on the steep uphill stuff that I have the right gear and keep forward momentum.


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To me, those who always claim automatics are prone to failure are greatly exaggerating. At 70, I'm certified old but that also means I've been driving about 54 years. In those 54 years I've had exactly one automatic transmission problem and that was something like 38 years ago with an old Chevy station wagon. But I've had to replace clutches 4-5 times in that same time period.

Not to mention that probably 99% of all the cars on the road today are automatic.... they're not exactly lined up on the sides of our roads with automatic transmission problems. And in the 21 years I've been participating in Jeep newsgroups then forums,I see few serious problems with automatics. Often they're just low on ATF. I remember more issues complaining about shifting issues with manuals or asking for clutch replacement recommendations.

So to me, you may like shifting manual transmissions more but to claiming you like manuals because they're more reliable is, in my strongest possible personal opinion, pure imagined BS. And if anyone was going to have automatic transmission problems, it'd be me due to how much stress I have put mine under the past 14 years since converting from my TJ's OE 5-speed to an automatic. :)
 
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my 4 wheel drive dakota with posi and automatic and a 2 inch lift is a more capable vehicle when the trail is wide enough, and approach angle is not important. My TJ SE with a manual offers more entertainment. Over the years automatics have stood up better. Only 1 bad auto, 3 clutches. 1 manual. that ate one gear after another, but got me home.
For a Jeep I would chose standard every time.
Don
 
Before I bought my TJ, I was almost certain that if I ever wanted a 2-door Wrangler here in Arizona with a hardtop and the I6 - I'd have to get a manual. Because it seemed like - at least here in sand-land - that if you wanted to buy a used Jeep with a hardtop and the I6, it was going to be a manual - no ifs-ands-or-buts about it - at least according to my perusal of Craigslist ads.

Which was a problem for me because I never learned to drive a stick (my old man, long passed, tried to teach me as a kid in his old toyota pickup, but I kept stalling it out, plus his yelling and cursing at me didn't help matters - which also meant I didn't learn to drive a car until I was 21; my now-wife taught me that life skill)...

I had always thought, though, that I'd learn (from a friend) when I was ready to replace my C1500 I had. Unfortunately for me, this past spring my C1500's engine took a dump on me (and it was going to cost waaaay more than the truck was worth to put a new engine in), and so I needed a new vehicle fairly quickly. My mind instantly turned to getting a Jeep, but I didn't know stick, and I needed something soon...

Fate smiled on me, though, and I found my TJ - a 2004 with automatic, hardtop, and the I6 - plus I don't think it had ever been wheeled. The story I was told was that it was owned by the granddaughter of the seller, and she had only used it to drive to school (ASU). She (or someone) had put a little bit of money into it (aftermarket stereo, a 3-inch lift and Bilstein shocks, some Rigid cube lights, and 33" BFG ATs), so those were nice extras, though the tires have since been replaced with some 33" ProComp AT Sports; I retained one of the old BFGs for a full-sized spare, and added a Smittybilt tire carrier bumper for it. The cube lights were also wired terribly, so I disconnected them (a todo list item).

Unfortunately, I think that was the extent of the upgrades. I may have gotten some G2 chromoly rear axles - at least, when I pulled off a rear wheel once to remove a screw before I got my new tires, the hub had the G2 logo on it, but I know they make standard axles too - anyone know how I could check this without tearing everything apart?

At any rate, I wish I had gotten a Super Dana 35 or Dana 44 axle back there, because that's my next super-major upgrade (next real upgrade will be a winch and front bumper) - but I am happy that I didn't have to do some kind of crash course in manual transmission learning (also known as how to destroy a clutch quickly, from what I have read about learning on your own). Even so, I wish I had the skill.

Maybe someday I'll have my friend teach me anyhow; at some point I need to have him teach me how to drive a trailer too, because since losing my pickup, I can't haul anything much larger than some groceries in the back, even with the rear seat removed.
 
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My 2000 TJ is manual, my F-150 is automatic. I've had both through the years. I traded in my 97 F-150, 5-speed manual with 224,000 miles on her. Never had to replace the clutch or had any problems. My current pickup has 150,000 miles on her and I've never had any problems with the automatic transmission. The pickup is nice for long distance driving (anywhere outside of FL) but my Jeep is for everything else.
 
Davidtj said:
What I do you have / perfer and why
When looking for a jeep for my son it had to be a manual so he could learn (my opinion to many kids now can’t drive manual)
For me was looking at either one but settled for manual because it’s a Jeep
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for me only automatic. it is more easy to drive in the offroad places at very low speed.

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1st preference: I still developed more unique skills in off roading my manual trans. It is more challenging but must be aware of my limitations like in rock crawling and so on. If I am on the mood, my stick is my go to jeep.

2nd preference: If I get a bit lazier to off road, like just tagging along with my buddies, I take my automatic with me. It is a lot easier going through obstacles because you get the help from the very low torque-auto without thinking of it much.
 
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JMT said:
Stick, it makes me a more active and better driver. Off-road it forces you to know how much momentum you will need and to control it. Admittedly, an auto would prove superior in many off-road situations. DD a stick is more fun. I’ll teach all of mine on a stick before they ever try an automatic. They know this and want it! TJ’s, here we come!
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My feelings exactly when driving my jeep.
 
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When I went looking I purposely chose the auto for rock crawling (with a bit of coaching from some serious rock crawling friends) even though I have always found a manual more interactive, more fun. I think my friends were right- I love it in the rocks BUT would love the auto that Jerry posted- an auto that let's you select the gear and if you like- will leave it there or shift.

I learned on stick 3 on the tree cars and pickups- and trust me those were terrible for off road start up torque under load:nono: but later drove many autos and 4-5 gear manuals and even a few Fuller 13 speeds, other heavy truck transmissions. One auto left me walking in the late sixties- never since. I had to replace throw out bearings in 3 manuals that where used off- road (farm). I will say the Saab 9.3 Turbo Aero (sport) 6 speed manual was a blast. First time I drove it I wondered if 6th was for 140mph Autobahn based on revs at 80. :flamethrower2:

But I will stay auto for off road- heck- even today's farm tractors are auto (but still selectable for top range)— I think top ratio limited would be ideal so when the load drops as one crests the rock pile the trans will not keep shifting to higher gear until you find yourself on the brake.
 
I've been working on cars since I was 16. Trained as a professional technician in voc-tech school with full apprenticeship, 10 years in the dealership workin' flat-rate. (These days I teach public school.) I rocked a 32rh for a long time, these days run the 42rle. Autos autos autos.

Owned lots of 4x4 rigs from early Toyota pickups to Jeeps. For my intended use: general Jeep, mild offroad, overlanding, adventuring, camping....automatic is the only way to go. Jerry Bransford put it well above - the advantages of an auto in off-pavement conditions are numerous. From really deep washouts on fire roads to obstacles in professionally maintained courses, the ability to choose exactly how fast you're going to negotiate it, while stopping in the middle without killing the engine if so desired, is insanely excellent.
 
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For climbing steep rocky stuff, I like autos, but for coming down the other side, I prefer manuals and not having to ride the brakes as much. I have a 97 with 5 spd and a 03 with auto. The auto does better in the sand as well, but, I've been stranded in the middle of nowhere, alone, a couple of times with an auto, due to dead battery once and a bad starter another time. I could have push started the manual and saved my self a chilly night sleeping in the back. This was before cell phones and battery boosters where invented and I was too poor or dumb, to carry an extra starter.
I've had a clutch go out before too, but I still made it home. A battery booster and an extra starter makes the auto less worrisome, but If I could only have one Jeep, then I'd want the manual.
 
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I wanted a manual, but I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to transmissions. I absolutely hate that my truck shifts too early going around corners and prefer to make the decision to shift on my own. I also never had a car/truck/jeep with a manual and wanted to get better at driving one. I really like the manual in my jeep, it's fun. I like it for cruising around the forest and I don't mind it in the rocks, I tend to be pretty easy on the throttle in the rocks though. You can get a lot done with proper tire pressure and throttle just above an idle in 1st gear 4lo. Steep hills can be a bit tricky, but I feel like it is a skill worth developing as you never know when you're going to need to be able to hop in a stick shift vehicle and just go (injuries in remote places come to mind).
 
The very 1st thing I learned to drive was a big old (new then) 1965 Ford F900 Super Duty log truck with a 5 over 4 quadraplex setup! I drove and operated heavy truck cranes up to 250 ton capacity with up to 18 spd RoadRangers and some with big old Allison automatics! I really love the 6 spd auto with paddle shifters in my wife's Fusion because I can tell it what I want but hate the auto in my TJ for the simple reason that on the road, I really don't have much control at what I want it to do. Offroad and in low range, it's not so bad but the programming sucks onroad!!! There is way too much of a big step up when going into overdrive and the constant downshifting is a PIA in our Maine roads. This is my biggest gripe with my TJ and maybe you'll ask "well why did you get and automatic"? BECAUSE MOMMY SAID SO...she won't touch a stick!!
 
Mine is an auto but I have a CDL and its really nice getting home and not shifting a million times. I've driven so many vehicles with horrible gear selectors its not even funny.
I think I could drive anything if I'm behind the wheel
 
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I like driving a stick, but I'm glad my work van is automatic, I'd hate driving in Raleigh traffic with a five speed. And I don't rock crawl, so no loss there.
But I'll pose a slightly different question, would anyone ride a motorcycle with an automatic?
 
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