What’s your preference, automatic or manual transmission?

I have been driving stick since I got my license at 16. To me its like second nature. If it were up to me every vehicle I would buy would be manual but some are hard to find these days.

Rocks steep climbs etc.. have been no issues for me maybe it is due to my experience with boats and boat ramps. Ever since I was 16 I have had boats and have always gotten a kick out of rookie drivers trying to pull the boat/trailer up the ramp tires screeching lol. I used to regularly pull my dads 22 foot boat with my Suzuki Samurai back in my high school days. Manual 2 wheel drive Ford F150 was my daily driver when got married and it was also used as a tow vehicle for my dads boat. Never had any wheel slippage at the boat ramp whether it was high tide or low tide.
 
jeepins said:
I'm going to make a new Jeep bumper sticker that says, SORRY CAN'T WAVE... TOO BUSY SHIFTING
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You know what does suck about a manual? When I'm cruising with my foot out the door, left arm on my leg, steering with my right, relaxed...
Then the dude in front of me taps the brakes and I have to adjust everything to downshift. In those moments I yearn for an auto.
 
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sgtjdgelinas said:
You know what does suck about a manual? When I'm cruising with my foot out the door, left arm on my leg, steering with my right, relaxed...
Then the dude in front of me taps the brakes and I have to adjust everything to downshift. In those moments I yearn for an auto.
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Yea,

I usually do not downshift unless I have to slow way down.
 
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sgtjdgelinas said:
It doesn't matter, and there's no point in trying to convince anyone else to change, that I agree on. But I do like to hear what people's preference is and why, it's interesting to hear their reasons.
Like Jerry with his autos, he's so damn passionate about them. or the guys who want to teach their kids on a stick, because it's a dying art.
It's cool to read those stories and telling your own without being told you're wrong.
Just my .02 ... resume the bickering.
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I only tell them they are wrong when they are wrong.
Reality is, I despise this discussion with a passion because folks get so wrapped in their transmission choices that they forget what really matters and that's friends and that you get to go have fun on the trails. I've lost more than one person I considered a friend because of all the bullshit about transmission choice. They just could not get it through their heads that I simply don't care what you drive. I either had to agree with their choice being superior or we couldn't be friends. I don't like anyone that much.
 
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I just remembered another reason why I don't trust Jeep automatics. I had a 91 XJ with auto and 4.0 and what I think is the similar set up as my 03 sport, the tranny cooler and radiator are all one unit, separated by wall that apparently corroded on my XJ and I got tranny fluid in my Rad. and engine and coolant in my tranny. Even after new Rad. and several tranny flushes, the tranny never shifted right again and finally gave up the ghost. That was at about 120k miles. The cure would be a new radiator every so often, or a external cooler added, which I'm considering on my 03.
 
Thunderhead said:
So, I ask again. Can you manual guys shift without using your clutch ?
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Not on the Jeep, at least not well enough to want to get good at it.

I don't know enough about transmissions too understand why, but some are easier to float than others. At work, we had an old Freightliner FL60 with a 6 speed that was very easy to float. Very fun to drive in the mountains. My mother's '03 Mini Cooper S also floated easily. Her '05 with a different tranny is not. I've tried most manuals been able to spend time with and some work more smoothly than others. Some just won't let you float.
 
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jjvw said:
Not on the Jeep, at least not well enough to want to get good at it.

I don't know enough about transmissions too understand why, but some are easier to float than others. At work, we had an old Freightliner FL60 with a 6 speed that was very easy to float. Very fun to drive in the mountains. My mother's '03 Mini Cooper S also floated easily. Her '05 with a different tranny is not. I've tried most manuals been able to spend time with and some work more smoothly than others. Some just won't let you float.
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Yea. It’s all rpm’s. I had a Mazda Protege that would float real easy. The big trucks I only use my clutch in 1st or if I need to dump it quick
 
Thunderhead said:
So, I ask again. Can you manual guys shift without using your clutch ?
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When I had my old YJ I drove it from the Bay area to Chico. When I was up there going to school my clutch went out so for the next month or 2 I was forced to drive without a clutch until I brought it back down to the bay where all my tools were. I could put it in first and engage the transmission but after that the clutch no longer did anything so I had to up shift and downshift without it. If I couldn't get all the way back down to first before a stop sign or signal light then I would need to turn off the engine, put it in first, then drive away.

So the answer is yes I have drove without the clutch and on occasion will still do it for a shift or two on the TJ but by no means would I say I do it often.
 
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Alex01 said:
When I had my old YJ I drove it from the Bay area to Chico. When I was up there going to school my clutch went out so for the next month or 2 I was forced to drive without a clutch until I brought it back down to the bay where all my tools were. I could put it in first and engage the transmission but after that the clutch no longer did anything so I had to up shift and downshift without it. If I couldn't get all the way back down to first before a stop sign or signal light then I would need to turn off the engine, put it in first, then drive away.

So the answer is yes I have drove without the clutch and on occasion will still do it for a shift or two on the TJ but by no means would I say I do it often.
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That awesome! Lol. Floating by necessity
 
Thunderhead said:
Yea. It’s all rpm’s. I had a Mazda Protege that would float real easy. The big trucks I only use my clutch in 1st or if I need to dump it quick
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I suspect that wider ratios (longer gears) also help. The NV3550 used in the TJ is a close ratio, according to Grimmjeeper.com.

Someone once tried to tell my that non synchro transmissions can't be floated, but that does not match my experiences.
 
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mrblaine said:
I see the disdain for using your wheel brakes offroad. Why is that a problem? That's what they are for. You use them on the street, what's the difference except when in low and locked, they work even better since the combined braking force is used on all four tires, exactly what you want it to be.

Autos must be driven, it takes skill and practice to ease up with smooth throttle input, gently use the brake down the other side so you don't look like a big basketball someone kicked down the canyon. Even harder for folks to master is the ability on a hard climb to give it just enough throttle input to keep the tires right at the limit of adhesion.
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That all makes sense, but sometimes like in the Rocky Mts. The down hill lasts for many miles and brakes tend to get hot, specially on a hot day.
 
Thunderhead said:
That awesome! Lol. Floating by necessity
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Years ago in that old Freightliner, the clutch started to slip somewhere north of Amarillo, TX. I floated it nearly 400 miles all the way past Colorado Springs, CO before the clutch completely failed just after the weight station in Monument during rush hour traffic.

The whole time, I was thinking every mile closer to Denver would make the tow bill that much cheaper. Still cost about $700 to drag that truck the rest of the way home.
 
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