Automatic or manual tranny for off-roading?

[SmokinCamel]

I've owned 14 vehicles in my 13 years of driving. My first was an auto. I vowed never to own another and drive a manual. I've never looked back. I drive my vehicles. I don't let them decide whats best for us. With a 4 cyl Toyota I don't have the power a buggy has. But a dual case gives me the option of 20 different gears to chose from, plus 4 reverses. Auto has D and R and a 1 or 2. And I like the option of a quick neutral with the clutch. Auto you jam into reverse and most of the time you have to do it quick, your RPMs are on their way down from being on the throttle and it throws you back uncontrolable. But then there is a time for needing that quick reverse. Still I like my manual

 

[ID Bronco]

I've owned 14 vehicles in my 13 years of driving. My first was an auto. I vowed never to own another and drive a manual. I've never looked back. I drive my vehicles. I don't let them decide whats best for us. With a 4 cyl Toyota I don't have the power a buggy has. But a dual case gives me the option of 20 different gears to chose from, plus 4 reverses. Auto has D and R and a 1 or 2. And I like the option of a quick neutral with the clutch. Auto you jam into reverse and most of the time you have to do it quick, your RPMs are on their way down from being on the throttle and it throws you back uncontrolable. But then there is a time for needing that quick reverse. Still I like my manual

With an auto and dual cases you still have many more options than those listed.

 

[SmokinCamel]

Oops I forgot the N

 

[Dirty Harry]

As mentioned, it is really personal preference. Those with manual transmissions will tell you that they are more reliable (try bump starting an auto) and easier/less expensive to rebuild. Those with autos claim they are easier to drive in technical terrain.

One consideration that has not been mentioned is that is the Wrangler is older than an '03 the automatic will only be a three speed with no overdrive, so a manual might be a better choice for a lot of highway driving to and from the trails.

 

[Crankylove]

If you drive easy to moderate trails, a manual transmission may even be better, due to the improved compression braking.

That is where I am at with my truck. Its a beast off road with its 155" wheelbase, but gets me where I want to go.......those places being mostly gravel roads, rutted two-tracks in the desert, camping and hunting, and some occasional playtime in the sand. My manual works good for me, and I enjoy driving it, but, I can see where a auto has the edge as the difficulty of the terrain progresses. In the nasty stuff (rocks, ledges, severe off camber, etc.) my brothers Ranger with the auto will run circles around me with much less aggressive tires and less ground clearance, mostly because of the smooth application of power while still having good brake control (my "3 footing it skills" could use some work).

 

[N-Smooth]

i did the manual with low gears deal and was just like everybody else saying it is the best.

i have since moved on to an auto and haven't missed the manual...ever!
going down the steep stuff in moab is different with an auto, but if anybody can't handle that they shouldn't be wheeling.

my acura is a 6 speed and that is all the shifting i need in my life

EDIT: that being said, if i was jeep shopping and found one i really liked that was a manual, i wouldn't throw it out because of it's non-automaticness

 

[jackjoh]

I learned with a manual and shifted (pun) to auto. What I learned with the manual really helped with the auto so I put in a B&M shift kit and had the best of both worlds.

 

[pELYgroso]

I'd go toyota. Jeeps are over-rated.



















That's what we're debating, right?

 

[TJDukit]

I wheeled my 4-banger wrangler for years with the stick, I loved it and thought what the hell would anybody want an auto for. Then we bought a 4.0l wrangler with an auto...hands down prefer the auto for the rocks, I still miss my manual though, not so much the whole needing three feet when it dies on a steep incline but you can still manage if you can work the brake and gas with one foot.

 

[JL Rockies]

An auto tranny can be built to be far stronger than a manual.

 

[Spork]

An auto tranny can be built to be far stronger than a manual.

As long as we are throwing out things without explaining...


But a Manual is far sexier and will attract members of the opposite sex.

 

[Chevycrew]

My camaro is 6-speed manual, so is my toyota crawler...

My wifes truck is an auto, and she wishes it had a stick.


The way we grew up, sticks were the norm, and I would prefer to have one in any terrain.

 

[Unimog]

An auto tranny can be built to be far stronger than a manual.

This thread is hilarious! Best entertainment ever! Just to validate this nonsense, drive down to the truck stop, find the heaviest load there, and see what kind of tranny the truck has in it!

 

[Dirty Harry]

I wheeled my 4-banger wrangler for years with the stick, I loved it and thought what the hell would anybody want an auto for.

This is a good point, I think that the engine that the transmission is behind makes a big difference in which I would want to run. If you have an engine that makes decent torque like a 4.0L or small block then I would rather have the automatic, but if you have a Toyota with a 22RE or a Suzuki with a 1.3L I think that an automatic is going to sap the already paltry horsepower and not allow you to buzz the wee out of the engine to get some power out of it.

 

[SmokinCamel]

This is a good point, I think that the engine that the transmission is behind makes a big difference in which I would want to run. If you have a transmission that makes decent torque like a 4.0L or small block then I would rather have the automatic, but if you have a Toyota with a 22RE or a Suzuki with a 1.3L I think that an automatic is going to sap the already paltry horsepower and not allow you to buzz the wee out of the engine to get some power out of it.

Didn't know a transmission came in a small block

 

[N-Smooth]

i've had 15 cars in eleven years and 10 of them were manuals... i obviously used to prefer them. but autos just have such a clear advantage for crawling, especially when you're talking electronically selectable gears, removed shift gates, beefed up tc's etc.

for me, if it has 6+ cylinders it should be backed by an auto. if you're rocking 4 in a row you belong in the manual world. this applies to street driving for me as well (at least for suv's and trucks)


i love small block transmissions

 

[Dirty Harry]

Didn't know a transmission came in a small block

Sorry, fixed.

 

[Houndoc]

I find it interesting that those who favor auto talk specifically about its advantage off-road, while those who favor sticks either talk about 'fun' factor, or how much better a driver they must be because they use one.

I don't think anyone has clearly stated (other than power in weaker engines) a real advantage to a manual.

 

[TJDukit]

I find it interesting that those who favor auto talk specifically about its advantage off-road, while those who favor sticks either talk about 'fun' factor, or how much better a driver they must be because they use one.

I don't think anyone has clearly stated (other than power in weaker engines) a real advantage to a manual.

It is true that a manual gives you greater manipulation of the power you have. I'd like to have a manual with a wet clutch so I can could just stay on the clutch all day long and not worry about melting it.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I don't think anyone has clearly stated (other than power in weaker engines) a real advantage to a manual.

You can bump start a manual with a dead battery.

A manual with not starve for fluid on a steep climb.

Manual transmissions are generally shorter, which is helpful if you have a short rear driveline.

Manual transmissions do not build as much heat as automatics.