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Auto or Manual?

23K views 48 replies 34 participants last post by  4Point0 
#1 ·
Which would you rather have when wheeling offroad and why?

Just looking to hear others opinions on this. I really want a manual trans because I find automatics boring to drive but it seems like when offroad an auto would make it a lot easier to navigate some terrain. I don't really have any off road experience but I expect that to change when I get a Frontier.
 
#3 ·
6 Spd manual for me. The Auto does have some advantages but once your clutch and gear skills are honed, the manual is way better, especially with the NISMO locker and 4LO.
MHO, WW
 
#4 ·
Autoooo...all my manual friends say that it was fun in the beginning but it gets real annoying after awhile.
 
#6 ·
im not really sure?? haha All my friends that have owned manuals and then made the switch to automatic's say that it's such a relief to not deal with the whole shifting thing.
 
#7 ·
Manuals can be a pita off road, but overall I'd rather have one.
 
#9 ·
the guy that built my truck drove stick until he bought an auto pathy and used it for crawling. for rock crawling, he says; "auto is the way to go." and it is what i prefer for crawling as well.
 
#10 ·
I have an Auto, and I wanted an auto. I have had both manual and auto in both cars and trucks. Off-road an auto is easier for focusing on navigating, but when in the mud it is nice with a manual to be able to KNOW you will be in 1st gear as you go flying into a pit. For everyday driving an auto is so much nicer to just cruise with, but if you want to have "fun" you need a manual. For most cases off road, it is what you are comfortable with, and on the road it depends on if you want to shift or not.
 
#11 ·
manual.. I had a hard time finding one. If you know how to drive one you get better gas mileage, and longer brake life. Yes they are PITA to offraod in when you first start, but once you get it down they are better to off road in. Try and rocking your way unstuck in an auto, Or slow down/stop by down shifting in one.
 
#15 ·
manual (and in the frontier it also gets you better gears in the diffs and a lower 1st gear)
 
#16 ·
Auto all the way.... when in high school i went camping with a 4x4 f150 i got a hold of and went down a hill to the camp site but going up with a Manual was a b***h 45 degree angle with a loaded truck not fun at all..
 
#18 ·
I was searching for a Frontier for 6 months and all the autos never appealed to me. The first manual I found/driven I bought right away. Have driven manuals for 8 years and wont make the switch to auto anytime soon (plus it means G/F wont be driving my cars).

Though to answer your question, I would rather have an auto for offroading. BUT, based on the percentage of time offroading vs. onroad, the manual still makes the most sense.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I think it really comes down to preference here.
Both have their advantages/disadvantages on road and off road.

I personally prefer a manual because I have much more control of my gearing.
If you are inexperienced driving manual then an auto would definitely be the way to go for off roading, as someone already mentioned it would be one less thing to worry about when you "get in the hairy stuff".
I've never owned an automatic transmission in my 25+ years of driving and until the knees give out or I move to a city with mostly stop and go traffic I never will.

Plus a manual is just so much more fun (for me) and keeps you in tune with your vehicle as you drive.
What some people think is a burden I consider a pleasure (shifting).
 
#23 ·
All of my cars/trucks have been manuals. But Autos are better for offroading. Tourqe converters are a real blessing when climbing hills and in the slow stuff. Almost all race trucks are autos, as well as built rock rigs.

Most of the answers claiming manuals are better, are biase. Heck I am biase towards the 6speed as well. It took me a long time to find a 6sp Nismo. But the truth is still AUTO transmissions are better for wheeling.
 
#25 ·
I wouldn't say that autos are better for off roading just easer. I know in desert racing the Toyota guys run manuals the ford guys wish they could run manuals but the the ford manual transmissions tend to blew up run that high of RPMs for that long. Chevy guys it's about 50/50. IT is also 50/50 in short coarse racing. But most the guys autos still run manual valve bodies so they can shift. There is a huge advantage to being able to down shift going to a corner so you lock and slide your rear end and escape in the right gear. Not to mention there is alot of technics you can do with a clutch to control you truck offroad that you just can't do in an auto.
 
#24 ·
My truck is an auto, most of the guys i wheel with run jeeps with 5 speeds but with certain things we go through small rock climbs or gardens or anytime when you really have to creep up on something, its easier not having a third pedal to worry about. I can be on the gas and the brake at the same time thus putting power to the trans but using the brake to control how much goes to the wheels. This is very useful when your still going up over an obstacle and the last thing you want to do is pop out over the top and not catch the brakes in time.

the jeeps have it not so bad when in four low because the gearing is so deep. But to perform like the auto does these guys are juggling 3 pedals and slipping the clutch like crazy sometimes. I mean kudos to them for being able to do it so well. But i figure its an extra thing that i dont have to do so it lets me pay more attention to the line I'm taking and watching for that rock or tree that you didnt notice that caused body damage.

I definitely prefer the auto offroad
but when it comes to chewing up pavement I love slamming gears with the 4 speed in my car
 
#26 ·
for me in general i just depends. daily driving i would prefer a manual for economy and in general having more control over the vehicle, but i own an auto currently and i'm happy with it. when racing i'd say road course its all about the control of a manual but for drag like my z was primarily made for i was really happy for my choice to get an auto. once fully built and dialed in that auto had more consistent launches run to run than i could ever do in any of my manuals before the z which makes it so much easier to dial things in and i always knew in every run that it would never miss a shift, always a perfect shift at the same rpm every time. good thing about the z was when i hit the road course the slap stick was pretty close to the real thing. i've only driven a manual truck off road once and have wheeled a few times with guys in manuals and my preference off road is auto for sure but all i do is crawling trails, creeks and stuff like that. nothing fast. its just so much easier to put it in 4lo and crawl up everything with ease. especially when you get hung up on a rock or something part way up a hill and have to come a stop and start again. i'd probably rather have a manual for anything high speed like flying over some whoops, can't say cause i've never done it but crawling a buddies manual jeep through a creek just reminded me of sitting in rush hour traffic which i found nothing fun about
 
#29 ·
This is my first auto and I will never go back. You have a lot more control with an atuo when of roading.

I see no advantage with a manual when off roading.
 
#31 ·
^ this.

preferance is one thing, but performance is another. i have never been limited by being auto. everyone who has wheeled with a manual knows that they stall frequently when crawling.
 
#30 ·
Debate has been going on forever. Don't think there is best answer- depends on situation. I've driven both for nearly 40 years of 'casual' 4-wheeling, mud, snow, ice, and dirt (no rocks) and I prefer autos for most situations and think autos are even better now due to 4-5 speeds.
 
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