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4WD Manual .vs Auto for moderate Off-Roading: a purchase question.

13K views 120 replies 56 participants last post by  Schwa 
#1 ·
Newbie to Wranglers off roading so my apologies up front with this remedi question.
I'm planning on buying a 2007 or later Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to off road. It will also be an RV tow car.I don't plan to do extreme but will most likely be moderate at best. I was dismissing any automatics but need to know if I should reconsider as technology may have improved. I come from the era that manual is the ONLY way if your off road. Does this thinking still prevail? Is there a certain features or package of auto I should look for in a used Unlimited? All sarcasm welcome as long as it's intertwined with pearls of wisdom! Thanks.


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#4 ·
Some people just havent used a manual long enough to learn not to burn out a clutch or how to start it again after a stall on a steep hill.

I don't know about the 2007, but on my 2014 in 4-Lo, I just turn the starter with it in 1st gear and the clutch out. Couldn't be easier really.
 
#3 ·
Auto's make anyone look like a pro. They creep without effort and have hill descent assist so you are not riding the brakes all the way down the hill. With that said I still prefer a manual.
 
#6 ·
You're not physically pushing the brakes but you are still riding them down the hill. (i.e. still heating them up)

OP: I have only used an auto off-road, I have a 2015 Rubi and couldn't imagine a manual being better in many, if any, situations. The auto is very good and very easy to use off-road, that being said I have a 2017 Rubi with 6MT on order. I think the manual will be more fun overall, but i just dont really see it being "better"..... maybe I'll have a different opinion in a couple months.
 
#5 ·
I choose manual, and for me it was one of my "must have's." I did notice at Bantam last year however I was traversing the trails slower than most. Im sure this was because I was using 4Lo in 1st gear. Id imagine all the auto's were able to shift into 2nd or 3rd gear much easier thereby riding my butt on the trails. I also come from the era when sticks were preferred for off road. For me there was no decision process.....it had to be manual, but it now seems that autos have surpassed the sticks.
 
#7 ·
Really comes down to a personal choice. Manual may be slightly better off road IN THE HANDS OF A VERY EXPERIENCED OFF ROAD DRIVER but for the average driver an auto will be easier to control off road. Generally, resale will be better with an auto.

68RR: you do know you can use higher gears when in 4L and are not just restricted to first? In fact you can start from a dead stop in 2nd or 3rd (and probably higher if you have the Rubi t case) while in 4L without slipping the clutch at all. 4L first gear is really only for those cases where you must go that slow to avoid damage - usually rock crawling. You may also know that you can even start the jeep in 4L first gear without pressing the clutch for those tricky situations where you stall and restarting by pressing the clutch and brake may cause the jeep move in a direction you don't want it to (again - most likely rock crawling).
 
#9 ·
Really comes down to a personal choice. Manual may be slightly better off road IN THE HANDS OF A VERY EXPERIENCED OFF ROAD DRIVER but for the average driver an auto will be easier to control off road. Generally, resale will be better with an auto.
:thumb: personal preference. If you're like most of us, your Jeep will be on the road much much more often than on a trail. Which do you prefer for a daily driver? They both work offroad, but my personal preference is the auto for both.
 
#10 ·
Auto is superior both on-road and off-road, there is very little debate about that among hardcore Jeepers. Unless you really enjoy shifting, which I do, then the manual really excels over the auto.
 
#11 ·
I have a manual 16. I like it. However I encourage anyone thinking about a JK manual to drive it first. It is a clunky, long throw, long clutch, somewhat vague big truck style manual. It is not the smooth slick short throw you find in a lot of vehicles now. Many experienced manual drivers (myself included) take a while to learn it well. The automatic is very nice now as well, so you really should drive one to make sure you like it.
 
#23 ·
"Big truck style manual"?

Are you referring to 18 wheelers? The shifter works just like every other vehicle that has 1/2 ton differentials under it.

Does it have a truck style shiftet? Yes
Does it have a "big truck" style shifter? No
Does it have a shifter like a car or a little cross over? No

That being said it does have a manual shifter exactly like all the other vehicles on the road that have a 4 low transfer case and 1/2 ton or bigger diffs because that is the platform the drive train is built off of.

Calling it a clunky, long throw, long clutch is comparing apples to oranges since everything is on par or bettet then most pickup trucks.
 
#12 ·
It's all personal preference. Wouldn't a manual tow better behind an RV?
I drive a '16 Rubi Unlimited Hard Rock 6sp manual. I love it. Hard core rock crawlers prefer automatics, I can see why but.... a manual with 4.10 gears in 4 lo first...mine will climb by itself with little fear of stalling. Descending steep hills is a breeze too. It crawls so slow I hardly ever need to brake. Sometimes I feel I need to give it a little gas. Hells Revenge in Moab is a perfect example for me. It creeped so slow down steep slick rock.

I like the manual because I want to be in control. Yes with an auto you can manually keep it in 1st 2nd drive etc.. and have a hill decent control button.
A friend teases me because I drive a manual. He says he doesn't want to always be "shaking hands" with his Jeep. Well, I love my Jeep and enjoy shaking hands with it!
 
#13 ·
It's all personal preference. Wouldn't a manual tow better behind an RV?
No, auto or manual makes no difference for flat towing a Wrangler. You put the JK's transfer case in neutral, and the transmission in Park (for auto) or in any gear (for manual). Then release the parking brake and off you go.

Note: Putting the tranny in Park or in gear instead of neutral keeps it from getting spun without proper lubrication while towing.

Since the JK has no steering wheel lock, you don't even need to leave the ignition on like you must in most other vehicles - just put the Wrangler key in your pocket or in your motorhome. The JK is pretty much a perfect vehicle to flat tow.

As to the OP's question: for road driving, moderate off-road use, and flat towing, either transmission will be totally fine - so get the one you most enjoy. I have a manual, but there are times when I'm in stop-and-go traffic that I'd rather be driving an auto.
 
#14 ·
The auto is better for off-road and towing. I've driven both extensively (my dad has a rubicon manual). In my old CJ7, I liked the manual. The new auto is pretty awesome (it's a heavy duty mercedes benz unit). Now the manual can be more fun to drive, but in the rocks you can't beat the auto. Plus in low range, you can let the auto shift away and not worry about what speed you're going.
 
#15 ·
Outstanding posts and the information I needed. Thank you all! Sorry this is not staying true to the OP. Is there a year when the better auto transmission came out? I think I'll go auto since I'll be doing mostly on road although I'll miss having a manual. Always enjoyed them.


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#20 ·
outstanding posts and the information i needed. Thank you all! Sorry this is not staying true to the op. Is there a year when the better auto transmission came out? I think i'll go auto since i'll be doing mostly on road although i'll miss having a manual. Always enjoyed them.


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2012+
 
#16 ·
I don't plan to do extreme but will most likely be moderate at best.
Buy whichever you prefer.
I prefer a manual, in low range 1st gear it'll (typically) spin the tires with no throttle applied before it will stall. Contrary to popular belief, autos stall too.
Sometimes on road I wish I had an auto, but not often. Offroad, I have never I wished for a torque convertor.
If you do get into more difficult terrain off road, gearing becomes more critical with a manual than with an auto. Both will benefit, the manual will pretty much depend on it.
 
#18 ·
I have a manual 97 and an auto 2014. Both have been on some rocky trails. I enjoy the fun of shifting the 97 but it does get old after a long day of clutching. But it keeps me on my toes and paying attention to my driving. The auto handles well off road but is less fun as it just pretty much drives itself. But after hours on the trails my left leg shows no sign of fatigue (my knees ain't what they used to be).


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#19 ·
In my opinion it's mostly driver preference.
I prefer a manual simply because I drive on slick surfaces all the time, with a manual can control exactly when and how much power goes to the wheels by slipping the clutch so I don't break traction.
I've been stuck more often in automatics (and worse) than I ever have been in manuals, doesn't mean anything really until you consider that I've only had two automatics and over a dozen manuals.
 
#22 ·
I've driven a manual ever since I started driving with a 3-on-the-tree Ford F100
Well, 26 years later I just now got an auto JKU, wife now has an auto as well. I wanted a 6 speed but the auto came up at the price I wanted used.

I had a manual XJ when I lived back East and it was great. Now with 2 small kids, SoCal gridlock, swapping cars among family drivers I just gave in to the auto. I don't really mind it. Life is different now.

If you're a true manual driver then do it. If you've not driven manual much and think it is some sort of requirement to offroad then I'd say skip it. It can get old... or maybe you'll love it. Do what YOU want, not what others say you "should do".
 
#24 ·
If you grew up with a 1970 IH pickup truck you will find the Jeep transmission to be vastly better. Good enough for me, I got no issue with it.
 
#27 ·
Ordered the 2dr 6 spd MT and luv the control. Takes plenty of practice to get it consistently right but its rewarding to be in the power band. Bad experiences with Grand Cherokee AT (over heated off road / died unexpectantly) and Nissan CVT (intermittently losing forward motion) made me leary of another AT. The Honda Pilot @94K managed to keep the 4 dr JK choice out of the equation.
 
#30 ·
My first four were all manual transmissions; those Jeeps were ahoot to drive.

Then I went automatic and never looked back. As already mentioned, an automatic will make you look like a pro on the trail.
 
#31 ·
heck even the pros are running autos in the big races KOH etc. I started driving in 1971 or 1972 and all manuals. I never owned an auto until about 2002 or so. I suppose if I was getting a pre 2012 I might want a clutch but post 2012 the auto is awesome and can be manually shifted. the more difficult and steep the trail the better it works compared to a clutch. no you really want to have fun have to equally set up 2012 or newer wranglers one with auto and one with clutch and see who wins in a 1/4 mile race. I agree with the above poster who said they are clunky shifters. way to long of throw worse than my 1996F150 that had a mazda tranny.
 
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