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Thinking of trading in for an auto. Anyone else swap out?

5K views 73 replies 37 participants last post by  Ruski 
#1 ·
Long story short, this transmission is a dud. I've had many standards, Jeeps and cars, and this one coupled with laggy throttle and silent engine is just difficult to drive smoothly, especially off the line. My CJ7 shifted better.

That, coupled with a new commute with my wife who refuses to drive standard, and I'm thinking of going with an auto. It kills me to trade in a 7k mile old Jeep for almost exactly the same thing, but I think I still like the JKU enough to give another try.

This time I'll probably skip the even more expensive lsd, and debating on 3.73s for my 33s. If that is a sticking point, looks like I'll have to order again. Probably red again too.
 
#3 ·
i hear you..... i think my 48CJ2A had a shorter shift throw... Also i find that 6th is useless when towing and barley usable on any hills unloaded... I'm looking into re-gearing because i just can't bring myself to having a jeep with an auto
 
#4 ·
Exactly. I'm only running 33s and have 3.73s with the standard. I'm debating going base gears with auto and then 4.11s aftermarket unless auto really doesn't need them.
 
#6 ·
Just out of curiosity, have you tried to recalibrate the throttle? If you do a search, you should find some threads with the necessary steps. Might be worth a shot. Good luck.
Yes, every few weeks. The dead travel comes back in a week or so.

I've lasted a year with this Jeep already, just the new commute and my wife driving too is a good excuse to swap Jeeps if I ever hope to take it on week days. She has to drive after I get to work.
 
#8 ·
Are the new manuals that horrible? Sucks hearing this cause I'm dead set on getting a standard. I've driven an old standard before and I drive different old and new semi trucks every day for work so I'm hoping I won't notice much or be to picky when it comes to rattling and long throws.
 
#14 ·
I'm ok driving around town, but bumper to bumper traffic in this is terrible. If the throttle was cable not electric, if probably keep it.

It's not the worst thing in the world, but takes away much of the enjoyment of a manual.
 
#63 ·
Mine makes strange noises too. Dealer replaced the release bearing and did some other tweaks but it started making the noise again two weeks later.
Drives okay and I have the lifetime Maxcare so I'll just keep driving it and turn up the stereo...


No, they are not bad. Lots of "over reactions" in this thread if you ask me.
This is my 16th manual and the worst I've ever had...


I've driven a ton of manual vehicles over the years, none were "easy" to drive smoothly.....you really gotta think about it to drive it really smoothly. The Jeep is no different.
Go test drive a FIAT 500 with a manual. Cheap little car with silkiest smoothest tranny ever. I hate them for it...


Test drove manual and auto jku rubys this weekend.
Was stunned at how quiet and refined the auto was and conversely how noisy and rough the standard was. I went in expecting to like the manual but the long throw, harshness and driveline vibration was crude. The auto kicked down effortlessly and the autostick feature was nice and seemless - but it left me feeling a bit numbed, kind of removed from what I want from a jeep.
Leaves me with no idea which one I'm going to buy....
Are you a appliance operator or a driver?
Answer that and you'll know which one you want...
 
#12 ·
The electric throttle lag is terrible, but I still enjoy driving the manual. Can't say I blame you though, it's crossed my mind a time or two.

Should the novelty wear off (first manual I've owned, and was dead-set on having a row your own Jeep), I might look into swapping out.

I think that is a long ways off though. I have a car with an auto trans that gets twice the gas mileage, is quicker, quieter, and handles better on the road...and I have to almost force myself to drive that over the Jeep to keep miles down. (So far, less than 1,000 miles on the car this year, over 9,000 on the Jeep since January).
 
#15 ·
Maybe mine is something special, but gear changes are smooth and it runs quiet for me. I love my manual and other than a trip through Dallas traffic have never once reconsidered the purchase. Plus it kept the ex from taking it in the divorce. Have to plan ahead boys!

P.S. I would rather add an additional 300 miles to a trip than drive through Dallas again.
 
#16 ·
My prior 4 JKs were all manual transmission; my current ones automatic.

I NEVER had any issues shifting the manual transmission; in fact, I thought it was one of the easiest-to-shift manuals I ever owned.

Having said that, the JK with the automatic is a great vehicle, especially off-road.

I do miss having a stick shift on occasion, but wheeling a JK with an automatic is SO much easier than with a manual that it's not even fair to call it a off-roading :D

Good luck,

Aldo
 
#19 ·
I traded a '12 JKUR with manual tranny in on a '14 JKUR with an auto. Almost entirely because of the tranny. Specifically, I live and drive a lot in Houston traffic. It got to the point that I really hated driving the stick much more then I enjoyed it. No issue with the tranny itself, just that it was manual vs the ease of driving an auto. Plus, I like the auto when off-road too.
 
#20 ·
I know...I'm not a JK'er. but same story here. Traded my 01 TJ NV3550 5 spd off and found a 99 with the 3spd Auto. best swap ever.

I still have my toy for manual driving fun. (it's actually fun in the right vehicle with the right transmission).
 
#25 ·
I know...I'm not a JK'er. but same story here. Traded my 01 TJ NV3550 5 spd off and found a 99 with the 3spd Auto. best swap ever.
Surprised at this. I have a '12 JK 6spd and a '99 TJ 5spd... hands down the TJ shifts way smoother than the JK, nice and quiet too.... so much so I'm always wondering why they didn't just stick with it. Guess they needed that 6th gear to eek out a few more mpgs. I also have an old CJ5 that's strictly for around the farm.... yup, shifting that 3spd is a pleasure compared to the JK. Not knocking the 6spd mind you... it just requires a different mind set...
I've had them all over the years... '66 Chevelle SS396 4spd, '68 Torino GT 390 4spd, '70 Mustang Mach 1 4spd, '86 CJ7 5 spd, '81 280zx 5 spd, '86 Toyota 4x4 5spd... etc, etc. The JK to me just comes across a bit laggy and clunky.... still love it though lol. ;)
 
#22 ·
Test drove manual and auto jku rubys this weekend.
Was stunned at how quiet and refined the auto was and conversely how noisy and rough the standard was. I went in expecting to like the manual but the long throw, harshness and driveline vibration was crude. The auto kicked down effortlessly and the autostick feature was nice and seemless - but it left me feeling a bit numbed, kind of removed from what I want from a jeep.
Leaves me with no idea which one I'm going to buy....
 
#26 ·
Test drove manual and auto jku rubys this weekend.
Was stunned at how quiet and refined the auto was and conversely how noisy and rough the standard was. I went in expecting to like the manual but the long throw, harshness and driveline vibration was crude. The auto kicked down effortlessly and the autostick feature was nice and seemless - but it left me feeling a bit numbed, kind of removed from what I want from a jeep.
Leaves me with no idea which one I'm going to buy....
Seriously? Did you read what you wrote. I think the choice (based on Your impressions) is Obvious.
Free yourself from pre-conceived notions and romanticized rhetoric - Go with what your test drive experience told you.
 
#24 ·
I have no problems at all with the 6-speed manual in my JKUHR and I've been driving manuals all my life. This is not the best manual I've ever driven... but by far, not the worst either. When comparing to other truck trannies, it compares favorably. Of course, the 5-speed in my Mustang Cobra with its cable clutch and throttle is much smoother/tighter/quieter in every way... but then a Jeep is not supposed to drive like a sports car.

You could not pay me to drive an auto, much less get me to pay $2,000 for the "privilege". Even in South Florida traffic, the manual is better for me. Shifting becomes second nature.... or it should.

Do calibrate the throttle... that makes a difference.... It did for me. If you need to do it every few weeks, take it in... there's something wrong with it. I do wish the clutch and throttle were cable-driven and not electronic.... but that has nothing to do with the tranny.
 
#29 ·
My last 4 vehicles have been standard-2 of them were Wranglers (95 YJ and 05 LJ). I made the switch to auto and have never looked back. I know there are a lot of people that have to have manual and for those that do, awesome. Get what makes you happy. For me, I was sick of shifting. I think there are manual snobs just like there are TJ snobs. They call the JK/JKUs mall crawlers. When I said I was selling my LJ to get the JKU, I had Jeepers dumbfounded.

It was a dramatic and welcomed change. I have nothing negative to say about my switch from my 05 LJ manual to my 13 JKU auto. I don't off road a lot and am no expert but from what I have done, I have this point. When trying to come up over an obstacle while going slow, it was always a task to balance the clutch. With auto, it is much easier. Maybe it is my lack of knowledge in the off road area, but I don't understand the manual preference.

I'd say throw out your preconceived notions and get what is more comfortable and what you get enjoyment out of.
 
#32 ·
In my opinion fly by wire throttle is killing the standard transmissions. A year and 20K miles after buying my Ram, I still have a hard time on take off unloaded, but only because of not knowing how the go pedal is going to react every time.
If you read the cummins forum on what we call "dead pedal", you can see how the JK is not the only one with an issue. In our case is worse, because on top of that we have "torque management", so we basically tell the truck what we want to do, but the truck calculates what the truck "thinks" is best, and that's what we get. I have been in a situation at least once, where I was making a left against oncoming traffic, once the closest cars passed, I tried to veer left but the truck would not respond for about a second, second and a half. You step on the accelerator as you release the clutch and it's like the engine does not receive the message to go... Pretty scary when you have traffic coming at you at 40 MPH.
Don't get me wrong, this does not happen all the time, and I LOVE my truck, but none of my previous cars or trucks with manual transmissions and regular cable operated throttle ever behaved like this. My transmission is a G56, which is pretty much a new venture desing. It also has a long throw, but the big difference with a V6 gasser is the lack of torque, so longer shift times (longer throw) doesn't necessarily help.
 
#38 ·
In my opinion fly by wire throttle is killing the standard transmissions....
I have to agree with this. The setup in my '15 WRX was the worst I've ever driven, and being a Subaru "fanboi" I was extremely disappointed. Dumped that car in four months with less than 4000 miles. Drive by wire is OK in the Jeep, but I'll never buy another sports car with drive by wire and MT.
 
#35 ·
After 9 months and about 14k miles I traded my '13 manual for a '14 auto. '13 manual was by far the worst manual I've owned, I've posted about it many times. Maybe ours was a lemon?? Dealer just kept saying it was normal....

Would pop out of gear occasionally, would turn OFF the cruise control over small bumps. We prefer to run w/o carpet. If the top was on it was so loud inside you couldn't hear to have a conversation.

No issues with the auto.
All my other vehicles are manual. Would still prefer a manual, just not the Jeeps.
 
#37 ·
I swapped my 12 MT Sport for a 15 AT Rubi and I don't regret it in the least. The only thing I will say is that I noticed that my AT makes the same noise at low revs as the MT did, like marbles in a coffee can. I wasn't expecting that. Jeep dealer said it's normal for the MT, makes me wonder if all the trannies just have bad tolerances.
 
#42 ·
ALL Good (Everyone) I will say this final thought regarding MT's and AT's.
- On the Track an AT will beat an MT in a Drag race 99 out of 100 times.
- Rock Crawling - No contest again
- Rush hour, Shore traffic, Road construction delays, Injury, Coffee drinking ...
No contest again.
- A Form of "Driving .....Masturbation" ding ding ding MT wins (unless its real mastu never mind)

I've owned MT's my entire Life, I love them and can drive one like I invented it.

Good luck with the decision.
 
#45 ·
I'll chime in here. I am a manual fan when it comes to my vehicles. I've owned over 30 vehicles total since I first got my license at age 16. Nearly 95% of all my vehicles have been manual transmissions. I currently have 2 muscle cars, a 50 MPG turbo diesel VW and my Jeep. All except the JKU are manual. I test drove both auto/manual JKU's prior to my purchase and really liked the auto trans in the JKU. I'm very happy with it and would not consider a manual transmission JKU after having owned the auto trans. That's just my humble opinion :)
 
#46 ·
You will be very happy with the new WA-580 5 speed auto. It is very durable, and is great for both on and off road!!!!!!

When you get it, you will say..:iamhappy:
 
#49 ·
I did just that last month. Had a 2014 JKU Sport with 6 spd. It was noisy and difficult to drive smoothly. Drove me crazy in traffic. I picked up a 2015 JKU Sport with Auto and LOVE it. I think the biggest factor for me was resale value. Bought the 2014 in September of 2013 for Just $30100. Almost a full two years later and 17000 miles they gave me $28200 on trade. Wranglers defy vehicle pricing and value. Crazy.
 
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