Hilux - Manual / Auto?

Cookie_Monster

My dad is looking at getting a (nearly) new hilux.

Will be used mainly for road work, towing horses and driving around scout campsites the odd time.

He's already decided, having driven a couple of different models, its better than the others on offer, navara, l200 etc and a quick read on here confirms that the opinion too.

He really only wondering whether to go manual or auto. It'll be the 3l either way.

He's always driven a manual before but my mum has an auto vitara and keeps going on how great it is, making him consider the auto.

Opinions?

Slig

Only an opinion, but I'm torn between a manual and auto Discovery.
I have driven Automatics before but have always bought manual. I like the way the auto drives, its smooth and relaxed but I wonder would it get boring after awhile and then theres the reduced fuel economy.

Cookie_Monster

If fuel economy was a big issue wouldn't be looking at the 3l TD in the first place:D

Cookie_Monster

Slig wrote: »

would it get boring after awhile .

I think that could be the biggest factor TBH

Slig

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

If fuel economy was a big issue wouldn't be looking at the 3l TD in the first place:D

good point:cool:
Do automatics cause problems with resale?

MrFoxman360

Slig wrote: »

Do automatics cause problems with resale?

Yea, my local Mitsubishi / Izuzu dealer has trouble selling automatic commercials, unless they are really high spec, but even still there is a limited market, so resale on an auto version will be down compared with the manual.

L-M

Slig wrote: »

good point:cool:
Do automatics cause problems with resale?

Don't bother with an auto Disco, unless it's a HSE or after 2004. As for the Hilux it's all down to personal preference. If he's doing a lot of towing etc a manual might be better givin him more control etc.

oflynno

in ireland people are afraid of automatics,why?because they're different

i had an automatic previa and it was funny,i used to "swim" the odd time coming up to a junction

it was a column change too so when i wanted to change gear i used to put down my hand to where the gears should be and swim.

they do take a slight nit of getting used to but on long journeys they are so nice and relaxing to drive

the trouble is we nearly all change gear by sound and the autos don't they do it by power

for towing they say the automatic is the best by far and more economical

my advice is to rent an automatic car for wek or weekend and see what he thinks first

L-M

oflynno wrote: »

the trouble is we nearly all change gear by sound and the autos don't they do it by power

Exactly, so when's i'm in fourth, saving petrol, your still in third in high revs wasting it. I could very easily drive an automatic, i just like to have a bit more control over what gear i'm in. It's all down to personal opinion.

oflynno

yep

xt40

Limerick-man wrote: »

Exactly, so when's i'm in fourth, saving petrol, your still in third in high revs wasting it. I could very easily drive an automatic, i just like to have a bit more control over what gear i'm in. It's all down to personal opinion.

sounds like you have no experience of autos. if you did you would know that with very little skill you can change up/down with just as much control as a manual by blipping/easing off the throttle.

oflynno

and where a manual might have 5 speeds the auto may have 4 so they gear ratios are all different and more economical on fuel than using a 5 speed box

some have an overdrive too that saves loads of cash on fuel instead of producing high revs,just to go up through the 'box

L-M

Been a long time since i personally have seen a 4 speed auto. Have plenty of experience in auto's, and unless it has tip-tronic and you can changes gears yourself (with nearly defeats the purpose of an auto, not in all cases of course ), but i feel auto's will stay in a lower gear longer than one would with a manual.

oflynno

not a 4x4 but a 4wd toyota previa

very comfy car on the road

meep

Just bought an 06 Auto 3.0 HiLux. Drove autos years ago but first in recent times. Drove in and out of Dublin traffic today and auto was a pleasure. Like the HiLux a lot after just a week.Time will tell on economy (or lack thereof!)

Peter

oflynno

good for you

i think its a good buy

sod the economy issue,its a hilux,bestest truck on the road

gerbie

Delighted to hear you are thinking of buying a 3L as we had a 2.5L 2007 and it was absoutly terrible at towing horse boxes ,so we changed it for a 3L Hilux 2008 isntead and it is much better and we would never have been happy with the other one even though it meant more money but hope to keep this for a long time as for automatic i would think the manual is the only thing for towing .In Toyota they know nothing about towing as we saw from our experience.We found the Hilux great for leg room for pasenger behind as well and if vat reg like us its great but i would not go for automatic