Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
- AHTOXA
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Hey clutchrider, I saw you over at The Car Lounge posting. That's all.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Welcome! Don't know I missed a previous post from you or what, but I feel like I would have remembered a TRD Tacoma... I work at a Toyota dealership and I very rarely see TRD's with a manual. Did you have to get it shipped in? Even the base Tacoma's don't show up with many manuals, though there are a few here and there.PaintDrinkingPete wrote:Since I'm new too, allow me to add...
I'm in a similar position to the OP, but for the most part have owned Toyota trucks my entire life. I recently owned an '05 Tacoma auto trans...Every vehicle I'd owned up to that point was a manual, but I was living in DC and dealing with heavy traffic, and decided auto was the way to go.
Fast forward a few years, and I decided it was time to trade the Tacoma in...for a new Tacoma...with a manual transimission! Oh, man did I miss driving a standard trans, and I tell you, it was like riding a bike getting back into it, no regrets at all!
Got a new 2012 Tacoma with the TRD sportshifter, and it is sweet! Hope to be able to contribute to some posts here...I've literally driven over 1,000,000 miles in manual transmission vehicles, and there really comes a point where it's just "driving" and not something you have to think about (for you newbs out there).
And believe me, I don't mean "newbs" in a bad way, I love that there are still new drivers out there learning to drive the way it was meant to be!
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Wow...just rediscovered this site after a bit of a hiatus, and going through my older posts I realize I never answered this...Squint wrote:Welcome! Don't know I missed a previous post from you or what, but I feel like I would have remembered a TRD Tacoma... I work at a Toyota dealership and I very rarely see TRD's with a manual. Did you have to get it shipped in? Even the base Tacoma's don't show up with many manuals, though there are a few here and there.PaintDrinkingPete wrote:Since I'm new too, allow me to add...
I'm in a similar position to the OP, but for the most part have owned Toyota trucks my entire life. I recently owned an '05 Tacoma auto trans...Every vehicle I'd owned up to that point was a manual, but I was living in DC and dealing with heavy traffic, and decided auto was the way to go.
Fast forward a few years, and I decided it was time to trade the Tacoma in...for a new Tacoma...with a manual transimission! Oh, man did I miss driving a standard trans, and I tell you, it was like riding a bike getting back into it, no regrets at all!
Got a new 2012 Tacoma with the TRD sportshifter, and it is sweet! Hope to be able to contribute to some posts here...I've literally driven over 1,000,000 miles in manual transmission vehicles, and there really comes a point where it's just "driving" and not something you have to think about (for you newbs out there).
And believe me, I don't mean "newbs" in a bad way, I love that there are still new drivers out there learning to drive the way it was meant to be!
I actually got really lucky...I had gone to my local dealership just to kind of browse the new (at the time) 2012 Tacoma models, and maybe inquire about the logistics of getting a manual transmission model shipped, because I knew that they didn't produce too many of them. To my surprise, there was a metallic grey TRD Sport on the lot with a 6 speed manual transmission. It was pretty much the exact model I wanted head-to-toe (though I would have been fine with a TRD Off-road as well). I had to try hard to not allow the dealer to see me how much I was salivating over it...but I probably didn't do a very good job!
After the sale, the dealer told me that they get maybe 2 or 3 manual Tacomas in every year, outside of the few that they also have to get shipped in for customers upon request...and they rarely sit in the lot for more than a few days.
Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
No worries about the delayed answer.
Interesting to know about your Tacoma. I'm not a huge truck fan, but if I had to get one, it would be a Tacoma. I'd much rather have a wagon or hatchback
Interesting to know about your Tacoma. I'm not a huge truck fan, but if I had to get one, it would be a Tacoma. I'd much rather have a wagon or hatchback
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
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'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Interesting. Usually the reason they don't order manuals to have in stock in the lot is because they're afraid they'll end up sitting on it forever. If they can't keep one for more than a few days, you'd think they'd order more, and get a reputation as the place to go when you want 3 pedals.PaintDrinkingPete wrote:After the sale, the dealer told me that they get maybe 2 or 3 manual Tacomas in every year, outside of the few that they also have to get shipped in for customers upon request...and they rarely sit in the lot for more than a few days.
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Yes and no, Moofasa. They might only sit on the lot a few days but that doesn't mean they want to order a ton because of the reason you mentioned. Also, at least at Toyota dealerships, they don't have full control over ordering. A large chunk is "suggested" based on what sales have happened over the last ____ period. I don't know fully how it works, but I know that Toyota looks at what that dealership and the region have done and bases shipped vehicles somewhat on that.theholycow wrote:Interesting. Usually the reason they don't order manuals to have in stock in the lot is because they're afraid they'll end up sitting on it forever. If they can't keep one for more than a few days, you'd think they'd order more, and get a reputation as the place to go when you want 3 pedals.PaintDrinkingPete wrote:After the sale, the dealer told me that they get maybe 2 or 3 manual Tacomas in every year, outside of the few that they also have to get shipped in for customers upon request...and they rarely sit in the lot for more than a few days.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
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'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
For Pony!
- theholycow
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean they should order 50, but they could keep ordering one more than last time until they finally get one sitting on the lot until the next delivery (on average).Squint wrote:Yes and no, Moofasa. They might only sit on the lot a few days but that doesn't mean they want to order a ton because of the reason you mentioned. Also, at least at Toyota dealerships, they don't have full control over ordering. A large chunk is "suggested" based on what sales have happened over the last ____ period. I don't know fully how it works, but I know that Toyota looks at what that dealership and the region have done and bases shipped vehicles somewhat on that.
That's a bummer that they have so little control over what they receive, since they still have to pay for them.
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
I don't know exactly how much control either party has but I do know the manufacturer certainly has some say in it. For example, a dealership couldn't order 200 Camries and 200 Prii for a lot that holds 400 cars.theholycow wrote:That's a bummer that they have so little control over what they receive, since they still have to pay for them.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
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'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
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- Boston Fit
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Seems to me, that's a bit like continuing to throw Hail Marys just because the last one worked out.theholycow wrote:Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean they should order 50, but they could keep ordering one more than last time until they finally get one sitting on the lot until the next delivery (on average).
2013 Honda Civic Si
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
I don't know football but I thought a Hail Mary is a crazy difficult pass that almost never works but you try it because you're out of options. Here we have something that's proven to work every time:Boston Fit wrote:Seems to me, that's a bit like continuing to throw Hail Marys just because the last one worked out.
They can't keep them on the lot, they have consistent demand for them, and they have plenty of other stuff on the lot that ends up not being sold; might as well feel out the demand. If they end up with one that sits for as long as the average slushbox then they know they've found the limit and can back off their ordering.PaintDrinkingPete wrote:After the sale, the dealer told me that they get maybe 2 or 3 manual Tacomas in every year, outside of the few that they also have to get shipped in for customers upon request...and they rarely sit in the lot for more than a few days.
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Oh, I read too fast and missed the part that said they rarely sit on the lot for more than a few days. You're right, that makes it different.
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Perhaps they use the lack of selection to keep interest high so the vehicles sit on the lot an even shorter amount of time?
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
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'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
For Pony!
Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Nice car!! I'm not typically a VW fan but that looks really good!
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Honestly, I think it has to do with a few things...theholycow wrote:I don't know football but I thought a Hail Mary is a crazy difficult pass that almost never works but you try it because you're out of options. Here we have something that's proven to work every time:Boston Fit wrote:Seems to me, that's a bit like continuing to throw Hail Marys just because the last one worked out.They can't keep them on the lot, they have consistent demand for them, and they have plenty of other stuff on the lot that ends up not being sold; might as well feel out the demand. If they end up with one that sits for as long as the average slushbox then they know they've found the limit and can back off their ordering.PaintDrinkingPete wrote:After the sale, the dealer told me that they get maybe 2 or 3 manual Tacomas in every year, outside of the few that they also have to get shipped in for customers upon request...and they rarely sit in the lot for more than a few days.
First, as was mentioned by someone above, the dealerships don't have total control over what arrives at their location. They have influence, I imagine, but I've known folks that have worked at dealerships, and they said mostly you just kinda get a random assortment (though not actually random, because it's based on sales trends in the area).
The dealer I had my discussion with in the previous post said that dealerships in rural areas tend to get more manual transmission vehicles than they do because it's an urban setting (Alexandria, VA, just outside of DC), and folks who have to sit in traffic everyday don't buy manual transmissions. (which I understand completely)
Second, I simply think that Toyota doesn't make that many with the manual transmission. This makes them hard-to-find among those that want one -- and thus may give an appearance of high demand -- but in all reality, probably 95%+ of customers want the automatic trans. Problem is though, that even if dealerships request them, there simply aren't that many available to ship to them.
In short, obviously if they're selling quickly off the lot, they could definitely afford to bring a few more in, and they'd probably sell pretty well too...but overall the market is small and there really isn't enough demand to increase production and ship more manual transmission models out.
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Re: Back in a Manual and It Feels SO GOOD!
Interesting stuff; thanks. Another possibility: if automatic delivers better relative profit margins, the manufacturer has a reason to use the manual platform as a price leader while restricting its availability.
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