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Durability of the Manual Vs. Automatic

22K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  Tomas 
#1 ·
Strange thing I have noticed is that almost all of the high mileage Scions I have noticed are all Automatics.

Is the manual trans weak? ANybody have any problems that are documented as such?

What about the automatic?
 
#2 ·
I've heard of numerous people having problems with the clutch burning out at about 20-15k miles, but nothing about the actual trans. I've got a manual with 14K miles, and hoping I won't have to replace the clutch soon :(
 
#7 ·
I have a slight slipping problem with my clutch. It's about 22k. I don't rev it high or slam on it. This is the first car I've done performance mods in, so I have a inkling feeling it may have something to do with the 'powah!' added. I was told the stock clutch was crap, but I didn't believe the people. I guess I should have at least got the TRD clutch plate...Oh well. I've driven 2 other manual trans cars in my day: 90 tercel EZ (clutch feels very familiar with the xB) and an 88 RX/7. Never had a problem with those clutches. I also didn't have any performance mods on those cars either.
 
#9 ·
It's possible. But then I'd actually have to bring the rpms above 4k before I let out the clutch......Doh those 4k rpm-ers. I think I'm just gonna get a new clutch plate around 35k if I still seem to have this problem. Stupid performance mods. :D
 
#10 ·
I have owned in the neighborhood of 30 cars since I have had my license, maybe 5 of them were automatics and I can tell you this.

Auto transmissions can be relaible, but they will never outlast a properly used manual transmission.

Reason being is an auto transmission relys on clean fluid and sensors to operate properly. If the fluid is dirty or low for too long there are way more things that can go wrong with an auto trans. I don't know all the inner workings of an auto trans so I can't dazzle you with technical terms though.... lol

In a manual trans all you have are gears and gear lube, thats it. Well syncros and bearings too, but you get the idea. All you gotta do is keep gear lube in it, even dirty gear lube, and it will always work for you. The clutch is another story, but most clutch problems really do come down to the driver.

If you are asking about trans reliability because you are trying to decide what xB to get, go manual for sure. There are several reasons.....

1. Manual is more reliable
2. Manual is cheaper (auto trans is a $1000 option)
3. xB is already short on power, the auto trans robs your car of even more power
4. how boring is not being able to shift.... lol
 
#12 ·
auto vs stick

:) The reason the auto gets better mileage than the stick is pretty simple. The stick revs more on the road since it has deeper gears in the diff and the overdrive is only .86 and the auto is .70 overdrive. This is the first car I can remember where the auto had a deeper overdrive. Most stick cars have a .68 overdrive, most 6 speeds have a .86 5th gear then a .62 overdive. If I knew this before I would have bought a auto, plus the 5 speed 1st gear is way to short. I think a 2.95 would have been better.:D
 
#14 ·
If your good to your car, it will be good to you no matter what type of tranny you got.

I have had many cars both auto and manual. My last two cars (or one car and one truck) have been both auto's. I got 200K plus on each and never did anything but normal maintance (fluid, filter, ect).

On a xB if you drive a lot of freeway I vote auto.

Less rev = less gas

The auto is not that much slower than the manuel, and of course don't forget it's not a race car so who cares.

So point is, take care of your car and the tranny will last longer than the motor!
 
#15 ·
I agree with the maintenance for sure.. However I also know that design is right up there on the list of contributing factors. I talked to a gentleman who has a whole fleet of Automatic xB's they use for business and they drive the hellout of them. He told me that several of them have 100K miles on them and never had one problem with any of the transmissions.

On the other hand, I have heard many accounts of the clutch wearing out at approximately 20-35K miles. That simply is not acceptable. Yes, many of the boxes are owned by kids.. but lots of them are not. EVen if you drove lots of city driving, you should still get 60K miles out of a clutch..
 
#21 ·
any performance mods on these types of cars, are always going to attack the clutch plate alot harder due to the excessive power and pressure...if you guys do mild upgrades to your cars (lol...i made a funny)...you have to upgrade your clutch plate...if you guys get a metal tinging noise when the clutch is out, but not in gear...your throwout bearing is going bad and needs to be replaced...the only downfal of these cars and rplacing the clutch plate..is that its front wheel drive which means its gonna be a pain in the ARSE...i have a 69 chevelle SS and let me tell ya...dropping that tranny and swaping out the clutch is CAKEWORK...i wont mess with a fwd car cause i have no idea what im about to get myself into to drop it out...

but yes...any motor mods you will need to upgrade to a better plate with better materials versus a stock clutch cause they just simply cant handle extra power...especially a car with 108 hp from the factory...lol
 
#23 ·
My two Scions are my 28th and 29th vehicles, of which only six have been automatics.

I've only had clutch or transmission problems on three vehicles, all manuals - my 1964 MG 1100 which somehow ended up chipping a first gear tooth, my 1972 Volvo 164E which had a Laycock de Normanville overdrive who's one-way clutch locked and grenaded the case, and lastly my 1989 Ford Escort which finally needed a new clutch at about 152,000 miles.

The other 23 vehicles, including the 6 automatics, have never had a transmission/clutch problem.

Properly engineered, properly driven, and properly maintained, either type of transmission can lase as long as the rest of the vehicle.
 
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