8 Speed Automatic Regrets?

[LostWoods]

It always blows my mind when people (without bad knees) cite driving in traffic as being a major detriment to manual. For rote driving all my shifting is 100% autopilot, even rev matching down shifts once i've got about 1000 miles of experience on any particular vehicle. Sounds like you were the same way.

As someone with no interest in performance modification, a limited torque capacity on a vehicle that will never be more powerful than it is from the factory is of no concern to me. As for the towing... yea that sucks badly, but i'm rarely a tow-er so it was the lesser of the two criteria for me (towing vs enjoyment).

Yeah traffic for me is generally getting in the left or right lane and just rolling in first. DC is better than LA in that regard because people dart lanes a lot less and you aren't coming full stop every 100ft even in the worst of it.

The way I see it, the gearbox was selected because it's one of the few on the market short enough to fit in a 2dr JL without obscene driveline angles and it's sufficient for the weight of a typical JLU. The truck was entirely an afterthought as you can tell by the abysmal towing vs something like my 6MT Taco that could tow 6.5k handily.

It's all on your needs but IMO if you aren't adding too much tire and/or are going to pair big tires with big gears, you aren't adding that much stress to the gearbox. Personally, I needed the towing because it means I can have a trailer when I need it and not have to deal with a Super Duty every day. If you don't need the towing, the manual is probably fine as long as you know how to treat it right.

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[Mr._Bill]

No regrets. The automatic in these is great. My first two new trucks were manual, everything since has been auto. After almost 45 years behind the wheel, I will no longer drive a manual, when I have a choice.

 

[Klutch]

I prefer a manual trans. My 1970 Mustang Mach 1 came from the factory with a 3-speed manual (which is really weird) and I replaced it with a 5-speed manual. Wouldn't even consider a classic car with an auto.

For my Gladiator, I'm quite happy with the automatic, thank you. It's the best automatic trans I've ever owned. No complaints.

 

[Rahkmalla]

For my Gladiator, I'm quite happy with the automatic, thank you. It's the best automatic trans I've ever owned. No complaints.

All iterations of the ZF8 are essentially the best automatic transmissions on the market [The Ford-GM 10spd seems very well designed, but needs more real world miles to be held in the same regard as the ZF8.] I do not dispute that. It's no surprise that (with small changes for different power applications) the same ZF in your gladiator is also in the TRX and everything in the Rolls Royce lineup, as well as tons of audis , bmws, jaguars, land rovers, a lambo, and the supra.

However... it's still more boring to drive.

 

[JTBurns]

Been driving an auto for 2 years and still love how smooth it is. I also have three kids in the back pretty often, so one less thing to worry about is welcome. I rented a manual Rubicon for a trip out in Colorado last week and it was a lot of fun and great to whet my appetite. Sometimes had to keep it in 3rd to climb the mountains at 55mph, but being able to engine break on the way back down was pretty nice. Also did some pretty tame trails, and that was fun. Almost never went outta 1st. I think I'd be happy with either.

 

[AZCooWhip]

Zero regrets.

 

[I_Reckn]

I can drive a manual but prefer the auto, mostly because I like to drink coffee while rolling through traffic on the way to work. Its fun to row the gears but in the end, auto for me is more practical.

 

[Fundamental Jeepster]

Thumbs-up to the auto.

 

[obrianmcc]

Boring to drive ... that's a good one. I guess it all depends on where you're driving

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It always blows my mind when people (without bad knees) cite driving in traffic as being a major detriment to manual. For rote driving all my shifting is 100% autopilot, even rev matching down shifts once i've got about 1000 miles of experience on any particular vehicle. Sounds like you were the same way.

As someone with no interest in performance modification, a limited torque capacity on a vehicle that will never be more powerful than it is from the factory is of no concern to me. As for the towing... yea that sucks badly, but i'm rarely a tow-er so it was the lesser of the two criteria for me (towing vs enjoyment).

I see you are in NJ - but really, do you have to deal with the stop and go traffic where you are moving, not moving, then shift to 2nd, then stop again, do I hold the clutch in and wear things out making the release bearing hot and melt, or let it out, oops, 20 seconds of holding it I decided to let the clutch out and now we're moving again, hit 3rd - wooo-hooo! dang, stop - do I hold the clutch, let it out, decide to hold it in and this time we sit for 30 seconds - repeat several times.
Traffic on I80 starting about 4 pm, you'd be glad you have an automatic if you were coming back home from Des Moines. You burn clutches or release bearings. And if traffic is moving slower than your vehicle will go in 1st gear at an idle, what do you do? Stop? lug it?
I grew up with manual transmissions. I've had them in many vehicles, trucks, cars, my grain trucks - both of them, of course (one with 2 speed differential) tractors, you name it. there's a place for each type of transmission, and when parking my trailer or doing the maneuvering I need to do on my property with that 18' car hauler and truck you'd likely find you didn't like the smell of a hot clutch.
They each have their place, and every time anything comes up exactly like this (and this isn't the first or only thread on this topic) it turns into a wimpy automatic driver vs. the manly stick driver who can't understand any other way.

So here we go again........... the men, the REAL men vs. the wimps and lazy who just don't get it and drive an automatic.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Coming from someone who has had three pedals in every vehicle they've owned where it was offered, zero regrets. I drove my Taco in DC traffic for two years so I'm the kind that doesn't even mind the shitty parts.

The shifting is firm and predictable which is what normally kills me in most automatics. The only complaint I've had is that it does sometimes hang on a downshift where it's not really appropriate but honestly it's doing it in situations where I wouldn't have downshifted a manual either.

The gearing is straight outstanding with a nice deep OD and a pretty solid first that digs out well with 35s. Leaves a lot of options on the table for gearing where even going for 5.13s is a valid move with just 35s depending on how much freeway you do.

Given how borderline the MT is in these trucks for torque capacity and how bad it kicks towing in the balls, I just couldn't pull the trigger on the manual. A pickup should tow more than a damn Wrangler.

These drop 2 gears at a time on quite a few downshifts - it's programmed that way. Is that what you are feeling? When you drop 2 on an automatic, it feels "weird" or like it's in between or something.

Yeah, the towing bit for me was enough. There's just no advantage any more other than personal preference, for some guys it's a pride thing. Just can't be seen letting that transmission decide or do the work.
I've driven sticks towing, and automatics, and frankly, no manual transmission made in the last 50 years has a reverse low enough to do what I need.

 

[XraytecH]

ZF 8HP Transmission boring? Maybe... I installed Paddle Shifter to make it less boring.

Oh... back to the original question, No Regrets.

 

[Rahkmalla]

I see you are in NJ - but really, do you have to deal with the stop and go traffic
The REAL men vs. the wimps

First part, I live in NJ but I work in Philadelphia and i travel to NYC for sales calls. Stop and go is my life. I also had the distinct displeasure of driving a manual 350z convertible in a 102 degree parade before without embarrassing myself or overheating the clutch. I'd rather do stop and go for 4 hours straight than do a 30 minute long parade ever again.

Second part, not the direction I was heading with it. Just having a bit of fun with the "regrets" people that have been filling up the posts recently. I don't regret my mojave, my armorlite, or my manual but for some reason some of you seem to think my truck is all wrong.

 

[rr11]

Most of my vehicles have been manual transmissions. I do not regret the 8 speed. Smooth no problems, I have two other vehicles with manuals if I want to go that way.

 

[NotSo Bright White]

No regrets as it is one less distraction. It is very difficult to drink, chew tobacco, text, and shift at the same time. I know this from personal experience as my 94 Ford 7.3 F350 is a stick and the clutch takes 2 men and a baby to engage. It is fun to drive for about a block and I am over it. Doesn’t even have cup holders damnit!

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