Considering a Gladiator

[RavensEyeOffroad]

I wonder if they just presumed people would re gear the manual anyhow.

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[canyonrat]

I had a '93 YJ with a stick and when I shopped for a JK in 2012 I resisted getting an auto, and that was the 5 speed. When I drove the auto JK with the 3.6 though it did not disappoint. To a certain extent I associate manual trans with a smaller, lighter vehicle like a 2-door wrangler or a sporty car. Just my opinion.

From a practical perspective, my wife "theoretically" can drive manual but never does. Once a year or so she has to drive my jeep if her Rav4 is in for service or something. I would cringe at the thought of her rusty manual skills being applied to my JK (or Gladiator). Even worse if there was an accident because of a stick-driving mess up it would be the Gladiators' fault, and therefore mine...

 

[Capt. B]

Same problem....for the last 5 vehicles. Told the wife this time I was buying what "I" wanted (manual). Nuff said.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

I had a '93 YJ with a stick and when I shopped for a JK in 2012 I resisted getting an auto, and that was the 5 speed. When I drove the auto JK with the 3.6 though it did not disappoint. To a certain extent I associate manual trans with a smaller, lighter vehicle like a 2-door wrangler or a sporty car. Just my opinion.

From a practical perspective, my wife "theoretically" can drive manual but never does. Once a year or so she has to drive my jeep if her Rav4 is in for service or something. I would cringe at the thought of her rusty manual skills being applied to my JK (or Gladiator). Even worse if there was an accident because of a stick-driving mess up it would be the Gladiators' fault, and therefore mine...

very very true.
I told her I could teach her to drive it in an afternoon, she is already semi familiar with the process but its just not something she "wants" to do.
"why learn a manual when I can just buy an auto"
I am more traditional, why let some computer try and decide what gear when I can just put it where it should be? lol

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Same problem....for the last 5 vehicles. Told the wife this time I was buying what "I" wanted (manual). Nuff said.

Sometimes Im just like "forget it, if I can get something how I want it then Id rather not have it." other times i think "turn down a nice vehicle like that over auto vs manual?"

 

[MonkeySkunks]

Only ever owned manuals for the past 25 years. Wife really wants me to get a MT Gladiator and the MT option was a huge selling point for even starting to look at a Jeep truck. Test drove an AT to see if I could live with it and it wasn't bad. Later test drove a MT to see if it was worth giving up MT for increased tow capacity and I didn't like it at all. Will probably be my first automatic ever.

I still really want a MT and will test drive again before purchase but don't know that I will/can get over it. Highly recommend test driving one before getting too far in the decision process.

 

[bhbdvm]

I'm going to echo a majority of the previous. The ZF 8 speed transmission is excellent and mated well with the mapping to the 3.6L pentastar and the 5.7L V8 in the Ram 1500's. The manual transmission has received poor reviews in the Gladiator. The towing capacity is terrible with the manual transmission. Last one, your wife doesn't want a manual. The manual in the Gladiator just doesn't make sense in my opinion.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Only ever owned manuals for the past 25 years. Wife really wants me to get a MT Gladiator and the MT option was a huge selling point for even starting to look at a Jeep truck. Test drove an AT to see if I could live with it and it wasn't bad. Later test drove a MT to see if it was worth giving up MT for increased tow capacity and I didn't like it at all. Will probably be my first automatic ever.

I still really want a MT and will test drive again before purchase but don't know that I will/can get over it. Highly recommend test driving one before getting too far in the decision process.

I told her today I may concede about it and just get an auto. For one I wont have to special order anything. I doubt the dealer here ever gets a manual. In fact I have only seen one Gladiator locally and it was someone test driving it.
However I may be able to talk her into the diesel, hopefully it will be out by the time we are ready to get one.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

I'm going to echo a majority of the previous. The ZF 8 speed transmission is excellent and mated well with the mapping to the 3.6L pentastar and the 5.7L V8 in the Ram 1500's. The manual transmission has received poor reviews in the Gladiator. The towing capacity is terrible with the manual transmission. Last one, your wife doesn't want a manual. The manual in the Gladiator just doesn't make sense in my opinion.

all valid points.

 

[Ichthus]

The fact is that new automatics are better than ever before...it’s where the bulk of development money goes because over 90% of buyers would rather pay extra to be lazy. It’s also easier for manufacturers to control the way people drive with an automatic and predict maintenance costs. At this point they are potentially more efficient, smoother, and provide better performance.

That said, I seem to get significantly better mileage out of a manual. I also love the engagement of driving a manual, the performance, the safety, ease of maintenance, ability to limp home, even with a failed clutch. I’ve nursed a failing clutch through 50k miles of driving...that simply won’t happen with an automatic. The security of so few people being able to drive a manual is encouraging, from a safety aspect.

Quite fortunately, my wife knows how to drive a manual, and knows me well enough to laugh when I asked if I should get an auto. Ultimately, she still wants her own Jeep again, so I find myself hunting for an older automatic JK...

 

[Ichthus]

I could also mention, I came from Honda and Mazda manuals. We’ve owned a 3.8 JK and 3.6 JKU with manuals, and 3.8 JKU and 3.6 JKU’s with auto. I’ve test driven the JLU and JT with both auto and manual.

The 4 speed auto in the 3.8 was terrible. Though I’m trying to find one now, I’d only live with it as a third vehicle that won’t see a lot of highway driving. The 5 speed auto was a massive improvement..the 8speed, even more so. BUT, in my opinion, the 6 speed in the JK’s was always more fun, and never bothered me in traffic or on the trails. The ONLY time I found it to be a hassle, was when I’d need to back a trailer up my steep driveway. For the life of me, I don’t know what anyone could complain about with the new Aisin 6 speeds. They’re different?! So what! A smoother clutch and easier shift throw is a GOOD thing. A Jeep manual doesn’t have to feel like a truck, it just has to include 3 pedals and leave the shifting to me.

 

[Elwenil]

One of the main reasons I am looking at a Gladiator is it's the only pickup Chrysler makes now with a manual transmission. Mine will be a manual or I won't buy one, the same reason why I am not buying a new Ram.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

One of the main reasons I am looking at a Gladiator is it's the only pickup Chrysler makes now with a manual transmission. Mine will be a manual or I won't buy one, the same reason why I am not buying a new Ram.

I wish it had better reviews. Now I havent driven either so I try not to say much but the auto being a sealed unit seems like a bad idea in a vehicle like this and the manual having poor gear ratios kinda ruins that aspect lol

 

[TYJ]

She wants an auto, doesn't feel
"in control" of a manual etc.

If she “doesn’t feel in control of a manual, etc” consider her safety when she’s the driver. It’s a valid concern.

PS - The Auto is great for everything from highway to rock crawling and everything in between.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

If she “doesn’t feel in control of a manual, etc” consider her safety when she’s the driver. It’s a valid concern.

PS - The Auto is great for everything from highway to rock crawling and everything in between.

Yes it is a valid concern but the remedy is to just learn how to drive it. :D
She has driven one before but just isn't good at it at all.
That said I'll probably end up with an auto but who knows. We just need to drive them both when we are ready to buy.

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