Is manual better than 8 speed auto?

[Exceed Fabrication]

It’s Kelvin here. I’ve been thinking about whether manual is better than the 8-speed auto. I love the thrill of shifting gears myself, especially when I tackled those rocky trails last summer—it made the whole experience so much more engaging! On the flip side, I’ve driven the 8-speed and it’s super smooth for long hauls. What do you all prefer?

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[Chaos Theory]

No.

 

[DanW]

It’s Kelvin here. I’ve been thinking about whether manual is better than the 8-speed auto. I love the thrill of shifting gears myself, especially when I tackled those rocky trails last summer—it made the whole experience so much more engaging! On the flip side, I’ve driven the 8-speed and it’s super smooth for long hauls. What do you all prefer?

I have both. I have the manual in my Wrangler and the auto in my Gladiator. I love both and each has advantages, but the manual is definitely more fun. The auto will tow more.

 

[JTGuy]

Love the 8 speed over the 6 speed stick. It's just fast.

 

[wachuko]

I lIke a manual transmission, but the Penstar with this 8-speed automatic transmission, is just a great combination. And what a difference from the previous 6-speed auto!

 

[Hunter#1]

No, Auto is better. I like it better than a stick for driving the beach.

 

[Janster]

When I was 35 years old…. Manual all the way!!!

Add another 20+ years to that….. Automatic all the way!!!

 

[GregtheGrey]

I have the manual and love it. I have only had manual vehicles since I started driving 20 years ago though so my view might be skewed.

For me, I spend most of my commute between 45mph-55mph on mildly hilly roads. When I test drove the auto and drove it along some of these roads, it was constantly shifting, and I did not enjoy it.

If you drive in lots of traffic, the auto is definitely the way to go! Haha

 

[Oilburner]

In a late-model Jeep?
Hands-down the automatic is better.
Crappy gear ratios, weak construction & shitty clutch in the new ones.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Auto.

I don't want to row through gears unless it's something quick.

 

[Rahkmalla]

Crappy gear ratios, weak construction & shitty clutch in the new ones.

Weak construction? It's an Aisin. They're pretty well known for quality.

 

[Rahkmalla]

I've owned both. Had the automatic for 6 months and traded it in for a manual that i've now had for 3 years. Would not go back.

Common complaints are:
Crappy clutch it's true, but it grows on you
Gear ratios chosen make you have to shift too much if you don't enjoy shifting gears, why are you even considering buying a manual transmission to begin with? Some people bitch about having to shift down from 5th to 3rd for passing power. The way i see it is i get to shift down to 3rd.
Recall thing of the past, you'd be hard pressed to find a unit that hasn't had its recall completed at this point, unless the owner doesn't want it done, like me. But people who don't want it done generally aren't selling them right now either.
No tangible benefit over the auto absolutely true. auto is faster and more efficient. This is true for all cars on the road today that still offer a manual. One doesn't buy a manual for the tangibles anymore. The intangible feel of being connected with your driving experience is the only advantage left

So it comes down to personal preference
Do you want to like manual transmissions but really don't? This one isn't winning you over. get the auto
Do you like manuals in toys only? Get the auto
Do you really genuinely prefer shifting your own gears in a daily? The quirks of this transmission/clutch won't really bother you.

 

[BrownBear2025]

I have the auto in my ‘21 Mojave.
I like it a lot…(love the stick in my TJ).
With that said, the automatic went out at 59,958 miles and by the time I got it back home, it was just over 60k. Called Jeep cares… not the best customer service as they kept switching case owners and it was incumbent on me to somehow know that. Anyway, had it towed to Jeep dealer and they replaced it after we negotiated a reasonable settlement as it was just over 60k… like 50 miles over.
I ended up paying $2k and Jeep installed a new transmission parts/labor and new warranty…
No problems since.

For what it is worth, there was a recall on the manual transmission around that time.

 

[JTdiRtyD]

My Gladi I prefer an auto for a few reasons.

1) its my daily and it's far more comfortable just getting in and putting it in D, especially in traffic
2) I feel it allows me more focus and control when off road and dealing with obstacles when I don't have to worry about the clutch
3) better for towing
4) if for whatever reason I'm incapacitated and can't drive us out of where ever we are, ANYONE can drive it

My first two Wranglers I had were manuals. I logged plenty of off road miles with those and swore up and down manuals was better, but after switching to an auto in my 3rd Wrangler I found I prefer the auto. I don't think one is any better than the other, it's just drivers preferences for the use case. I love me a manual and prefer them for some scenarios, but prefer an auto for others. Performance vehicles and sports cars I'd rather have a manual (unless it's something like a Porsche GT3, the PDK is freaking amazing).

I do wish my Gladi had flappy paddles for manual mode, so I plan to retrofit the 392 wheel with paddles. Paddles make mountain driving much better, especially if towing.

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

The manual in the gladiator was an afterthought. It is the same transmission and clutch that is in a 2-door wrangler.

Now look at a gladiator next to a 2-door wrangler.

The auto is, unfortunately, the better option.

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