Made a bonehead move...worse than cheating on my wife...

[Demetrius]

I LOVE the manual trans, very smooth and LAZY like some of the other guys said. Honestly I like to be around 2000 to 2300 RPM when on the freeway so it stays in fourth ALOT. 5th and 6th are more like a guideline than an actual rule.

I also opted for the manual. It makes the driving experience engaging and entertaining. The clutch does take a little "getting used to" but I quickly adjusted to the feel. I installed a Volant CAI and the louder intake sound helps with giving it the right amount of throttle. My Hydro Blue/tan interior Sport S has SS oval step rails gives a beach runner "sports truck" vibe to it. My off-roading will be limited to the beaches on Hatteras Island. The tall 5th and 6th gears with the 3.73 (limited slip) axel give great mpg for hwy travel to our vacation home on the OBX. Around town just drive it like a four speed. I agree with those who feel there are few vehicles that have doors/roof off, windshield down option, 4 doors, a truck bed and a six speed manual transmission!

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[Gvsukids]

It's

The ONLY thing I want in my JT from the full size truck market is a V8. I miss the loads of power and a good sounding exhaust.

They make a hemi swap.

 

[Rubi_Rhod]

I also opted for the manual. It makes the driving experience engaging and entertaining. The clutch does take a little "getting used to" but I quickly adjusted to the feel. I installed a Volant CAI and the louder intake sound helps with giving it the right amount of throttle. My Hydro Blue/tan interior Sport S has SS oval step rails gives a beach runner "sports truck" vibe to it. My off-roading will be limited to the beaches on Hatteras Island. The tall 5th and 6th gears with the 3.73 (limited slip) axel give great mpg for hwy travel to our vacation home on the OBX. Around town just drive it like a four speed. I agree with those who feel there are few vehicles that have doors/roof off, windshield down option, 4 doors, a truck bed and a six speed manual transmission!

I will agree that an intake and exhaust really complete the truck. There’s a lot of powerband to use, so adds a lot of theater and feedback to drive the stick. There’s otherwise not a lot of feel in the clutch or linkage, which really is a good thing for daily comfort, but using the powertrain sounds to get responses from is way fun. And together its less than half the cost of an automatic. So its not totally unreasonable to justify.

 

[ShotCaller]

I rolled from my 2019 Rebel to a 2021 Gladiator, my rebel is a beautiful big truck but it’s been problematic and I don’t use it to full capability...the Gladiator is so much better for DD, less fatiguing.

I went from 2016 ram sport to Gladiator. It was also giving me problems...hemi tick, bad shifting and drivetrain shuttering. All normal dealer said. Warranty was running out soon too.

I love my Gladiator ,so much more fun to drive ! Don't miss the Ram at all !

 

[Halfcabnut]

2020 Manual Rubicon owner.
Love the Manual just more engaging and entertaining.
My wife loved the manual gear box as well so that's an added bonus.
Teaching my teenage daughters to drive it has been relatively easy honestly.
With the 4,10 rear end i do use 6th allot.
Anything above 60/65 i drop into 6th and it pulls just fine .
I did add an exhaust just so i could hear a slight note to shift by .
All and all very happy with Manual.

 

[Gene26]

I did the exact opposite. Traded in my Ram 1500 for the Gladiator. Very happy

Me too kind of. Sold my son my 2017 ram rebel and bought the Dadiator and when I wanna drive a v8 I trade my son for the day

 

[Jeep24MA]

Me too kind of. Sold my son my 2017 ram rebel and bought the Dadiator and when I wanna drive a v8 I trade my son for the day

Sounds like the best of both worlds!

 

[Jeep24MA]

Looks like everyone who bought the manual loves it! Probably a pain to off-road in it.

 

[Jt-wrx]

i did sport s manual transmission route, now at 22,000 kms (13,673 miles), and i love driving it, i went mopar lift, 37's and did 4.88 gears, and magnaflow street side exit exhaust, every day it's like a sports car, every mile is a smile, ya my ram was better on the highway but i'm getting the same jollies from this vehicle as i've gotten from all vehicles combined including motorbikes, love being more connected and visceral engaging experience, more noise, more bounce, more everything lol, driving is fun again not some lame ass chore

love walking up to it, love how it sounds, love every shift

 

[jimbom]

Me too kind of. Sold my son my 2017 ram rebel and bought the Dadiator and when I wanna drive a v8 I trade my son for the day

Me three. After failing to convince my teenage son to take my '14 Ram off my hands (only 45k miles,) I reluctantly sold it to my brother for its trade-in value. I really liked the Ram but longed to go back to a stick. The Ram was the first (and probably last) vehicle I've purchased for myself with an automatic. It's a wonderful automatic (and truck overall,) but just doesn't satisfy me like a stick does. I was a bit reluctant about the Jeep and if I would like how it would ride and drive and it took me most of a year to pull the trigger. I also worried that if I regretted the switch that I'd be reminded about the decision every time I got together with my bro.

Not the case at all! I love the Gladiator. Love how it rides (just a bit of the steering issue) and there is no comparison off-road. The stick is not the smoothest I've owned, but right up there and great to have again! Absolutely no regret at all and I think "good riddance" whenever I see the Ram.

 

[BigDaddy1412]

I traded an 18 Ram Rebel for my Gladiator. It was an awesome truck that everyone who rode in it loved. I miss the hemi, comfort and space (I'm 6'6" 310), but the Gladiator is so much fun. I like the fact that Jeep knows you are going to customize your vehicle and makes it easy. Relatively speaking.

 

[Leucifer76]

Almost bought a Chevy 1500 with the diesel. Feel like I dodged a bullet by test driving a Gladiator and waiting. Still haven't got mine yet (2021 diesel)... but still. Just the fit/feel of the Gladiator, on one test drive alone was enough.

 

[snowplz]

I went from a Ram Ecodiesel to the Gladiator. So much happier on many fronts. Gladiators are just funner.

 

[Rubi_Rhod]

Looks like everyone who bought the manual loves it! Probably a pain to off-road in it.

I think if you get the rubi and the manual you will be completely comfortable. That 4:1 transfer case is a beast. And for me, wheelin a stick seems a good skill to get good at. I’d rather suck a bit and burn a few miles of the clutch in smoke to learn and get good at something than make an excuse to not try! Its been done successfully for ages and sadly a dying art.

 

[ArkansasPig]

Love the manual.
Doors off. Top down. Shifting gears.
Nothing quite like it.

I’m about to start teaching my 14 year old son how to drive a stick this year.

He might even be able to buy a manual transmission vehicle 10 years from now. I wouldn’t want any of my kids to miss out on that experience.

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