How many of you Manual JLs out there like your 6speed?

[GoHack]

I do wish there was a 3.73 final drive option for the sport though. I would have ventured into 35” tire territory if I had 3.73s in the axle. 4.10s would be even better, but I don’t need the extras of the Rubicon, since my trail rig is the TJ Rubicon (and the JL in sport trim saves a few $$).

I agree, a 3.73 would of be absolutely perfect, w/a Limited-Slip of course. Even a 3.55, which I believe my 2006 TJU had, would of been better than the stock 3.45 on the JL.

From my experience, the 4.10's are too low, unless you want to add oversized tires and wheels, which I don't. Plus the Rubicon is an over kill for most people, and is really for the rock crawler, which is what it is setup for.

The Lockers on the Rubicon can only be engaged in 4LO, off-road only, and even then, w/a 4:1 transfer case no less, where you're barely even moving, which is for pure torque only.

For general off-roading, the Sport/ Sport S/ Sahara/ and Moab models are more than sufficient for most people out there, especially if you also commute, and/or is your daily driver. The only differences between the models is in their external cosmetic and comfort options.

As for speeds, w/the stock 245/75/17 tires on my JLU Sport, w/its 3.45's, I generally drive in 4th, where my rpm's at 70 mph are around 2500, unless I'm on a flat interstate highway where I may go into 5th at around 2000 RPM at 70.

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[Sol]

I test drove an auto and knew within a mile it wasn’t for me. It may just be the nature of the high gear count auto transmissions, but I couldn’t stand it shifting through 2 or 3 gears to decide on the right one in deceleration-acceleration transitions.

After the first week with the 6-speed in around town driving:
The shifter linkage feels a bit smoother
I like the light clutch effort for stop-n-go traffic
The clutch isn’t very “linear”
I’m free to make my own gear selection decisions

 

[ShadyB]

Over 1000 miles now. On a 2019 Sahara.

I like it sometimes, but next time I think I'll go automatic. The wife isn't comfortable with the standard so now this is my vehicle. Great when I want it that way, but if I want a few cocktails with dinner, I have to wait till we get home.

The advanced safety group and Advanced Cruise Control, in my opinion, doesn't jive well with a standard. (If you want details hit me up.)

Also, the cold weather package auto on at 40F issue that jeep forgot to address with the manual transmission crowd.

I like MT for small cars that I can rip through the gears but the JL just feels too big and heavy for the standard as well.

Sooo, next jeep in a year or two, I hope the plug in hybrid comes out because I'll seriously look into that. That will have an auto transmission and lots of MPGs and power to go along with it

 

[LLRubylady]

Over 1000 miles now. On a 2019 Sahara.

I like it sometimes, but next time I think I'll go automatic. The wife isn't comfortable with the standard so now this is my vehicle. Great when I want it that way, but if I want a few cocktails with dinner, I have to wait till we get home.

The advanced safety group and Advanced Cruise Control, in my opinion, doesn't jive well with a standard. (If you want details hit me up.)

Also, the cold weather package auto on at 40F issue that jeep forgot to address with the manual transmission crowd.

I like MT for small cars that I can rip through the gears but the JL just feels too big and heavy for the standard as well.

Sooo, next jeep in a year or two, I hope the plug in hybrid comes out because I'll seriously look into that. That will have an auto transmission and lots of MPGs and power to go along with it

I don’t understand that auto on at 40f issue. I have a manual and my heated steering wheel and seat go on when it’s 40 or below. Mine is a 2018. Did that change in the new ones?
I like mine but like you my next one will be an auto. It handles bigger tires better from what I hear and I’ll be a bit older and won’t feel like shifting anymore. I’m enjoying it now but will likely upgrade in 4 years or so.

 

[DanW]

I don’t understand that auto on at 40f issue. I have a manual and my heated steering wheel and seat go on when it’s 40 or below. Mine is a 2018. Did that change in the new ones?
I like mine but like you my next one will be an auto. It handles bigger tires better from what I hear and I’ll be a bit older and won’t feel like shifting anymore. I’m enjoying it now but will likely upgrade in 4 years or so.

Mine kicks on at 40 or below, too. I'm wondering if there is a way to turn that on or off? 17k and 13.5 months with the manual and I'm happy as ever to have bought it. That ain't gonna change.

 

[liquids]

Love the manual. Better than the old one.

I cruise all the time on the flat Michigan roads at under 2k rpm and don't have a problem. Yes, the engine has almost no torque there (really kicks in at 2k), but mostly I don't need it. If I do I downshift.

In another thread two people dissed my suggestion that if you want more gas mileage, get a manual. But I'm sticking to my belief there, even if the difference between it and the new 8spd is less than it used to be.

 

[Birchrun]

I love driving my manual. I did get to drive an auto sport home but I’m glad I got the manual. I’m getting 20.5mpg with mixed driving and I always like having the full control of knowing which gear I’m using

 

[Litfuse]

Love the manual. Better than the old one.

I cruise all the time on the flat Michigan roads at under 2k rpm and don't have a problem. Yes, the engine has almost no torque there (really kicks in at 2k), but mostly I don't need it. If I do I downshift.

In another thread two people dissed my suggestion that if you want more gas mileage, get a manual. But I'm sticking to my belief there, even if the difference between it and the new 8spd is less than it used to be.

There is no doubt automatic transmissions are better than even from five years ago. They provide quicker acceleration and often better gas mileage. But buying a Jeep with one seems sacrilegious. I also feel that way about four doors on a Jeep and a hard top.

 

[ShadyB]

I don’t understand that auto on at 40f issue. I have a manual and my heated steering wheel and seat go on when it’s 40 or below. Mine is a 2018. Did that change in the new ones?
I like mine but like you my next one will be an auto. It handles bigger tires better from what I hear and I’ll be a bit older and won’t feel like shifting anymore. I’m enjoying it now but will likely upgrade in 4 years or so.

Yeah, there is no way to disable that feature in the manual transmission. The auto transmission people can enable or disable it.

 

[LLRubylady]

Yeah, there is no way to disable that feature in the manual transmission. The auto transmission people can enable or disable it.

Ah ok. Never thought about it -but like it where I am so guess that’s why.

 

[LLRubylady]

Yeah, there is no way to disable that feature in the manual transmission. The auto transmission people can enable or disable it.

Kinda stupid that they have it one way for one and not the other.

 

[liquids]

There is no doubt automatic transmissions are better than even from five years ago. They provide quicker acceleration and often better gas mileage. But buying a Jeep with one seems sacrilegious. I also feel that way about four doors on a Jeep and a hard top.

Respectfully, I don't think autos ever provide better gas mileage *for the same driver*.
If you're a driver who accelerates your JL/U slowly and smoothly and doesn't do jackrabbit starts, you'll take advantage of relatively low 2500 rpm shift points (dropping down to 2000 in the next gear) they built into the auto at low-ish throttle pressure. But that same driving style in a manual will yield shift points often lower than that, and the wider separation in gear ratios in the manual leads to 1400-1800 rpms starting out in the next higher gear. The clutch also loses less energy as heat than a torque converter does.
If you're a leadfoot, the auto might be closer in efficiency, but the manual still benefits from those brief between-gear lifts of your foot off the pedal (and again less heat loss than a torque converter).
Definitely, the auto outperforms the manual in most driving situations, but the manual will almost always win at the pump.

 

[Agent47]

Respectfully, I don't think autos ever provide better gas mileage *for the same driver*.
If you're a driver who accelerates your JL/U slowly and smoothly and doesn't do jackrabbit starts, you'll take advantage of relatively low 2500 rpm shift points (dropping down to 2000 in the next gear) they built into the auto at low-ish throttle pressure. But that same driving style in a manual will yield shift points often lower than that, and the wider separation in gear ratios in the manual leads to 1400-1800 rpms starting out in the next higher gear. The clutch also loses less energy as heat than a torque converter does.
If you're a leadfoot, the auto might be closer in efficiency, but the manual still benefits from those brief between-gear lifts of your foot off the pedal (and again less heat loss than a torque converter).
Definitely, the auto outperforms the manual in most driving situations, but the manual will almost always win at the pump.

This used to be true, but is no longer the case with modern automatics. Besides the additional 2 gears that the ZF8 benefits from, it's so good that manufacturers are even switching from using DCT to the ZF8 despite it being a torque-converter automatic.

 

[RubiSc0tt]

Love my manual JLUR. New unit shifts better than the one in my TJ. Clutch was a bit weird in comparison at first but I'm used to it now. Keeps 90% of people from asking if they can drive/ borrow my Jeep. Long highway road trips are a bit of a pain in the ass, with traffic being stupid (even when it's the middle of the night and there is barely anyone on the road...) but overall I don't mind it. I can't wait to get it on the trail. I loved the simplicity of being able to put my TJ's in First gear low in the rocks and letting them hold and idle through, or putting it in 3rd for cruising on the sand on beach vacations. Hoping my body holds up and I can stay stick.

 

[BCH]

Disclaimer.. the first 'vehicle' I ever drove was a Ford 8n tractor (and it was not a collectible at the time); so I am very comfortable with a clutch, etc. I have only owned 1 automatic transmission vehicle in the past 50 years.

The '99 TJ I owned was just fine by me with the manual transmission (285,000 miles); the 2012 JK (165,000 miles) was finicky in reverse due to the drive by wire throttle/accelerator, but just fine otherwise; my 2019 JLUR is great from my perspective; I have no problem with acceleration for merging into traffic on Interstates (there is a lot of room on the tachometer before redline if you need it).

In the end, it comes down to what people are comfortable driving; but I prefer manual transmissions,
plus the ability to park it in the anti-theft mode.... (4Lo first gear )

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