Yes, I am one of these. I bought my auto in '05, and now that I can drive a manual, I can't help but wonder how much more entertaining driving would be. Ahh, maybe it's just compulsive behavior, but I've seen a fair amount of people who face the same dilemma. I was just wondering whether those afflicted stayed with their current vehicle or made the switch. I doubt I'd ever sell my xB for another just because of all the TLC I put into it, but a switch to a manual might make driving more fun. I'm not really looking for advice, since the best advice is if you want one bad enough, get rid of her and get another, but I'd like to hear other people's stories.

My last car was an automatic... then when I got my tC, I was bound and determined to get a stick. But when I got to the dealer, they only had one stick and it was not what I wanted. So I got another auto.

You might be asking, "Why didn't you wait?" - well, because it was one of those "now or never" type situations - where my old car's tranny went out for the third time and I decided it was either fix the car or get a new one. On top of that, I was traveling so I was in a city where I didn't have a place to stay (other than my car). To get home, I needed a fixed car.

There were more factors that went into me getting an auto, vice the car that I didn't want just because it was manual. Amoung these factors was rush hour... I live in Austin were rush hour is killer on all the highways. It takes me close to 30 min to get to work, but about 1 1/2 hours to get home, in just about every direction I go. Because of the rush hour that I am forced to deal with, I am glad I got an auto.

But you are right, a manual would be hella fun. And the next car I get will be a manual... no doubt. But I will also keep my auto for things like rush hour or fiancees that can't drive a stick and will complain if you get a stick! :eyes:

i live in nyc where there is a lot of stop and go traffic (regular streets + the damn "highways") so there is no way in hell i would get stick. my right arm would get diesel from shifting and my left one would look puny.

sure, driving stick is much more fun and they say stick cars last much longer, but for a city dweller, it's much more of an annoyance.
- sh00k

I'm in the Chicago burbs and traffic blows. I would've loved to get a manual, but it would be an annoyance more often than it would be fun.

If I did decide to switch from auto to manual, with a Kelly Blue Book dealer trade-in value of 12,400, how much do you think I'd lose? Also, does anyone know how it works when you trade in a car that is financed?

you eat all the charges from financing. but you should be able to get the trade in no prob, at least around here where nearly no xB's are to be found at dealers.

shifting in crappy traffic sucks, but it's not horrible for my area, and i wouldn't trade my stick for an auto. few cars would I ever get an automatic in, maybe a big SUV, truck or big luxo sedan.

My dad asked me why I got a stick over an auto, as he'd never drive one, but then again he only gets monster american sedans where there is no option for a stick.

I said, "my xB has a mean 103 horsepower. my peak hp is at 4200rpm and my peak torque is at 6000, why would I get a car that shifts it at 2500rpm(or wherever it does)?" I'd imageine an automatic in drive sees what, 80ish hp until you get it over 75mph?

german motors are great for autos, with there peak hp/torque is usually under 2000, and even alot of american cars meet their peaks below 3000, but not japanese 4bangers. Japanese motors are MADE to have higher redlines, to peak out higher, and have low rpms for mileage.

I drove a auto xB when I picked out my car, I don't know how you guys do it.

me either man...

when i first test frove the box i loved the way that they looked but i drove the auto first, and was really dissapointed...i didnt even think about it i was jst like, "nah that aint gonna work". it was like driving a riding lawnmower. so the guy was like wait try the stick out....

GLORIOUS! lol, when we hit the clover leaf off the interstate that was posted for 30 mph and i was going about 50 down it and half way through i dropped it in third and floored it and headed down the street.

i looked over and said yea its sold.

also, in a lot of other countries, especially europe, if you are a guy and drive an automatic you are a huge wuss. it almost unheard of there

You know, the irony is I had a manual stick and traded it in for an auto xb.

Firstly, the auto xb is a LOT quieter when you hit the higher speeds (65+). It makes a huge difference for your sound system AND your mental health.

Secondly, gas mileage is about the same. I thought the stick would be leaps and bounds higher, but not at all.

Finally, the xB stick is *extremely* fun to drive in the city... because it hits 3k,4k rpm pretty quickly, you're flipping through the gears quite often. As I mentioned, highway driving is not fun at all. At all. At all.

As a point of reference for city driving, I've drove the manual xB through Philadelphia (through rush hour), downtown manhattan (through rush hour) and the best of all, Belt Parkway in New York towards JFK (heavy, heavy airport traffic - I was sweating after that drive).

I traded the stick for an auto because my wife can't drive stick and she's pregnant (about to go into labor any moment, in fact). Since trading it, because the height of the car is higher than the tC's, she drives it religiously (hence, I've been driving her tC). I thought I'd regret the trade, but it's been so incredibly helpful in the last few months that I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Anyone looking to buy a excellent condition 2005 xB can buy my old one, here:
CLICK ME! (http://www.vehix.com/inventory/usedCarsVehicleDetails.aspx?zip=19083&make=Scion&model=xB&year=2005&inventoryid=7700000053987F&sim1=7700000045D52B&sim2=7700000043B092&sim3=7700000057F934&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1)
The dealer was nice.

Edit: If anyone does ever switch out for a manual, I *highly* recommend a short shifter (I used the RS-R on ebay, roughly $30, there's an install guide in the tech section). The stock shifter is much too tall and narrow between gears.

*edited to fix long url - Max

I too traded my manual in for a Auto.
A. Cause I got sick of driving stick in traffic
B. Because the RS3 came out and I wanted it
C. My wife can't drive stick.

True there is not as much pep in but its still fun to drive and much more pleasurable for me with an Auto.

My xB was my first auto since my first car, driving a stick in very hilly stop and go traffic for 2 hours a day kinda took the fun out of it. Still wish I could afford another car becuase driving a stick any other time is so much rewarding, plus I really miss it on the snow.

After researching both and deciding on the automatic I'm happy with my choice. Turns out I was lucky getting the auto seeing how the clutches are needing replacement after about 36K miles. :pray:

some times i wish i had got an automatic or a manu-matic transmission

i got a manual after getting sick of driving an auto for 4 years. previously, i've only driven stick for 12years.

i'm very happy with it even in traffic - most of the time if you read the traffic (drive smoothly, keep a good distance), its no hassle. i also got a short shifter and that makes it easier and fun.

now, i would only go to an auto if i bought another box :P yeah, and also for the partner that can't drive stick and complains!

No way I'm giving up my stick shift- power is adequate, now, but adding a full second getting to 60 would put it over the line, in the wrong direction, and I suspect that 60-80 times would suffer just as badly, given the taller auto gearing...

The clutch is nice and light, as is the TRD shifter- near effortless in traffic, and there's much better control on slick surfaces... If I have clutch trouble down the road, and there's no sign of any so far, I'll upgrade to a slightly stiffer pressure plate and an organic disk...

Which is not to disparage automatics in vehicles that would otherwise require clutches too brute for comfort...

Can't drive a stick? There are those who'd say that you can't drive, period... but I'm not one of them, not quite...

me too i went from a manual altima to my auto xb which only lasted a year (now my g/f has it) and i went and got the rs2 in manual. i cant wait to see the 2nd gen xb if it does have the 2.4 in it i might consider that in manual

I have always had a stick....but kind of enjoy not shifting gears for a change.

I have always had a stick....but kind of enjoy not shifting gears for a change.I heard that! All our other vehicles are sticks and I kinda feel spoiled when driving the auto toaster. It's nice to NOT shift once and awhile :clap:

My wife got her xB about 2 years go and its an automatic. I picked up mine last summer and its a manual. I live in Chicago where traffic is horrible but I love the manual and wouldn't have it any other way.

My last vehicle was my only automatic and that's one reason I kept it less than 3 years- boring to drive. So I got a manual xB. Most of the time I love it. Gearing is low so traffic that's crawling along isn't bad as long as it keeps moving 1-2 MPH. As with any manual, the really annoying times are driving in actual stop and go conditions. Stopping on hills isn't so great either since the engine doesn't have much low end torque.

The RPMs are a little higher (500 RPM?) on the highway with the manual, but I don't think noise is that bad under 75 MPH. Once you get up to 80 and about 4,000 RPM the engine noise and vibration isn't so fun to maintain for long distances. Cruise control helps because the vibration coming through the pedals gets tiring.

As much as I like driving a manual, I'm probably going to get an auto again in my next vehicle. Traffic is just too annoying sometimes. I'd need a good manual shift mode. Or semi automatic like VW's DSG. I would've considered an auto xB if it had the paddle shifters like the Honda Fit Sport. Still be slow and not really that great but it'd be something to keep my interest for a bit.

nope, dont regret getting an auto. Ive been driving Manual forever and its a good change. I'll switch to manual when i get a sports car :)

The automatics are total slugs. You can totally tell who has a manual and who has an automatic the moment you hit a small lump in the interstate... the stick shift cars just zoom ahead.

I live in LA and the traffic is bad, but if I had an automatic, I would have probably been riding the brakes all these miles, with the manual, I leave it in first and let the car chug along. The clutch is so easy on these cars, its like driving an automatic... with more power! (better gearing)

The automatics are total slugs. You can totally tell who has a manual and who has an automatic the moment you hit a small lump in the interstate... the stick shift cars just zoom ahead.

I live in LA and the traffic is bad, but if I had an automatic, I would have probably been riding the brakes all these miles, with the manual, I leave it in first and let the car chug along. The clutch is so easy on these cars, its like driving an automatic... with more power! (better gearing)The clutch being "easy" is the problem. :no: It doesn't have enough pressure from the springs to make it live much past 40K. It's an easy but expensive upgrade that is in virtually every sticks future!

i have always had sticks... but for the xb i got a auto and def have no regrets at all.

"The clutch being "easy" is the problem. It doesn't have enough pressure from the springs to make it live much past 40K. It's an easy but expensive upgrade that is in virtually every sticks future!"

Meh. Time will tell. I suspect Toyota has a QC issue wrt the pressure plates- with the ones being too soft failing early. That, and some thinking that they're driving competition iron, when they're not, and some just not knowing good clutch technique.

Even stepping up to the TRD performance plate or similar won't arrive at a heavy clutch, particularly combined with a steel braided clutch line.

And, quite frankly, if the clutch situation is as bad as some claim, then it'll likely become a recall issue, with Toyota replacing them for free with an upgraded unit..

And, quite frankly, if the clutch situation is as bad as some claim, then it'll likely become a recall issue, with Toyota replacing them for free with an upgraded unit..Prolly won't happen because the clutch is considered a wear item and they aren't going out till after the 36K so unless you get the extended warranty and you can convince them of a problem, stick owners will be paying out of pocket for repairs/upgrades. :nails:

SO glad i got a manual. an auto xb would be a total slug on the road i would hate it lol. the gearing is definately much better in the manual as well. if power wasnt an issue an auto would be fine but with these engines...manual is the only way to go. unless you cant drive a stick i guess

I drive 90 minues (each way) to and from work in stop and go traffic (rarely get ino 3rd gear the whole way) and I still LOVE my manual transmission.

Why did I buy a manual knowing what my commute is like? Becase I want to drive the xB, I don't want it to drive me. :)

i hate autos in most cars. the exceptions i make for autos are cars with good torque and smooth shifts. i drive a stick and ive been in some bad traffic but its second nature to me that i dont even notice my leg is tired from holding a clutch in until i think about it. my manual rocks... even in traffic i love it dearly

I guess I must have a different Auto than some on here...mine doesn't seem to have all these problems keeping up in traffic like several of you are claiming. I take right off at the stoplights, never get left behind. Get right on the highways...cruises up to speed, have no problems passing if the need arises. No problems with hills ( kind of flat here...lol) Even been over 100 mph a few times, sure it took a bit, but no problems doing it. I guess being 1 second faster really means a lot at the track, but haven't seen much use for it in everyday driving...Kind of enjoying the relaxed composure of my Auto after a stressful day at work.

I guess I must have a different Auto than some on here...mine doesn't seem to have all these problems keeping up in traffic like several of you are claiming. I take right off at the stoplights, never get left behind. Get right on the highways...cruises up to speed, have no problems passing if the need arises. No problems with hills ( kind of flat here...lol) Even been over 100 mph a few times, sure it took a bit, but no problems doing it. I guess being 1 second faster really means a lot at the track, but haven't seen much use for it in everyday driving...Kind of enjoying the relaxed composure of my Auto after a stressful day at work.Exactly right!!! Plus with the CAI and Strup Exhaust it's plenty zippy. I have also never experienced the box driving me around. :eyebrow: I ALWAYS have to start it myself, put it in gear, Steer the wheel, work the accelerator and use the brake. It'd be kinda cool to have IT drive ME around. :rofl:

the whole time in the auto you either hit the brake, gas or steer. you dont ave the joys of downshifting, gear skipping, or anything else.

1.push clutch in
2.turn ignition
3.select gear
4.push gas/ let clutch out
5. clutch in
6.shift gear

way more fun in a stick. an auto is boring as watching paint dry

yea but autos sound really cool when you put an aftermarket exhaust on them when they shift LOL

I downshift my auto all the time. Plus you don't have to ride the clutch while waiting for a light to change on a hill. Heck you don't even need to use the brakes. It just sits there idling untill the light changes.
Sticks are fun but I like being able to relax and enjoy the ride once and awhile. If I want to shift I jump on my bike or drive my trucks.