RAV4--no more manual transmissions?

End.of.an.Error.012009 wrote:
> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I love
> them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no longer
> made with manual transmissions.

I was looking at one for my wife, and noticed the same.

We both prefer a stick shift, as an additional vehicle control on
sketchy surfaces, and I was really sorry to see none listed.

When I bought my '05 Tacoma, I had to order it in, as the only stick
shift Tacomas in a 2 hour driving radius were base models.
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

LOL. I have digital tv, hdtv, digital cable, hddvd, and a manual trans, with
warn hubs, digital watch, and a broom to sweep the floor. I wonder where
that leaves me!
Not all that is new is good. Not all that is old is good either.
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Well I guess one could always buy a "porthole Pinto" (Let's see who
remembers that one). It would make a nice addition to any collection.

I love those who claim that manual trannys give better control on marginal
surfaces. I know the Moon is made of green cheese, too!






"Frank" <frankdross.TakeThisOut@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:HZadnRwx5a_HfwjanZ2dnUVZ_uyinZ2d@comcast.com...
> LOL. I have digital tv, hdtv, digital cable, hddvd, and a manual trans,
> with warn hubs, digital watch, and a broom to sweep the floor. I wonder
> where that leaves me!
> Not all that is new is good. Not all that is old is good either.
>
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Fuller Wrath wrote:
>
> I love those who claim that manual trannys give better control on marginal
> surfaces.

I love you too!

You're right... It's not the tranny, it's the clutch pedal that
provides the control.


>I know the Moon is made of green cheese, too!

Actually, it's gray cheese.
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Fuller Wrath wrote:
> "End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please.DeleteThis@no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
> message news:13paid7t6l03e19@corp.supernews.com...
>> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I love
>> them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no longer made
>> with manual transmissions. Can anyone confirm this? Since I
>> HATE...loathe...despise...automatics, if that's all there is, I'll have to
>> buy something other than a RAV4. In fact, after looking a bit at other
>> Toyota SUVs, it looks like NONE of them comes with the option of manual
>> transmissions, which means I'll have to break my almost quarter century
>> loyalty to Toyota and buy another brand.

(annoying top-posting corrected to make sense)

> Oh well...some people still like black & white TV and eight tracks too

Really? Well, I'm not one of them. I was the first person in my
neighborhood to have a DSS dish when they first came out, the first to
have a dedicated modem line in my house (in 1985), the first to have
high-speed Internet, the first to have a monitored alarm system, etc. So
I really don't see your point. I'm not sure what B&W TVs and 8-track
tapes have to do with preferring control--and a feeling of actually
DRIVING--in my vehicles. Perhaps you're one of those unfortunates who
don't know how to drive a stick shift and, therefore, don't understand
what you're missing. Whatever! Whether I'm driving in town or up in
the mountains, I prefer a 4WD with a stick shift. But whatever floats
your boat, I suppose.

--

SlowER traffic keep right
www.cafepress.com/saproducts.11233998
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

B A R R Y wrote:
> End.of.an.Error.012009 wrote:
>> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I love
>> them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no longer
>> made with manual transmissions.

> I was looking at one for my wife, and noticed the same.
>
> We both prefer a stick shift, as an additional vehicle control on
> sketchy surfaces, and I was really sorry to see none listed.

It's the same for us. We both prefer stick shifts, and so does our
daughter. Whenever she's travelling abroad, she's so glad we taught her
how to drive on stick shifts, because that's all they have available for
rental in most of the places she visits.

> When I bought my '05 Tacoma, I had to order it in, as the only stick
> shift Tacomas in a 2 hour driving radius were base models.

I don't know what I'm going to do! Having already bought 3 consecutive
RAV4s, to say nothing of the fact that I've owned only Toyotas for 23
years, it never occurred to me that I'd have to look outside of Toyota
for my next new car. Oh well...

--

SlowER traffic keep right
www.cafepress.com/saproducts.11233998
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

No I can drive a stick but I see no point in endless shifting. There's more
to life than that. People who say it offers more control are speaking with
testosterone rather than facts.


"End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please RemoveThis @no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
message news:13pce5odjejf52@corp.supernews.com...
> Fuller Wrath wrote:
>> "End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please RemoveThis @no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
>> message news:13paid7t6l03e19@corp.supernews.com...
>>> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I love
>>> them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no longer
>>> made with manual transmissions. Can anyone confirm this? Since I
>>> HATE...loathe...despise...automatics, if that's all there is, I'll have
>>> to buy something other than a RAV4. In fact, after looking a bit at
>>> other Toyota SUVs, it looks like NONE of them comes with the option of
>>> manual transmissions, which means I'll have to break my almost quarter
>>> century loyalty to Toyota and buy another brand.
>
> (annoying top-posting corrected to make sense)
>
> > Oh well...some people still like black & white TV and eight tracks too
>
> Really? Well, I'm not one of them. I was the first person in my
> neighborhood to have a DSS dish when they first came out, the first to
> have a dedicated modem line in my house (in 1985), the first to have
> high-speed Internet, the first to have a monitored alarm system, etc. So I
> really don't see your point. I'm not sure what B&W TVs and 8-track tapes
> have to do with preferring control--and a feeling of actually DRIVING--in
> my vehicles. Perhaps you're one of those unfortunates who don't know how
> to drive a stick shift and, therefore, don't understand what you're
> missing. Whatever! Whether I'm driving in town or up in the mountains, I
> prefer a 4WD with a stick shift. But whatever floats your boat, I
> suppose.
>
> --
>
> SlowER traffic keep right
> www.cafepress.com/saproducts.11233998
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Fuller Wrath wrote:
> No I can drive a stick but I see no point in endless shifting. There's more
> to life than that. People who say it offers more control are speaking with
> testosterone rather than facts.

Oh, really?! Interesting, considering that--as a woman--I have no
testosterone to speak of.

With that little detail out of the way, I'll reiterate that I prefer the
feeling of control I get when driving a stick versus an automatic. By
the way, I learned on an automatic and drove them almost exclusively for
the first 10 years or so, before deciding to drive sticks exclusively.
On the rare occasions since then when I've had to drive an
automatic...I've really hated it. The difference in control has nothing
to do with testosterone-fueled misinterpretations, it has to do with the
engine, the clutch, the driver, the road conditions, etc. If you've
driven vehicles with manual transmissions and DIDN'T see the improvement
in control, perhaps that's a reflection of your own lack of
understanding of, and ability to use, the transmission and clutch to
your benefit.

As for endless shifting, what can I say? In general, there's little
need for endless shifting. Today, driving up and down in the Hollywood
Hills, I did of course have to up- and downshift a good deal, but on the
freeway heading back to the San Gabriel Valley I was basically cruising
along in 5th gear. Not a big deal, especially compared to the alternative.

--

SlowER traffic keep right
www.cafepress.com/saproducts.11233998
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

A simple word: antiquated


"End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please DeleteThis @no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
message news:13pce5odjejf52@corp.supernews.com...
> Fuller Wrath wrote:
>> "End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please DeleteThis @no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
>> message news:13paid7t6l03e19@corp.supernews.com...
>>> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I love
>>> them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no longer
>>> made with manual transmissions. Can anyone confirm this? Since I
>>> HATE...loathe...despise...automatics, if that's all there is, I'll have
>>> to buy something other than a RAV4. In fact, after looking a bit at
>>> other Toyota SUVs, it looks like NONE of them comes with the option of
>>> manual transmissions, which means I'll have to break my almost quarter
>>> century loyalty to Toyota and buy another brand.
>
> (annoying top-posting corrected to make sense)
>
> > Oh well...some people still like black & white TV and eight tracks too
>
> Really? Well, I'm not one of them. I was the first person in my
> neighborhood to have a DSS dish when they first came out, the first to
> have a dedicated modem line in my house (in 1985), the first to have
> high-speed Internet, the first to have a monitored alarm system, etc. So I
> really don't see your point. I'm not sure what B&W TVs and 8-track tapes
> have to do with preferring control--and a feeling of actually DRIVING--in
> my vehicles. Perhaps you're one of those unfortunates who don't know how
> to drive a stick shift and, therefore, don't understand what you're
> missing. Whatever! Whether I'm driving in town or up in the mountains, I
> prefer a 4WD with a stick shift. But whatever floats your boat, I
> suppose.
>
> --
>
> SlowER traffic keep right
> www.cafepress.com/saproducts.11233998
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Please define that overused word "control" Can you not "control" shifting
in an automatic? People who learned to drive on stick shifts need to move
into the 21st century because in another few years they will be seen only in
museums.


"End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please.TakeThisOut@no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
message news:13pd5oqlrrnlka6@corp.supernews.com...
> Fuller Wrath wrote:
>> No I can drive a stick but I see no point in endless shifting. There's
>> more to life than that. People who say it offers more control are
>> speaking with testosterone rather than facts.
>
> Oh, really?! Interesting, considering that--as a woman--I have no
> testosterone to speak of.
>
> With that little detail out of the way, I'll reiterate that I prefer the
> feeling of control I get when driving a stick versus an automatic. By the
> way, I learned on an automatic and drove them almost exclusively for the
> first 10 years or so, before deciding to drive sticks exclusively. On the
> rare occasions since then when I've had to drive an automatic...I've
> really hated it. The difference in control has nothing to do with
> testosterone-fueled misinterpretations, it has to do with the engine, the
> clutch, the driver, the road conditions, etc. If you've driven vehicles
> with manual transmissions and DIDN'T see the improvement in control,
> perhaps that's a reflection of your own lack of understanding of, and
> ability to use, the transmission and clutch to your benefit.
>
> As for endless shifting, what can I say? In general, there's little need
> for endless shifting. Today, driving up and down in the Hollywood Hills,
> I did of course have to up- and downshift a good deal, but on the freeway
> heading back to the San Gabriel Valley I was basically cruising along in
> 5th gear. Not a big deal, especially compared to the alternative.
>
> --
>
> SlowER traffic keep right
> www.cafepress.com/saproducts.11233998
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

"End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please DeleteThis @no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
message news:13pce5odjejf52@corp.supernews.com...
> Fuller Wrath wrote:
>> "End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please DeleteThis @no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
>> message news:13paid7t6l03e19@corp.supernews.com...
>>> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I love
>>> them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no longer
>>> made with manual transmissions. Can anyone confirm this? Since I
>>> HATE...loathe...despise...automatics, if that's all there is, I'll have
>>> to buy something other than a RAV4. In fact, after looking a bit at
>>> other Toyota SUVs, it looks like NONE of them comes with the option of
>>> manual transmissions, which means I'll have to break my almost quarter
>>> century loyalty to Toyota and buy another brand.
>
> (annoying top-posting corrected to make sense)
>
> > Oh well...some people still like black & white TV and eight tracks too
>
> Really? Well, I'm not one of them. I was the first person in my
> neighborhood to have a DSS dish when they first came out, the first to
> have a dedicated modem line in my house (in 1985), the first to have
> high-speed Internet, the first to have a monitored alarm system, etc. So I
> really don't see your point. I'm not sure what B&W TVs and 8-track tapes
> have to do with preferring control--and a feeling of actually DRIVING--in
> my vehicles. Perhaps you're one of those unfortunates who don't know how
> to drive a stick shift and, therefore, don't understand what you're
> missing. Whatever! Whether I'm driving in town or up in the mountains, I
> prefer a 4WD with a stick shift. But whatever floats your boat, I
> suppose.
>



When I was shopping for a PreRunner, I was shocked to find that they all
came equipped with a manual transmission. The standard Tacoma could be had
with a manual transmission -- either engine -- but the PreRunner could only
be bought with an automatic.

If you would consider a truck, the Tacoma V6 4WD can be bought with a manual
trans.

I am not sure, but I _think_ the issue is smog rules and CAFE requirements.
I would suggest that the automaker can control the driving
environment/actions of the operator with an automatic more than they can
with a manual. The automatic will try to shift either up or down when a
particular set of conditioins exist, and when the vehicle is placed in D and
left there, then the transmissiion makes many of the choices that a driver
will make if he has a manual trans. Granted, the driver can override the
settings that cause the automatic to shift gears, but if there are 1000
automatics running around, and 10 are being driven in an override mode, then
990 are delivering consumption figures that make the CAFE standards happy
....

Having said that, I can not explain why PreRunners get automatics and
standard Tacomas can have a manual. As a consumer, I'd expect a manual trans
in a PreRunner as the default, and an automatic in the plain Tacoma.
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
>
> I am not sure, but I _think_ the issue is smog rules and CAFE
> requirements. I would suggest that the automaker can control the driving
> environment/actions of the operator with an automatic more than they can
> with a manual.

That's exactly what I've been thinking lately!
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions? 

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> "End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please.TakeThisOut@no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote in
> message news:13pce5odjejf52@corp.supernews.com...
>> Fuller Wrath wrote:
>>> "End.of.an.Error.012009" <no.spam.please.TakeThisOut@no.spam.nowhere.com> wrote
>>> in message news:13paid7t6l03e19@corp.supernews.com...
>>>> I'm contemplating buying another RAV4 (I've had 3 in a row, and I
>>>> love them!), but after looking around online it appears they're no
>>>> longer made with manual transmissions. Can anyone confirm this?
>>>> Since I HATE...loathe...despise...automatics, if that's all there
>>>> is, I'll have to buy something other than a RAV4. In fact, after
>>>> looking a bit at other Toyota SUVs, it looks like NONE of them comes
>>>> with the option of manual transmissions, which means I'll have to
>>>> break my almost quarter century loyalty to Toyota and buy another
>>>> brand.
>>
>> (annoying top-posting corrected to make sense)
>>
>> > Oh well...some people still like black & white TV and eight tracks too
>>
>> Really? Well, I'm not one of them. I was the first person in my
>> neighborhood to have a DSS dish when they first came out, the first to
>> have a dedicated modem line in my house (in 1985), the first to have
>> high-speed Internet, the first to have a monitored alarm system, etc.
>> So I really don't see your point. I'm not sure what B&W TVs and
>> 8-track tapes have to do with preferring control--and a feeling of
>> actually DRIVING--in my vehicles. Perhaps you're one of those
>> unfortunates who don't know how to drive a stick shift and, therefore,
>> don't understand what you're missing. Whatever! Whether I'm driving
>> in town or up in the mountains, I prefer a 4WD with a stick shift.
>> But whatever floats your boat, I suppose.
>>
>
>
>
> When I was shopping for a PreRunner, I was shocked to find that they all
> came equipped with a manual transmission. The standard Tacoma could be
> had with a manual transmission -- either engine -- but the PreRunner
> could only be bought with an automatic.
>
> If you would consider a truck, the Tacoma V6 4WD can be bought with a
> manual trans.
>
> I am not sure, but I _think_ the issue is smog rules and CAFE
> requirements. I would suggest that the automaker can control the driving
> environment/actions of the operator with an automatic more than they can
> with a manual. The automatic will try to shift either up or down when a
> particular set of conditioins exist, and when the vehicle is placed in D
> and left there, then the transmissiion makes many of the choices that a
> driver will make if he has a manual trans. Granted, the driver can
> override the settings that cause the automatic to shift gears, but if
> there are 1000 automatics running around, and 10 are being driven in an
> override mode, then 990 are delivering consumption figures that make the
> CAFE standards happy ...
>
> Having said that, I can not explain why PreRunners get automatics and
> standard Tacomas can have a manual. As a consumer, I'd expect a manual
> trans in a PreRunner as the default, and an automatic in the plain Tacoma.

A little off topic, but back in the 70's, here in California, you
couldn't buy a Chevy Nova (Chevy II) with a 6-cylinder and three-speed
(the mileage king of the Chevy lineup), to meet California smog
requirements, you had to have the 305 V8 and automatic transmission. I
seem to remember the 6-banger with 3-on-the-tree did about 10 MPG better
than the V8/Auto. So burning more gas probably resulted in about the
same amount of pollution, but cost more.

Far out and right on!!! :>))
--
Tom - Vista, CA
 >> Stay informed about: RAV4--no more manual transmissions?