I have both, I prefer auto over manual offroading and most of the time I would prefer manual as daily driver except for when I go in the city. Lol.

 

When I got my first Cherokee, it had to be automatic. Living in Alaska, a remote start is a handy thing to have, and they are much easier (and cheaper) to install in an automatic than a manual, so they are rare in manuals. When I got my ZX2, with it's sporty feel and little 4-banger, an automatic would have been a deal breaker. My second Cherokee is a manual. It drives fine, but I'm not feeling as much love for the AX15 as I do for the AW4.

 

Lots of good responses. I honestly love wheeling with my manual. Then again i have never owned an automatic vehicle in my life. But i grew up riding motorcycle and four wheeler's so clutch stuff comes naturally.

 

I did as well. I just never cared if I dumped a bike on its side on a hill climb Haha. pretty easy to turn around, drop the clutch and take off again. Not so much when in a more expensive Jeep on a steep rocky hill. Either you never let off the gas going slowly in first (sucks if its a technically difficult climb like a waterfall) or you have a heart attack rolling backwards.

 

I used to buy all manuals in our trucks until they down rated their towing capacity to less than the autos even in the diesels as well as all trucks.


As for 4wd's the auto IMHO is the only way to go and I have had both and used manual 4wd tow trucks in CO. for recovery work of other 4wd's that got into trouble.

 

Haha yea rolling backwards is never fun. Good thing i bought my XJ for 500 bucks ^_-

 

I have had a lot of vehicles. At one point in my life, I SWORE I would never drive ANYTHING other than a manual. Chock it up to being young and dumb. I LOVE a manual trans...don't get me wrong...learned to drive on one, and glad I did. Drove many, many vehicles since, the majority were manual. Most of my offroad vehicles have been manual. My XJ is the first auto I've had offroad. I'll never go back.

There is a time and place for everything. Offroad, I'll take auto ALL DAY LONG.

 

That too. My XJ is my tow rig.

 

Have to agree that the Auto is the way to go for my personal needs/wants. I love the stick shift 1980 tercel that I have as my daily, but in the XJ, that automatic makes my life easier.

 

Might have to try an automatic sometime. Just never liked em and their a spendy fix.

 

I've you've got the HP AND torque...automatics are fine and even fun.

I think *NOW* manuals are going away mostly because of fuel regulations. Before it was just because not many people wanted them. And the cool thing (for now) with high performance cars is the paddle shifter.

...But now for MPG, they throw in those goofy 6,7,8 speed automatics even on econobox cars. Its like having up to 4 overdrive gears. IIRC, car makers only need to make an overall mileage requirement across their entire model line. (and with trucks/SUVs getting somewhat of an examption)

 

Automatic is okay I guess until you have to go down a steep slick hill and just can't get a gear low enough to hold your speed down - hit the brakes and you are sideways or off the road.


Also, better luck getting going on slick ground with a clutch - IF you know how to use it. With an automatic sometimes wheels start spinning just as soon as you let off the brakes (dang fast idle).

 

I consider the starting on ice thing a wash. The automatic (with proper idle) is easier to carefully lay on the power, where a stick may spin out when you throttle up to let the clutch out. However, when the wheels start spinning, with a stick you can shift to the next gear to limit wheel spin.

 

Depends on the driver, I guess. After 40++ years of driving, much of that off pavement, I find a stick shift and clutch to be better in most conditions that I encounter (rock crawling is a recreation and not really a viable way to get someplace).


One exception is really deep snow drifts, where an automatic can downshift more quickly and smoother than I can as speed falls off. They are also handy on wild land fire trucks doing pump and roll operations as you often have to start-stop-start-stop and wear out your left knee. But not as reliable, and we have to use low range even on fairly level ground to keep from burning up the transmission while creeping/crawling with that much weight.