nmjeepster

With the I6 you could let off the clutch in 2H and it not die. Real low in Torque.
How is a M6 a disadvantage on the trails??? It's not hard to drive trails in a standard just have traction control off so it not trying to pull power while climbing... Only reason I see a logical reason to get a Auto is soccer mom never see dirt, big city DD, wounded warrior....

Cutman

I think we're getting close to solving this debate

nmjeepster

Auto because txt n driving > shifting n driving.

Cutman

^^^^no. It's really not. Nobody dies bc they were shifting gears.

JK505

Fact. It only gets complicated while driving to drive shift text and wave... Thus why I don't text and drive, waving can be challenging enough when you need to shift.

sea bass

Yup - I give it another week and we'll have our answer. :-)

DesertCanyons

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has an 8 speed automatic (with continuous shift or something like that ). It's the new upgrade to improve gas mileage.
The Jeep Wrangler gets better highway mileage with a 6 speed stick (21 mpg) than with a 5 speed automatic (20 mpg), if you believe Jeep's specs and the EPA estimates.
I have to think it's because the manual has a higher gear ratio in 6th speed of the MT than the 5 speed auto does. But I don't know this for a fact. Anyone care to comment on the highway gas mileage?

DesertCanyons

This is a good thread with lots of valuable info. Once you weed through all the disagreement there are a few bits of useful details.
I hadn't realized you could jam up a manual transmission by shifting in a stream crossing. I didn't realize the clutch was so exposed when you press the pedal.
A couple posts said the 6th gear in a MT is useless with the higher rear axle gear ratios. Why is that? What's it like?

I'm looking to purchase a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon fairly soon. While I read that the 6 speed manual trans is standard equipment, here in So Cal I see mostly automatics for sale. I haven't found a stick yet that I can test drive. I think I'll have to special order the manual stick shift if I want one. I've driven both stick and manual over the years. My first 3 cars and trucks were stick shift. The last two, a Ford Ranger and the current Jeep Grand Cherokee are automatics. It's a lot easier to drive an automatic and do anything else, like drink my coffee or hold hands with my main squeeze. But the manual offers more control off-road and up steep grades, I think... With the low 4.10:1 rear diff of the Rubicon the off-road fun should be easy with a stick. I don't plan to do much rock crawling, unless I have to. Mostly the Jeep is a way to reach those remote desert canyons and great outdoor destinations.

I think with the Rubicon's gearing I wouldn't use 1st gear much for city driving. I think you could start off in 2nd gear most of the time. That's what I always did with my 1963 GMC 3/4 ton truck and 4 gears forward. It had what we called a Granny gear (1st gear) that was very low. It was for heavy loads and steep grades, or when you wanted to crawl slowly. You wouldn't drive over 3 or 4 mph in it. If you used it, you had to shift into 2nd immediately if you wanted to go anywhere. I just imagine the 1st gear of the Jeep Rubicon is not for city driving on flat pavement. I can see using 2nd through 4th for most city streets, under 40 mph. Is that true. Anyone with a Rubicon, 4.10:1 rear diff care to share their experience with this?

As I said in the post above, with a 6 speed manual trans the estimated highway mileage is better than with the 5 speed automatic. Has anyone checked their gas mileage for comparison?