I don't really go looking for trails to tear up. Off roading I do is pretty much whatever it takes to take care of a few things on my land or at the camp. I need decent clearance, good tires, and four wheel drive. I prefer an automatic for off roading - especially if it involves towing.

The newer Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe have hill start assist and hill descent control. I think Jeep's Grand Cherokee and most Land Cruisers have that as well. It seems to eliminate the drawback of an automatic for most practical off road stituations - especially with a trailer in tow.

20 years ago I'd have said that a manual transmission, manual lockers, and manual transfer cases were ideal. Today the newer systems, newer automatics are just as good and just as reliable....and the new electronic aids give you plenty of control over what the car is doing. My Silverado can also start off in 2nd gear with the automatic if I'm worried about breaking traction, I'm almost certain that the Fords and Toyotas do that as well.

I don't see as much of an advantage of a manual anymore these days.

This post was edited on 9/12/14 at 10:42 am

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Posted by BFIV

Virginia

Member since Apr 2012

7751 posts

Posted on 9/12/14 at 11:09 am to member12

quote:
I don't really go looking for trails to tear up. Off roading I do is pretty much whatever it takes to take care of a few things on my land or at the camp. I need decent clearance, good tires, and four wheel drive

Same here. I'm not into rock climbing, hill climbing, etc. I just go off road on my land to get to my hunting land and to get firewood.

quote:
The newer Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe have hill start assist and hill descent control.

This is news to me. I'm old school, I guess. One of the reasons I feel that the manual was better for off roading is the fact that I can choose the gear that works best and I can gear down for those rough spots and steep road on my deer hunting land. I'm not into off roading for the sake of off roading. I have to cut firewood up on the mountain and haul it out. My deer hunting land is accessible only by foot, horseback, or a rough 4WD only trail. There are places that my friends' older autos just wouldn't go and/or they couldn't gear down to get down the hill without sliding or having to ride the brakes. They'd get stuck, but my old manual would just keep gettin on up or down the hill.

quote:
20 years ago I'd have said that a manual transmission, manual lockers, and manual transfer cases were ideal. Today the newer systems, newer automatics are just as good and just as reliable....and the new electronic aids give you plenty of control over what the car is doing.

I guess that's my problem. 20 and 30 years ago, automatic transmissions just didn't and couldn't cut the mustard like the manuals did. Had no idea the new stuff had that sort of technology. Not being able to gear down to low range, first gear, going down a narrow one lane mountain road, with a full load of firewood caused me to ridicule and avoid automatic transmissions. I guess the technology really has improved? Just gotta see it myself, though, to truly believe it! Problem is that none of my friends with a nice, new technology truck are willing to take it up there and risk gettin it scratched or scuffed by a little brush limb. I believe in taking care of my equipment, but if I'm reluctant to use that equipment, why even have it in the first place?

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