Manual tranny KJs.....

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:47 pm

Any idea on what portion of production was of manual tranny KJs, maybe broken down by year?

Also, at least in my experience I have found that manual tranny vehicles,(like the XJ), tend to be more sought after since they are kinda rare. Would you guys generally say that is also true for the liberty?

I'm looking at flipping a 6 speed KJ and I am wondering about the desirability of the 6speed, in the past it seemed that it made it more desirable and easier to sell, and I am hoping that is the case here.

Silverdiesel · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 4:27 am

Ahh, that explains that broken bracket assy you posted earlier.....

That whole thing looked all gasser what with that stock looking alternator and all.

Good luck on your venture. Seems to me standard shifts should be in demand as they are percieved as more economical on fuel to run.

Roland

JustinP · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 12:32 pm

I wouldve given nearly anything for a 6 speed, I looked and looked and was unable to find a 6 speed within my mileage range. Except for one, but it sold the day before I went to look at it. I was willing to pay extra for a manual. IMO, I dont think youll have any problems selling it.

frank6772 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 2:30 pm

I love my manual. I just wish I could have gotten one with the diesel. As for percentages bettween manual vs auto, I bought my Libby new of the lot in '06.Out of all the Liberty's I reserched, I found only 3 with a manual tranny in all of the greater Philadelphia area including the Libby I bought.

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 2:33 pm

Again I think it has a lot to do with location and local demand.
Around here if you want anything with a manual tranny you gotta order it, or have it brought in from some where's else, only because the market here demands an auto tranny on just about everything. Even the local Jeep dealer always has more auto Wranglers on the lot than 6 speeds.
Manual trannys have pretty much become a niche market anymore, most young people have no clue as to how to drive a vehicle with a stick, and that includes my own two kids...(and wife for that matter)

But that's the way it is around here, I have no doubt these circumstances are far different in other locations.....

Hopefully Sir Sam you live in an area where there's a higher demand for standard shift transmissions.....

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 2:54 pm

SurfGuitar141 wrote:

Hopefully Sir Sam you live in an area where there's a higher demand for standard shift transmissions.....

I don't think I do, I think the ratio of manual to automatic across vehicle lines remains pretty constant across the US.

Generally speaking, automatics are more in demand by the whole of consumers. However it has been my impression, based from the manual transmission Jeeps I've sold, that even though fewer people want the manuals, the people that do want them really do want them. With so few out there on the market it means there is not as much to pick from, so that type of person is more likely to pick from me.

Anyways, I'm just trying to get a feel and see if that really was the case, or if that was just my mistaken impression.

InCommando · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 3:30 pm

The number the I found when I researched '05 6speeds a few years ago was 6%, but I cannot find the citation now.

I'd say that the improved fuel economy with the 6spd is more than a perception. I still get 17-18 in mixed driving after the lift/tires while driving aggressively. And, as my speedo was not reflashed, that is without adjusting the numbers upward to make up for the odo descrepency. By changing my driving habits, I have hit 20 in mixed driving and I have hit 22-23 on pure highway tanks. At < $19k, it was cheaper than an auto gasser & way cheaper than a CRD. It would take years of CRD ownership to make up the cost difference. And no CRD issues... :wink:

Those could be selling points. Throw in that a stock 6spd Libby has the same crawl ratio as a stock TJ auto Rubi and....lol.

SavageUrge · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:08 pm

My '03 is a 5-speed manual and I can tell you that as a dealer trade-in, a manual is worth significantly less than an automatic. People are too lazy to bother with the whole "shifting thing" while they're texting on the phone or programming the GPS or searching for songs on the ol' iPod (*puke*). The electronic "Push/Pull" Sportronic tranny's are as close to a standard as anyone wants to go these days. The simple truth is two parts: 1) It's too expensive to design and build the standards along with the autos and 2) The new CVVT engines and transmissions are actually much better on gas than a modern standard tranny mated to a non-hybrid engine. Personally, I would buy a standard over an auto any day and every day. They're just not making them. The only SUV/Truck you can buy these days fully loaded (without the base 4 cyl engine) and with a standard tranny are Nissans. The Frontier and the X-Terra. If only I could get my Renny to last for another 50 years...

JustinP · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 7:48 pm

SavageUrge wrote:

My '03 is a 5-speed manual and I can tell you that as a dealer trade-in, a manual is worth significantly less than an automatic. People are too lazy to bother with the whole "shifting thing" while they're texting on the phone or programming the GPS or searching for songs on the ol' iPod (*puke*). The electronic "Push/Pull" Sportronic tranny's are as close to a standard as anyone wants to go these days. The simple truth is two parts: 1) It's too expensive to design and build the standards along with the autos and 2) The new CVVT engines and transmissions are actually much better on gas than a modern standard tranny mated to a non-hybrid engine. Personally, I would buy a standard over an auto any day and every day. They're just not making them. The only SUV/Truck you can buy these days fully loaded (without the base 4 cyl engine) and with a standard tranny are Nissans. The Frontier and the X-Terra. If only I could get my Renny to last for another 50 years...

The tacoma also comes with a 6 speed with the 4.0L, 4x4, access cab/four-door. There are still manuals being offered. Just not as many as the past.

No doubt that a dealer offers less for the manual since it was a cheaper option originally, but a private seller could possibly demand more since there are so few.

infernicus · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 12:31 am

Yeah, I really don't think a Jeep Liberty Manual is wanted..

Now me, here in NYC, I have a 6spd, I got it brand new in '07 for real cheap.

The dealer actually had two that I know of, one that I test drove, and the one I bought.

Pretty rare in these parts I believe.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:00 pm

Well, I didn't get the Jeep. I placed a proxy bid for $2500 but I watch the bidding anyway.

Little bit of a snafu, forgot to checkin for bidding, so I was unable to place additional bids.

Well the bidding ran up to $2700, then some bids got confused so the price was pulled to $2500 my bid, and the other person bid $2550, meanwhile I'm frantic trying to figure out why it's not accepting my bid at $2600. Bidding ends, it sells, not even on a call.

Dammit.

So I lost out on the Jeep over a matter of $50(possibly), but at least if I had been able to place my bid I wouldn't have been kicking myself right now.

Oh well, just another vehicle I didn't buy, got a couple of more possibilities this afternoon. This was the Vehicle in question:
http://ww4.traauctions.com/kws/napplica ... Exit=Close

linewarbr · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:32 pm

Easy damage to fix, particualrly with your skills, but I can't help but look at it and wonder 2 things:

What did he/ she hit? A logging truck?

Is there no drivers' side windshield because the driver got ejected?

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:55 pm

linewarbr wrote:

Easy damage to fix, particualrly with your skills, but I can't help but look at it and wonder 2 things:

What did he/ she hit? A logging truck?

Is there no drivers' side windshield because the driver got ejected?

No windshield in the center because it hit something like a pole. I seriously doubt this was an ejection vehicle, almost alway when that happens they hit the steering wheel first and bend up the wheel on the way out. (OWCH! wear your seatbelts folks).

Welp got outbid on this too:
http://ww4.traauctions.com/kws/napplications/Display_Pics.aspx?stockid=957625&Exit=Close

put my proxy at $2500, looked like I was real close to winning it at so I went to $2700, sold for $2800 instead.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 3:07 pm

pretty sure manuals sell for less - because fewer people know how to drive them so lower demand.

(I'd guess they hit a breakaway light pole - bottom bolts snap - it falls over)

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 3:09 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

pretty sure manuals sell for less - because fewer people know how to drive them so lower demand.

Course on the flipside the people that do know how to drive them have a hard time finding them....and are usually happy to find a manual because they have been searching high and low for it.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 3:10 pm

I would have paid extra for a CRD Manual...

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 3:25 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

I would have paid extra for a CRD Manual...

Ya sure, but we have gotten way off topic now, even though its all moot.(since I didn't buy the vehicle)

I wasn't as interested in price, but more the desirability and ease of sale. The vehicle had a salvage title which meant it was going to be lower in value anyway. What I liked about the XJ's and TJ's I have flipped in the past with manuals is that the person who bought them, was ecstatic to have found a manual, and was less concerned about the salvage title especially knowing the money they were saving over a comparable clean title vehicle.

Plus, that Jeep had a book value of about $12,000, thats a real hard sell if your not a dealer, between the salvage title and the fact that not many people are walking around with $12,000 cash a realistic price for it after it was fixed would have been 7-8k.

Honestly if it had been an auto KJ I wouldn't have messed with it, there are plenty of cheaper auto, salvaged KJ's out there, there are not many manual trans out there, combined with my previous history with manuals I felt it made it a good buy(and still do).

A similar example is 2 door XJ's, personally I don't like them, seems way less useful to me than a 4 door, has a lower book value, and to most people is less desirable, but for the people who want a newer 2-door XJ they are happy to find them.

The same thing applies to the CRD, not everyone wants one, but the people who do are willing to travel for them, and are often happy when they can find one locally. Most CRD owners even paid extra to get the diesel, personally I wouldn't have ever bought a KJ unless it was a diesel, same thing happens here.

Manual tranny KJs.....

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