Manual vs Automatic (Split from Driving a BTR)

[JimmyRay73]

At work, we have a Chevy Colorado (actually an Isuzu pickup), Ford Ranger (IIRC, actually a Mazda) and two Pontiac Vibes. I like the Colorado the best because it has a five cylinder engine, the headlights come on automatically and so on. I step on the gas, it takes off like a rocket. The Ford Ranger, OTOH, is a pig, it is slow, sluggish and you really got to floor it to get it to go fast. It has the 2.3 liter engine, a small 4 cylinder.
Chuck M.

Actually the Mazda pickups were copies of the Ranger after Ford kinda swallowed up Mazda. With a manual transmission those Rangers and B2000s are not bad at all, but Ford's automatics have always been no fun in trucks. The gearbox and final drive are set up for dragging loads, not having fun. Having driven Rangers with that same engine and both transmission choices I have to say that the manual makes a huge difference. Hell, even the V6 Ranger with an automatic was a dog because of the way it was set up.