Ed,
I can understand you fear and frustration. I can't recall if you have
a 4 cylinder or the V6. I stayed away from the automatics when I was
searching for my Toyota. Some of the reasons included mileage,
dependablity, and cost of repairs (alot cheaper to replace clutch). I
was also concerned about how they would hold up to pulling that much
weight. Did your automatic have an extra tranny cooler? It does make
me concerned about the mileage life of the automtics.
I am sure many of our members our very satisfied with their automatics
and I don't have any complaints. I have never owned an automatic of
any kind, so I'm not an expert. I just prefer my 5 speed, the only
time I wouldn't mind an automatic is in traffic jams!
Best of Luck in whatever you decide Ed.
Nate
