so i get about the same but have a superchip.

 

I prefer manual for a lot of reasons but depending on what you do to your jeep. Either transmission isnt gonna give you better fuel economy for your jeep when you jack it and throw 35's on it. So the choice is what do you prefer driving? Since I haven't regeared, I'm glad I have a manual, that way I can control things and rev up my rpms to get into the engines power. Which isn't exactly economical. I do eventually plan on regearing though because my Jk with the 3.8 and 3:21 gear ratio is a slug.

 

Still running the stock tires with 3" lift. Using Cruise control I get about 19MPG at 70 on flat smooth level highway. Wind or hills and it all goes to hell. My commute is 40 miles round trip mixed driving and I get around 14-15MPG. Guessing things are gonna really suck when I move up to 35's/37's. Mind you this is with the old 3.8/Auto, I would imagine the 3.6/Auto should be much better.

I noticed a lot of people say stick because you can choose the gear, autos have a shifter too. It doesnt have as many options but its there.

Rob

 

I have a manual w 35s and a 2.5 lift I get about 14mpg in the city but looking in the 07-08 for a manual be sure it doesn't kick out of first because during that time the factory messed up the synchronizers in the first and occasionally third gear this has happened in more than a few jeeps

 

I like to offroad a bit, but am not a crawler by any means. I'm running a 2012 Rubi 4.10 with 35s. My manual works well when on the road and regular trails. I do wish I had an automatic for those times I do have to get into crawler mode. Regearing would probably help that situation too, but that's a big chunk of cash. Overall, I kind of wish I had an automatic... slightly. That is such a slight opinion that I might be posting I wish I had a manual if I had gone with an automatic.

Since you aren't crawling, I say it's all just personal preference.

 

I have the 3.6 and 6 speed w/ 3.21 gears, I just put 35 in Km2's on last nite. With my AEV procal setting my speedo I aveaged 18mpg @ 55mph in 5th gear @ 1700 Rpm. I would guess it may go up a mile or two in warmer weather. Haven't Taken her on the interstate yet but I'm sure as flat as it is out here I could put it in 6th gear and cruze over 65.

 

You'll have to research what lift you're getting, because above a certain height (3 inches roughly) you'll be needing to get yourself a new front driveshaft for the auto and not the manual 4dr, pre 2012. Read below. That may be enough $$ difference to go with the manual.

Excerpt from the Modified FAQ:
Q: Are new driveshafts needed after installing a lift?
A: You really should consider installing a new rear double cardin U-joint style drive shaft if you have lifted your Jeep JK Wrangler 3" or more and have a 2-door. This is needed because the short rear drive shaft of the 2-doors will be at a steep enough angle that the CV boots will wear out prematurely. However, in order to do this, you will need to buy a set of rear adjustable upper control arms so that you can properly set your pinion angle. 4-Door Unlimited models do not have this problem as their rear drive shafts are very long and a lift will not effect the angle of it too much. As far as the front goes, if you have an automatic transmission, you will need to replace the drive shaft with a double cardin U-joint style unit as well as the diameter of aftermarket shafts will be considerably narrower and will not come into contact with the transmission and/or skid plate. Failure to do this will result in the tearing of the factory drive shaft boot as it makes contact with the transmission. Manual transmissions will not have this problem and keeping the factory front drive shaft will not be a problem.

NOTE: On a 2012-Up, you will want to install a new front drive shaft regardless if you have an automatic or manual transmission. Assuming you install new, longer shocks with your lift, the extra droop you will see at a flex will cause the slip shaft boot on the drive shaft to tear. However, that is just one problem you will encounter. Even if you install exhaust spacers or relocate the cross over, the CV boot at the output shaft will be sitting at a significant state of pinch and this will cause it to fail prematurely.

 

If the 6spd gets better mpg than the auto 4spd its not much, but I think its all the same.

 

Yeah I saw that too. But now that I look at pictures, I'm leaning more towards a 2.5" Rock Krawler lift and doing 275/70R18 Nitto Trail Grapplers. So now that I'm only going with around a 33" tire, it may not make that much of a difference.

 

I would prefer the manual. The 3.8 feels like a pig with the 4 speed autotragic.