Standard vs. Automatic

[puff]

I am sure this thread will start some debate. I am looking up upgrading my truck. So here are the facts. 36' 5th wheel, 15,000lbs, the truck is going to be a 1 ton or better. I like my Chevy but the Ford and Dodge also look interesting. It will be a diesel and the box will be turned into what I call a western hauler box.

Having said all this I am wondering if I should stick with a standard or auto. I drive truck for a living so banging gears does not bother me at all. Input from others out there would be nice..!

[bakken]

I would go standard for sure, especially if you are used to shifting anyway.
Less to go wrong, better gas mileage, and you decide what gear to run in, not some stupid computer!

[garbonz]

I donno. I thought my 99 f350 with the 6 sp manual was awesome until I got the 2007 Chevy with the Allison auto. Can't imagine going back.

[kandl]

Originally Posted by puff

Having said all this I am wondering if I should stick with a standard or auto. I drive truck for a living so banging gears does not bother me at all. Input from others out there would be nice..!

Ford and the General no longer offer a stick'n clutch in their light duty pickups (2500, 3500, Super Duty etc) - Chrysler is the hold-out but that offering is not mated to their high output combo.

[jeeplj8]

Originally Posted by puff

I am sure this thread will start some debate. I am looking up upgrading my truck. So here are the facts. 36' 5th wheel, 15,000lbs, the truck is going to be a 1 ton or better. I like my Chevy but the Ford and Dodge also look interesting. It will be a diesel and the box will be turned into what I call a western hauler box.

Having said all this I am wondering if I should stick with a standard or auto. I drive truck for a living so banging gears does not bother me at all. Input from others out there would be nice..!

what age range are you looking at? If new - then the only stick is a Dodge but you can't get their highest capacity combo unless you go auto.

[SaskCampers]

Originally Posted by bakken

I would go standard for sure, especially if you are used to shifting anyway.
Less to go wrong, better gas mileage, and you decide what gear to run in, not some stupid computer!

Not totally true as Ford has had since 2011 a 6 speed auto that has a full manual mode that you select on the shifter and up and down shift buttons on the shifter handle to change gears. Believe me it will stay in what ever gear you have selected even from a dead start as I have started a few times in 3rd gear and wondered why it was soo sluggish till I realized what gear I was in. It is a very nice tranny and I imagine with the diesel and exhaust brake it would be very cool to use.

[dretired]

I love my 2012 F250 with the 6 speed auto and manual shift option...exhaust braking is also very nice..todays auto transmissions are getting darn close to what a manual trans would get in mpgs.. think about resale (in the future) and stop and go traffic..

[avolnek]

I was dead set on the stick, till my wife said she wouldn't ever drive the truck and camper combo with the stick. She said she wouldn't be comfortable with both, she can drive just the truck fine... So rather than arguing we went with the auto in case I were to be hurt and she needed to drive for whatever reason...

I would much rather the stick... but the new trans with all the manual gear selection really takes a lot of the advantages of the stick out of the argument...

[ependydad]

Not that my opinion matters, but I gave up driving stick when I was 17 when my first car died. I can drive it and I'm glad for that, but I'll never willingly buy a vehicle that has it.

I will say, my Dodge/Ram has the same manual override of gearing that the Ford was described as having. I used it when descending some small mountains in the area that the exhaust brake wasn't holding me back enough on to do the insanely slow "trucker's over 20,000 gvw" speed of 20mph.

[puff]

I like both old and new trucks....there are advantages/disadvantages to both in my eyes...I like both of these...!

western hauler

2011 Ram Ram 5500 Cab-Chassis ST/SLT/Laramie

Prices are in Cnd dollars.

[pappcam]

A manual has pretty well no advantage over the new automatics and it's pretty well impossible to get a stick shift in any newer truck.

[avolnek]

Originally Posted by pappcam

A manual has pretty well no advantage over the new automatics and it's pretty well impossible to get a stick shift in any newer truck.

Not to be rude but that is a completely ignorant response...

A stick has many benefits! It is more efficient, gives the driver a better feel of the truck, better control of what the truck does, cheaper, stronger and I could go on and on...

Also, impossible is a far cry from the truth as to whether you can get a manual transmission on a new truck...

2013 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Pickup Truck | Build & Price Your New Truck | Ram Trucks


Notice it being an option?


One last thing, if there was NO benefit why would vast majority of the over the road tractor trailers have a manual trans???

[jevanb]

you can get a dodge and put a manual valve body in and then bang gears without a clutch....sweet.....

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by avolnek

Not to be rude but that is a completely ignorant response...

A stick has many benefits! It is more efficient, gives the driver a better feel of the truck, better control of what the truck does, cheaper, stronger and I could go on and on...

Also, impossible is a far cry from the truth as to whether you can get a manual transmission on a new truck...

2013 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Pickup Truck | Build & Price Your New Truck | Ram Trucks


Notice it being an option?


One last thing, if there was NO benefit why would vast majority of the over the road tractor trailers have a manual trans???

Tractor trailers aren't 3/4 ton trucks so your comparison is laughable. Wow, you found one specific model of truck from the big 3 that has a manual option. Boy, is my face red.

I stand by my opinion. And that's what it is. An opinion.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by avolnek

Not to be rude but that is a completely ignorant response...

A stick has many benefits! It is more efficient, gives the driver a better feel of the truck, better control of what the truck does, cheaper, stronger and I could go on and on...

Also, impossible is a far cry from the truth as to whether you can get a manual transmission on a new truck...

2013 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Pickup Truck | Build & Price Your New Truck | Ram Trucks

Notice it being an option?

One last thing, if there was NO benefit why would vast majority of the over the road tractor trailers have a manual trans???

I love it when a posted says "not to be rude" and then is. LOL

[avolnek]

Tractor trailers are NOT the same you are correct... but if there wasn't any benefit behind having a manual transmission why on earth would someone driving a rig designed to pull regularly choose to have a manual? Would it have anything to do with the reasons I suggested earlier? I would have to think so...

I simply posted the link proving that it isn't IMPOSSIBLE as you stated to get one... Also, no where was it stated he was looking for a brand new pickup, simply said he was looking to upgrade from a 1997...

simply put your "opinion" was not expressed as an opinion but as facts, as facts they were WRONG!!!


FYI... I have been dealing with Verizon Wireless' customer service for the past 2 hours... so sorry...

[Oakman]

Originally Posted by puff

I am sure this thread will start some debate. I am looking up upgrading my truck. So here are the facts. 36' 5th wheel, 15,000lbs, the truck is going to be a 1 ton or better. I like my Chevy but the Ford and Dodge also look interesting. It will be a diesel and the box will be turned into what I call a western hauler box.

Having said all this I am wondering if I should stick with a standard or auto. I drive truck for a living so banging gears does not bother me at all. Input from others out there would be nice..!

What do you want to drive, stick or automatic. Buy what you prefer. Personally I don’t like stick shift, especially when driving through a major city with traffic slowdowns or in a two mile line of traffic inching along as you approach a traffic accident.

[jeeplj8]

I think everyone should be able to agree that manual transmission have certain advantages from mechanical simplicity and maintenance standpoint. They have less moving parts to go wrong and lubricate. For some drivers, they can offer more control. However the market has shifted away from manual transmissions.

I truly miss my old Dodge 5.9 6 speed manual. I loved shifting my own gears and the torque curve (or complete lack thereof) made is so simple to drive in traffic. I would love to have one again.

However the computer controls on the newer automatic transmissions gives the driver a great deal on control over the way the transmission works. And they are more efficient than they used to be which means there is very little difference in overall efficiency.

Sounds like you have decided to go automatic for the same reasons most people end up going automatic, they are just plain easier to drive.

Sorry for trying to smooth oil on troubled waters. We can now begin the flame war on which brand is better...

[avolnek]

Dodge!!!

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by avolnek

Tractor trailers are NOT the same you are correct... but if there wasn't any benefit behind having a manual transmission why on earth would someone driving a rig designed to pull regularly choose to have a manual? Would it have anything to do with the reasons I suggested earlier? I would have to think so...

I simply posted the link proving that it isn't IMPOSSIBLE as you stated to get one... Also, no where was it stated he was looking for a brand new pickup, simply said he was looking to upgrade from a 1997...

simply put your "opinion" was not expressed as an opinion but as facts, as facts they were WRONG!!!


FYI... I have been dealing with Verizon Wireless' customer service for the past 2 hours... so sorry...

I qualified my statements by saying "pretty well" which means close to or almost.

Anyway, it's all good as these places are suppose to elicit differing opinions and suggestions.