Stick or Auto

[Foothill Rancher]

Well Randy, I see you do understand what it was I was trying to say.
And that is because we are about the same age so maybe a little experience goes a long ways?
Actually, you are way older than me (by a year), but if I was as old as you are, there would be no question what I would get. I just take out the old pencil and paper and write down what each model I'm looking at has. I make a note of the points that are of most interest and make sure what I buy has those features. In the end, when you get older like us, it's OK to "treat" yourself for a change too. We have been around the block a couple times and paid our dues, right?

Not only that, but if the old lady ******* about it, tell her you just don't care. After all, it's not like that hasn't happened before. And if she threatens to leave you, just tell her "go ahead, do me a favor".
Now you know I'm only kidding you about that, so don't take it seriously! But really, I'm sure the wife would agree with you on your decision because comfort and peace of mind is just as important as performance and reliablity at our age.

Thank you Rob, you know, thats exactly what I'm going to do, been looking on the internet just now and going to another dealer tomorrow to try both trans.
By the way, beings us old folks have been around, I did try the "go ahead, do me a favor", I don't have to ask her ok on this if you get my drift.

 

[Egon]

Driving both is a wise move.

 

[Charlie175]

I have the Dodge 5 er... 6 speed manual, I say that because 1st is rarely used unless I am towing something. What rear end does it have? Mine is low geared so I am hitting 6th at about 40mph.
If I am pulling I prefer the manual, if I am in town or city casual driving I prefer the auto....I would like to try a Dodge 6 speed auto, I hear they are holding up well. Local Dodge is advertising a new 08 quad cab, cummins, auto, short bed for $32k which is a great deal. Seems Dodge is offering some huge discounts.

 

[Foothill Rancher]

The truck has a 3.73 rearend, I live in a small town, alot of the driving will be between town's that are 7 to 10 miles or longer apart, no city driving if I can avoid it, I will also still have my auto truck.
The price you mention is very close to what they offered me, the prices are very close to what I paid 13 years ago and is the reason I'm looking at this very hard, my other truck is in very good shape.

 

[Charlie175]

I have the same rear end. I find that anything above 62 mph the fuel mileage drops offs quickly as it turns above 2000 RPM.

I like sticks and it shifts fine for me, I do have a brain fart on occasion trying to find 6th....but my wife refuses to drive it due to the stick....

My brother got a 07.5 (I think) mega cab with the 5.9 4 speed Auto. He has pulled some heavy loads with it and it has done well.


So it's a toss up!

Good luck with what ever you get.

 

[mwb]

Sounds like you got interested in the truck because of the good price; how much more would it cost to upgrade to auto? If you take the exact truck and add 2k, 3k ? for auto is it still a great deal? I think dealers will be eager to sell you what you want for a good price. It's a buyers market, good time to get exacly what you want (like a FORD!)

 

[Charlie175]

forgot to add:
You are correct about the price, I was shocked as I paid that 3 years ago for a used 05' model....

 

[QRTRHRS]

For most people buying a diesel, I recommend the auto. I have replaced lots of warn out diesel clutches for folks who are new to stick shift diesels. If you shift gears and always use the clutch, especialy in city driving, around 75 to 100k is the norm that I see. If you are a cdl licence holder, chances are you know how to grab gears smoothly with out using the clutch, and may be able to reap the slight mileage and initial cost benefit from purchasing the manual while still getting 200 or so k out of the clutch and throw out bearing. IMO, the extra low end torque of the diesel over say a 5.4 triton or 6.0 GM gas engine requires a much more experienced feel for the clutch, because many times I feel diesel newbies dont realize how hard they are riding the clutch on take off with a loaded trailer because it takes so much more force to lug the turbo diesel down compared with a gas engine of similar displacement. No throttle at all is the preferred way of take off under most situations with a stick diesel, and personaly, 95% of the time I only use the clutch for stopping and starting. That being said, my Duramax has an Allison auto behind it. The only time I like to grab my own gears is when I am flogging the Muncie Rock Crusher 4 speed in my big block chevelle. I guess it depends on your own skills and personal preference which trans is best for you.

I do not know about the other two but when it comes to a Dodge manual transmission, I was under the impression that it is hard on the syncro's (or something) to shift without using the clutch?

 

[Foothill Rancher]

Drove both trucks today, the stick is very nice, lot of control over the truck, I am a bit rusty with a stick but it is very smooth, I did have a problem finding a couple of gears.
The dealer I went to today is in a larger amount of traffic and the auto was much easier to handle, it also is very smooth, it has been beefed up for the 6.7 cummins, with it you just watched the traffic and did'nt have to worry about watching what gear your in or watching the tach.
Most of this dealers stock was auto, I asked the saleman about the trannys and he said that from what he's seen either trans is about equal.
The auto is $1500 more and the truck that I looked at today has a sticker price a couple hundred dollars less than the first truck at the other dealership.
Sooo, I'm still crunching numbers but it looks like I can get the auto with everything else I was looking at for the same price or a little less at the dealership I was at today.
After driving both I have to say that stick is nice, but when it comes down to the bottom line I've been spoiled and will get the auto.
Now, can anyone tell me, should I get white or dark grey.
Thanks to all of you for your replies, when I get it I'll post picture's( if I can figure how)

 

[Foothill Rancher]

I forgot, it's about $12000 off sticker, and we are still talking numbers, my current truck is a 1997 V10, same model, new truck has many different options , if I would have gotten the cumming in 97 then these two trucks would be very close in price, another words this truck is very close in price to what I would have paid in 97.

 

[mjncad]

Dark gray would be my choice. White looks like every other contractor's truck out there.

I forgot to mention the other nice thing about a stick...few people will want to borrow it.

Until 2005, my 58-year old wife was a die hard stick fan, then she switched to an automatic due to a back problem.

I've had my truck for 9-years and in that entire time my wife has never wanted to drive it due to its size and truck tranny. After we bought 35-acres for our future abode, she wanted to try it when we last went out to the property together. She did well with the truck on the back roads; but I could tell she really doesn't like driving it.

 

[Renze]

I have seen way too many burnt clutches on the ramp.

Burnt clutches is what you get when letting the clutch do the work of the reduction gear.. !!

with a 2 speed reduction, as used on most 4x4's this doest have to happen. Some people might need to have a closer look at the operators manual

People shouldn't be using SUV's for serious hauling anyways.


In Europe, an auto transmission was something for old people and unmarried school teachers. When 90% of 1960 to 1990 USA cars had auto transmissions, in Europe it was the other way around: 90% of the 1960 to 1990 cars had a manual transmission.

The 2006 Mercedes Sprinter van, standard comes with auto transmission. With the modern auto transmissions, with greatly reduced friction, and converter lockups, they are getting closer to the fuel consumption of a manual transmission. especially in city traffic, an auto transmission can even -save- fuel because when the driver gets fatigued, he doesnt shift at the correct time anymore, and drives up fuel consumption by rev-ing the engine higher than necessary, rather than to shift to lower rpm where the engine is more efficient.

In the long haul, with a skilled driver, a manual transmission is still more efficient because an auto has more power loss.

I was under the impression that it is hard on the syncro's (or something) to shift without using the clutch?

Thats my thought too. I find it harder to shift without clutching on a synchro transmission, than on a non synchro tractor transmission. In a Zetor Crystal, you could just feel it on the stick when it was time to shift, without ever hearing a gear grind. (too bad most of these disappeared from western European fields, because people from the Eastern states offered more money for them than most models of western tractor makes )

 

[the_sandman_454]

The dealer I went to today is in a larger amount of traffic and the auto was much easier to handle, it also is very smooth, it has been beefed up for the 6.7 cummins, with it you just watched the traffic and did'nt have to worry about watching what gear your in or watching the tach.

You don't have to watch the shifter or the tach, if you've driven it a few miles. At least I've never had to do that. Just listen to it and feel it, it'll tell you when it wants to shift without ever having to look at either item, and you should eventually get to where you can simply put a hand on the shifter and tell what gear it's in by shifter position.

I recommend the stick if you can operate one. In fact I special ordered my '05 because I couldn't find a 4 door long bed with 4wd and a manual transmission.

I can't speak to how the new manual (G56 I believe) holds up. The NV5600 in the slightly older ones seems to hold up ok.

With regard to shifting without the clutch, I'd much rather replace the clutch than have to get the transmission torn apart and rebuilt when the synchros wear out or whatever.

 

[Ryan03]

You don't have to watch the shifter or the tach, if you've driven it a few miles. At least I've never had to do that. Just listen to it and feel it, it'll tell you when it wants to shift without ever having to look at either item, and you should eventually get to where you can simply put a hand on the shifter and tell what gear it's in by shifter position.

I recommend the stick if you can operate one. In fact I special ordered my '05 because I couldn't find a 4 door long bed with 4wd and a manual transmission.

I can't speak to how the new manual (G56 I believe) holds up. The NV5600 in the slightly older ones seems to hold up ok.

[With regard to shifting without the clutch, I'd much rather replace the clutch than have to get the transmission torn apart and rebuilt when the synchros wear out or whatever.]

The only way you will break a synchro practicing clutchless shifting is if you are trying to shift beyond your skill level, {dont know what you are doing}. If done correctly, most light truck transmissions can be shifted with only very light pressure exerted from the pointing and middle finger, with no grinds, or jerks. Doing this correctly takes just the right balance of road speed, throttle input, and timing with your shift. If done correctly, this will result in a smoother shift than using the clutch. The exception, at least for me, is when trying to accelerate very quickly and fly through the gears, I then use the clutch on a little truck. As far as road tractors being non synchroed, most Eaton Fuller road rangers that I am familiar with are synchroed in all forward ranges, and still the preferred way by most professional drivers to shift them is clutchless.

 

[RobertN]

I wish I had a stick. My '01 Ram2500CTD has an auto; it has been flawless so far, and has towed many heavy laods. I got it after my wife had knee surgery(she drives it fequently). One, she drives sticks fine since then. Two, she could've then.

I like to drive manuals. We just got a used PT Cruiser with the turbo and 5 speed. Tons of fun to drive I drive a fire department water tender now and then. Detroit V8 with a 10 speed . TONS of fun to drive!

Too bad I can't fit(or afford...) that 10 speed behind my Cummins. I like the torque curve on the Cummins a lot more than that Detroit...

If I got another truck, it'd be stick shift!

And, off road... stick for sure. I grew up in and around Jeep's with sticks. Only way to go off road...

If it were'nt for the cost, I'd swap wy truck to a manual.

 

[Charlie175]

I'm still trying to figure out how to shift without the clutch....I guess I need to research it.

 

[Foothill Rancher]

When your acclerating and you let of the gas it will come out of gear and you can feel it into the next gear, it just kind of sucks it in, use to do it years ago but not sure I could feel my way around with these new trans.

 

[unreconstructed]

My wife, daughter, and son all drive sticks as do I. My wife bought a Toyota Highlander a while back and although she likes the car, she still complains about not having a stick.

Never burned up a clutch in my life (knock on wood-there's always a first time).

Had on old '56 Mack gasser mixer truck. That thing was unforgiving. Duplex if I remember right.

Stick for me. I think its just a personal preference deal.

 

[QRTRHRS]

The only way you will break a synchro practicing clutchless shifting is if you are trying to shift beyond your skill level, {dont know what you are doing}. If done correctly, most light truck transmissions can be shifted with only very light pressure exerted from the pointing and middle finger, with no grinds, or jerks. Doing this correctly takes just the right balance of road speed, throttle input, and timing with your shift. If done correctly, this will result in a smoother shift than using the clutch. The exception, at least for me, is when trying to accelerate very quickly and fly through the gears, I then use the clutch on a little truck. As far as road tractors being non synchroed, most Eaton Fuller road rangers that I am familiar with are synchroed in all forward ranges, and still the preferred way by most professional drivers to shift them is clutchless.

Having more than just a few miles under my belt with RR's and more, I can shift my Dodge just fine without using the clutch.

I used to follow the Ram boards alot but I do not anymore so I cannot recall any particulars. I was hoping that someone more versed would chime in here. Meanwhile, when I am driving my Dodge, I will use my clutch and when I am driving a RR, once I get moving, I won't.

 

[schmism]

any transmission with a torque converter to burn up = not the truck for me.

i dont care how many gears it has, or how fancy the electronic control bs is on it.

manual transmission= clutch slips so bad it doesnt move.

auto = torque converter blew up, electronic control BS crapped out, valve body solenoids died, friction discs burnt up, oil cooler hose blew spewing all the automatic trans fluid all over and now doesn't move, i could go on....