Stick or Auto

Foothill Rancher · Aug 21, 2008

Had my Dodge Ram in the dealership for some work, while waiting for it I took a look at a couple of new 08 trucks on the lot, saleswoman came out to ask if I needed help, we talked and she offered me what I thought was a very good deal, question is the truck has a six speed trans with the cummins engine. My last truck was a auto but the only auto trans truck I've every owned. I'm not sure how tough the manuel trans are now adays. What are everyone's thoughts on the six speeds, it will be towing up to 14000lbs on all types of different terrains, not just highway driving.
Comments please.

Diamondpilot · Aug 21, 2008

I am a boat dealer and never recommend a stick to any of my customers. Most of the boats I sell are 10,000# plus so they are large units. I have seen way too many burnt clutches on the ramp. That being said if I were buying a Cummins powered truck in the past the only way I would have had it was with a stick but they now have the new auto that is up to par with GM and Ford autos. I guess it will just be a matter of preference.

Chris

em14 · Aug 21, 2008

As much as I have liked the "Control" I had over my trucks with a manual transmission I have not owned a manual transmission truck in a long time. IMHO I think you have better control with an automatic. I feel you are easier on the truck in rough off road conditions with the automatic than with the manual. I sure enjoyed shifting gears but I think my trucks are better off now.
Leo

MFRED · Aug 21, 2008

If you like a stick, that's the way to go. My '03 Dodge has over 160k on it , tows everyday. Maybe a little heavier than it should. I did put a South Bend clutch in it at 105,000. About 1,000 miles before, I decided that it wouldn't hurt to tow on performance mode on the chip. One long hill lugging in 6th and there was the clutch slippage. To replace this truck, standard. The drive to work, that one's an auto.

weldingisfun · Aug 21, 2008

2001, 2500, 4WD, Cummins, 6 Speed manual and 110K miles . I'll only get an auto when Dodge mates the Cummins with an Allison, or in other words when pigs fly.

crashz · Aug 21, 2008

I think I'd lose my license if I had a new Cummins with the six speed manual transmission. Either that or I'd go broke putting tires on it. My vote would be for the stick for the fun and possible abuse factor.

WilliamBos · Aug 21, 2008

stick.

bigtiller · Aug 21, 2008

My new GMC has both - kind of. Put it in "D" for automatic or "M" for manual and then push a button to change gears.

Egon · Aug 21, 2008

when pigs fly.

Darned, I've yet to see pigs fly but my 12 year old Dodge diesel with the original auto seems to have held up to quite a few miles of towing thats been above the limits.

Do these pigs fly at night??

Farmwithjunk · Aug 21, 2008

2 of 'em in my driveway. '03 Dodge 2500 Cummins/auto/4wd w/122.000+ and '04 Dodge 2500 Hemi/auto/4wd w/96,000+. Both spend a lot of their time with (heavy) loaded trailers behind them. Neither have had the first issue with tranny. If I bought another tomorrow, not a doubt in my mind it'd be ANOTHER automatic.

That said, from what I know of them, the 6-speed manual is tougher'n a $2 steak.

Egon · Aug 21, 2008

Who likes tough steaks??

coobie · Aug 21, 2008

I have the Auto 48re tranny in my 2004 dodge cummins diesel and love it.I cheated a little though,I had a Goerends brothers(st lucas Iowa)Valve body and torque converter and some other do-dads installed when the truck was new,I can tell you this it makes it feel like a whole different tranny.coobie

Ryan03 · Aug 21, 2008

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.

3RRL · Aug 21, 2008

bigtiller said:
My new GMC has both - kind of. Put it in "D" for automatic or "M" for manual and then push a button to change gears.

Ditto for my Chevy Silverado. 6 speed Allsion tranny is great!
I've found they are way too handy to go back to the manual trannies for what I tow.

Foothill Rancher · Aug 22, 2008

Thanks guys, alot of good info.
Let me reword this for another answer, if you were offered a very good deal on a truck and the only thing that was different than if you were going to order with everything that you wanted was the stick instead of the auto, would you buy it?
I have only owned two auto trans in my life but I do like them and if I were to order a truck thats what I would probably get (although when I bought my current truck I was very uneasy about the auto) if the salewoman would not have saw me I would not be asking this question. I am a tightwad by nature and this seems like a very good deal due to the price and the fact that the 09's will be out in a couple of weeks and I do not like the looks of them at all.

Crash101 · Aug 22, 2008

Foothill Rancher. I've put a lot of miles on a lot of trucks, (like many of us here) and at present have a 2005 dodge Cummins with the 4 speed auto transmission. this truck has provided me more satisfaction than any I've previously owned and can't imagine going back to brand X (either of them). I preferr to shift manually but have the automatic because when we're on the road I'm half of the driving team, and my wife much preferrs the automatic.
I believe it really boils down to where you would be driving, I wouldn't want to wear out my clutch foot in LA traffic, but out in the country where it can be put in gear and left there, that manual seems mighty appealing. I wouldn't consider one over the other for reliability reasons. The Dodge auto 4 and now 6 speed is a solid and reliable as anything out there. The only thing one should consider is resale, but then again use that as barganing power for the purchase. Sorry for using so many words to just say BUY IT!

3RRL · Aug 22, 2008

I guess that depends on how YOU feel about it.
Is the manual/auto tranny a big deal to you or not? In my personal opinion and experience, there are some things I just have to get/have and they are worth it to me. In your case, if the auto tranny was one of those things, I would not buy it without one because you will be kicking yourself in the butt for the whole time you have it. If it's not, go for it.
I'm a cheapskate to a degree myself, but I've learned there's just some things I don't skimp on anymore. If I buy something that gives me some degree of frustration knowing that I passed on what I really wanted, I've made a mistake. Speaking for myself, it's just not worth it to live like that and I won't do it any more. That is not to say I won't make sacrifices in other areas, but they are not as deep rooted as some other "must have" things. I hope you get what I'm trying to say? This is a question you have to answer yourself, I guess.

mjncad · Aug 22, 2008

I have a 5-speed manual in my 1999 Ford F-250 with the V-10. I prefer a manual for the control factor (no automatic speed creep on down grades).

I drove a new Dodge Ram with a Cummins and 6-speed manual about 3 to 4 years ago. Nice rig; but I had trouble finding 6th gear, and so did my friend. The truck's owner laughed at us and said he went through the same learning curve. Hopefully Dodge has tweaked the tranny since then,

Foothill Rancher · Aug 22, 2008

3RRL said:
I guess that depends on how YOU feel about it.
Is the manual/auto tranny a big deal to you or not? In my personal opinion and experience, there are some things I just have to get/have and they are worth it to me. In your case, if the auto tranny was one of those things, I would not buy it without one because you will be kicking yourself in the butt for the whole time you have it. If it's not, go for it.
I'm a cheapskate to a degree myself, but I've learned there's just some things I don't skimp on anymore. If I buy something that gives me some degree of frustration knowing that I passed on what I really wanted, I've made a mistake. Speaking for myself, it's just not worth it to live like that and I won't do it any more. That is not to say I won't make sacrifices in other areas, but they are not as deep rooted as some other "must have" things. I hope you get what I'm trying to say? This is a question you have to answer yourself, I guess.

I agree with you 100%, I guess where I'm coming from on this I will turn sixty in a month and I find the hills around my ranches seem to be getting steeper and steeper all the time, I keep my trucks 10 to 15 years normally, might be an age thing but I wonder if in 10 years or so I might have a problem with the stick, if I was 30 or 40 I would have already bought this truck but as I get older I find my thought process has changed, good?bad? don't know but I like you will not skip on something that I really want anymore as I did when I was younger. Maybe turning 60 is bothering me but I didn't know it until this truck deal came about.

3RRL · Aug 22, 2008

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.