Take a look at the new farm tractors(170hp+)- All selectable autos or Infinitely Variable Transmissions (IVT's). I'm old (36yrs old), tired, occasionally crippled, and slightly hard headed. I'd take a John Deere IVT with autosteer any day. I won't buy another manual shift truck but I think everyone should know how to drive one.

 

I drove the new Ford 6.7, loved the power, manual mode in trans worked good but just still not a true manual feeling to me. Drove a new Dodge 6 speed maual cummins, while down on power from the ford, the trans was the deciding factor for me. I have also always liked and had Fords, but traded in my 05 F350 6.0 6 speed for the Dodge. I also own a 2000 F350 7.3 with an auto, but for work driving in the woods, manual is for me. It would have been nice to have the option on a Ford.

 

Thanks for the reply, its nice to see another person who likes manuals.

 

Anyone else?

 

Auto defiantly I am one of the OLD people

 

No I used to have only manual transmissions but now prefer automatics. At the price of clutches which two of my friends have lost one in a dodge and one in a Ford the stick is not as much of an advantage. My friend in a 2008 Dodge was priced $3000.00 to change clutch(supposed to be special dual diaphhragm). My wife also drives the truck and prefers automatic also.

 

I see it as a matter of facts. A manual transmission is proven workhorse with small percentage of failure in comparison to automatics. That cannot be denied and really the advantage is the ability for automatics to take off from a dead stop with applying more torque to the ground. However this does rob horsepower from the engine. That is if you notice some manufacturers have slight horse power difference of rating from manual to automatic, and of course the advantage of driver comfort no one can deny that. However automatics are constantlly slipping wich builds lots of heat. and this is themain failure the light duty market has problems with. Therfore causing very expensive repairs. that more than likely could be avoided with a manual. Fact is a equally geard manual will transfer more power to ground,have less maintenance,cheaper to buy. but is missing that modern day convenience. I wish they would adapt the automated manual transmission that the heavy duty truck market uses. If you know much about it seems to be the choice of most fleets. It prevents driver abuse. but maintains reliabilty. although they do still have some electronic issues. Hey ford how about an 8 speed autoshift manual, with low gear option to get heavy loads moving and double overdrive for those long haul interstates. with plenty in between. sounds perfect to me. thats my two cents.

 

Please forgive me Big John...

In a perfect world, you may be right about the power transfer. The heat issues you reference are just not prevalent in the new transmissions. Excellent transmission coolers are standard equipment on all new HD trucks with automatic transmissions.

Please elaborate on your contention that a manual transmission would be cheaper to buy. Is your datum the past several decades when the manual transmission was "standard equipment"? If so, who paid for the manual that was only installed in a very small percentage of all trucks? Who would be paying for the development costs and all the other expenses of bringing a new manual trans to the show that is rugged enough to handle the high torque ratings of today's diesel's?

If you read this whole thread, you will know this fact already. The take rate on manual transmissions was less than 1.5%. That is 15 trucks in every 1000 sold. I would say the automatic had become standard equipment years ago. Yet, the automatic trans buyers were subsidizing the huge cost of maintaining the manual trans availability. Thankfully, that egregious error has been reversed.

Even Dodge has surrendered to the automatic trans takeover. The new HO option Dodge truck will only be available with an automatic transmission. The current Dodge manual will not handle the extra power. The new HO Dodge will eventually become the de facto standard. This will end the Dodge manual legacy.

The rest of the story...if you want a manual transmission...buy a Dodge now...wait too long and the entire window will be closed...

For the record, I have owned and driven manual transmissions for over a million miles...I would not be at all concerned if they made a manual transmission available...but the manual trans purchasers would need to pay for their option...and that cost would drop the take rate even more...likely to near zero

Regards

 

YES< i despise auto with a passion. i would buy Ford, Dodge, Chevy, or GMC with a stick if could epecially with a diesel infront of it.

 

I have to vote No!!! If I was younger with better knees I would of voted Yes but with my bad knees I just can't use a clutch anymore.

 

No I would not.

 

If you were to compare the engineering and development off both transmissions. I feel confident the manual would be cheaper. Mainly there is little electronic,software building of an ecu to control shifts. however I agree with the way the market has shifted to autos I completely see there reasoning for dropping it and the cost would not be offset by sales. I am still not convinced that an auto is more economical choice. I feel we have raised a society of drivers who are so uneducated about how there mechanical vehicles work there lucky if they can get it to start.I see so many drivers in commercial industry who really could not get a truck moving without and automatic. I personally feel if you cant first learn to saddle the horse you have no buisness riding it.That is getting off track so I,ll leave it at that. I prefer the manuals I will build my own trucks.

 

I don't think anyone would disagree on the comparative cost of development auto vs manual. But two vs one is huge cost, and extra support and long term parts mgmt are hard to justify.

And as you noted the buyers are going auto because that's where the drivers are these days.

Sam

 

in my Cobra, of course I want a stick....
in my truck, not a chance.
If there was a clear cut reason for the manual in a truck, like the auto had issues, but that's not the case anymore. The auto simply works, empty or pulling 14K lbs - my auto works flawlessly.

 

no i will sick with the auto