Alright, I think everyone here knows how I feel about manual transmissions.
I make no secret of it and I'm sure I'm not alone. Now I know for most the availability of a manual is a non issue - case in point, Ford did not even offer a manual with the debut of the new F150, and even now only offers the manual with a V6 regular cab 2WD and 3.08 or 3.31 gears. GM is almost as bad, no manual in their top trim levels, no manual in their 1 ton SRW 4x4, and never any manuals for the top engine in their half ton - Ford and Dodge are also both guilty of this one.

Before anyone says "there is no demand" - consider something I've noticed while surfing a few Dodge forums from time to time (yes, I'm still guilty of this), it seems there are quite a few 4.7L owners, who are only 4.7L owners for any of three reasons; 1.) They wanted a stick shift and the hemi 1/2 ton does not offer one. 2.) They wanted a stick shift but did not want to go with a 3/4 ton truck to get it. 3.) They wanted a half ton stick shift truck with a decent towing capacity and neither Ford nor GM are offering this.

Now personally, if I were in the market for a Dodge (which for my reasons I am not) - but IF I were, I'd simply opt for the 3/4 ton to get the manual since the hemi comes standard there instead of being a 900.00 upgrade like it is in the 1/2 ton - this brings the price between the two closer yet.

But it seems to me many buyers do not think this way, either the idea does not occur to them, or they simply want to avoid the extra dead weight of the 3/4 ton along with it's diminished handling - yet they still want a manual in a lighter truck and one which can still tow a decent amount of weight.

Specs (approx);

Tow cap...Dodge 4.7....Ford 4.2 (only engine available with manual)....GM 4.8
Auto.........7200 lbs......6100lbs.................................. ..................7000lbs
Manual......5640 lbs......3000lbs.................................. ..................3600lbs

Now it's a given that the F150 (especially with the 7700lb payload package) is the most heavily built and balanced half ton made, but for someone who insists on a half ton stick with a decent tow rating what choice is there besides the Ram? Also couple that fact that Ford and GM only offer 5 speeds in their half tons while Dodge has a six speed with closer ratios and lower first gear.

I may be alone here, but I doubt it - there is definately a viable market in the half ton class of trucks for six speed manuals with decent tow ratings.

 

I enjoy driving manuals, but all my vehicles(at this time) are autos. I just think the answer to your question is what you already mentioned..............no demand. People nowdays aren't taught how to drive a manual(It's a shame) and have no desire to. Therefore truck companies don't give it a thought. They just think that everyone wants an auto. Many people MY age (only 26) don't even know how to drive a stick. They will never know the joy of rowing through gears, and if new car manufacturers keep leaning towards "autos in everything" like they have been lately, the manual transmission could possibly go the way of condensers, points, coils and carburators.

 

Even though manuals are fun to drive, I would never buy another car with manual transmission for my daily driver. My Mustang is 5-speed, F-150 is automatic, Intrepid have both (auto-stick). I just can't drive 5-speed daily, especially not in downtown Milwaukee.

 

The biggest problem with manuals is the resale. The book value will be several hundreds less than an automatic but the ability to sell or trade is much greater. The manual limits your potential buyers to maybe 3 or 4% of the market. Even if Dad wants to buy your truck, he can't because Mom and the children may need to use the vehicle and they won't or can't drive the truck. The dealers realize this and won't give you a fair trade in because it may sit on their lot a long time. If you check the want ads in the paper, a lot of the private sales are for trucks with standard transmissions.

 

This is my personal preference, but I personally will not own an automatic vehicle if at all possible.

I have no need for a 1/2ton (and the fact we can't get them here kind of reinforces that), but I empathise with all of you over the lack of a manual transmission option.

 

I'm 21, and my first truck (never owned a car) was a '93 Ranger XLT, reg cab, long bed, 5 speed, and I loved driving it. I knew before I got my license that I had to get a truck with a stick. I loved it and I'm glad I learned to drive a stick. When I go buy a muscle car (MOPAR) in the future, it'll be a stick. Right now, I just have my 2000 Stroker, but for a truck I'll stick with autos. When I get a car, STICK it will be.

 

I have 2 trucks. One is a work vehicle. my personal truck is a stick shift.

I guess people are a little lazier than they used to be. Also so many of us live in areas where there is soo much traffic and I remember when there didn't used to be. And we all seen people multitasking on the way to work. Eating, shaving, reading,... beating the kids when they act up. Gotta have that free arm to that you know.
I do know one guy who ordered him a stick shift Dodge after I let him drive my truck. He had never known anyone who actually had a manual tranny truck before me.
No my wife can't drive it but we work around that.
Some people look at me kind of funny when they find out I like a manual tranny in my truck. It's probably alot like that analogy about being gay. (I am straight BTW)
If you have to ask "Why in the world would you want to do something like that?" Then it's not for you and never will be.

 

The torqueshift is hard to beat, but the 6-speed is almost indestructable.

 

I spoke to the owner of the transmission specialist here who pulled apart a ZF6, and he said it was the best built transmission he had ever pulled apart - although he wouldn't have touched any of the Dodge or GM transmissions, because we don't get them here.

 

I agree it would be nice to have a greater choice in transmissions. This is the case in most of the rest of the world. Most cars & trucks are manual shift in Europe & Asia with automatics the exception. Here in the USA people are lazy and as mentioned before, not taught to drive a manual shift because they don't have to.

It would also be nice to have a greater range of engines choices like is available in other countries. Most vehicles in Europe are available with at least 4-5 engine choices, usually 2-3 gas and at least 2 diesel.

Having said that, my recent purchase of a 2004 Exp. is the first automatic I've owned (20+ yrs of driving) excepting my wife's cars. Even though I had no choice I actually wanted an automatic for this vehicle as it's used for towing a good portion of the time. Pulling watercraft up the launch ramp is much easier with an automatic especially if the ramp is slippery. It's also much nicer when you're trying to backup into tight spaces (like camp sites) with a trailer.

In the "old days" manual truck transmissions had a very low 1st gear for starting out. This has more or less gone away leaving you with the "smoking clutch" option for starting on hills or the launch ramp.

I would have liked the choice of Gas or Diesel and manual or auto. I probably would have chosen Diesel and auto for this vehicle but who knows? I didn't have a choice.

 

The same thing is happening in passenger cars, only a little worse, IMO. My ideal car will never be sold in the US for sure. A RWD sedan with a turbodiesel, manual transmission, cloth seats, full-size maching spare, no power windows, no daytime running lights and no exploding gas bags. I just isnt going to happen because the "demand" is supposedly too low and certain legal regulations. I'll bet a few cars fitting that description are sold new somewhere on earth today, just not here.

Jim

 

I have often wondered if there is a discrepancy in at-fault accidents between those who drive a manual transmission vehicle versus those who drive an automatic. I wouldn't be talking strict numbers, but rather the percentage of drivers on the road involved in at-fault accidents (fatal or otherwise).

I suspect, although I have no data to back this up, that a smaller percentage of vehicles with manual transmissions are involved in at-fault accidents. My reasoning is that it is much harder to "multitask" in a manual than in an automatic. Although not the only factor involved, many European countries have far lower accident/death rates involving vehicles, even though, in a place like Germany, much of the autobahn is essentially unrestricted as far as speed goes.

This is not to suggest that people who choose an automatic are automatically bad drivers, I have just always been curious about the accident rates between drivers of manual transmissions, and drivers of automatic transmissions.

 

That's true of the half tons, but there are currently 3 low first gear manual transmissions available in 3/4 - 1ton trucks sold today. NV4500 5speed, G56 - 6speed, and our own dear ZF6speed.

 

From my understanding of the Ford engineers, the issue is two fold. First, there is the CAFE/emmissions rating which according to them would be lower than with an auto. I didn't say these made sense remember. And the second is warranty issues. Not everybody knows how to drive one including the folks that currently own them. I have no clue as to how many clutches they were replacing when offered on regular F-150 trucks but I can imagine since Bill Ford is cutting content across the board on their vehicles, I'm sure he is also looking to reduce warranty claims. Nothing quite so nice as a yo-yo that has burnt his clutch and is demanding replacement under warranty. Personally, Ford needs to offer as standard equipment, the 5 speed auto that they currently make for Aviator and put it in the F-150. Then maybe the F-150 will stay with a Dodge or Titan or at least be of equal value, equipment wise.

 

Flash- you're correct on both counts. Oddly, a lot of folks claim to want a manual...but defer to the Automatic when the rubber actually meets the road. A manual isn't a detriment in a HD diesel PU, but it seems to be the kiss of death on the used car lot for a 1/2T. Just my .02.