They are not really called automatics. They are called AutoShift (as in the Eaton Fuller 10 & 18 speed). Can get them with a clutch pedal or without.

 

I love my auto trans in my 04 superduty, but i hate the auto in my 02 ranger, i have had nothing but trouble with it and only 30k miles. wish i had gotten a stick in it.

 

I like a stick shift in anything I drive, but I am only 26 years old and don't mind working a clutch in traffic. I like the control and the durability of a manual transmission. I do 99% of my own maintenance and I don't like diagnosing auto tranny electronic problems. They both have their place.

i work on semi's and hate the auto's in them well at least the kind that automatically shift like a manual, constanstly up and down through the gears when not necessary. traditional torque converter style are fine.

 

Yeah...I have an automatic in my SD, I couldn't pass up an good deal on purchasing this truck. I figured it would be a good daily driver for those rush hour traffic. The manual would wear you out in the traffic. HOWEVER...I would perfer an six speed manual for traveling. With an Gear Vendor, you have better gas mileage with the six speed manual when towing.

 

My buddy Larry is an OTR trucker, He recently picked up his new '06 Peterbuilt (company gets him a new rig every two years, he's senior driver). No clutch, they all called it an automatic. Sure didn't look much different from driving my F-250.

 

My last truck was a BB Ford with an automatic. It's not that I didn't like it, but I missed the granny low of the truck that I had converted before. I still kept each truck for nearly ten years each. But I missed that low end power from the NP465 in my old 78.

So, after my Corvette burned up on the freeway, a buddy at my local dealership suggested that I needed a new truck. I liked the thought of 0% financing. He didn't have ONE manual transmission 6.0psd on the lot.

He ran dealer searches in a tri-state area for me to find one. And it still had almost every option I was looking for. (wanted, but didn't get leather...)

It was well worth the search and subsequent dealer swap to get my truck driven 700 miles to me.

I really like the ZF6spd. It's odd that the tow rating is less with this transmission than it is the Automatic. I'm told the only limiting factor is the clutch, so when my clutch wears out, I'll put the F450 upgraded clutch in.

The ZF6 is used in trucks up to 24,000 pounds with the heavy load kit. (did some research once, now I can't find that information.) The ZF6 is used in other than Fords. No re-calls on my ZF either.

Personally, I don't think a truck, a diesel, should have an automatic transmission. Ford, Dodge and GM have all had problems with automatics mated to Diesels. -Not to knock the features of the TorqueShift.

That's kinda like having a Porche with an automatic. It just ain't right.

-Steve

 

The technology in automatics today is at such a level that it is the better choice. Before people wanted a stick to control the shift points more but the autos are just as good these days. We got my wife an 07 g35x and it is an auto. In normal driving smooth and perfect shifts. In drive sport mode, that thing is a rocket. Not many people out there can shift better that that thing does for you, up and down. It's times at the track are almost identical to the manual. Pretty soon it will be unecessary for manuals.

 

I used to be one of the die-hard, row-through-the-gears types. I learned to drive in a stick shift, and that's all I owned until about 7 years ago. My first automatic was a combination of wanting to upgrade to a new truck and dealer stock. It did not take long to appreciate driving a automatic in Denver's rush hour traffic. My next truck (Lariat F-250) was the same story with the added benefit of Ford's Friends & Family program discount. By the time I got my current Harley-Davidson F-250, the fact that it was only available with an automatic didn't even bother me.

Now having said that, if the tables were reversed and I found that a new car or truck that I wanted had a stick shift in it, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

 

Semper Fi, Marines are cool. I am going into the ARNG myself. My current car is an Oldsmobile Alero(I know not a ford or truck). I looked at the OLDS. Then saw in magazine that they had a RARE manual option. I think my car is the only manual I seen. I went to the dealer ask and they had one in stock. At the time with the %, rebates ect the car gave me more then a pickup and I could not afford an SUV. Although before that I always had a truck. My next ride is leaning towars a Ford Ranger. It has to be stick for several reasons. One reason is automatic is not a truck. Also with 2-3 dollar gallon gas the manual gets more MPG. Plus I will most likely get the 4 bannger. It is the best mpg of any gas pickup. It is a tinny 2.3 and need the manual to make up for power. What is worse is that clutchless manual, paddle shifters, ect. Most semi are still manual. Manual vs Auto is like Carburators vs Fuel injection.

 

Well I guess I am a bit of a control freak. My old 97 F250 psd was an auto and the only auto truck I have owned. I sold it because of the auto. For me I have so much better control of the truck with a manual. I need to drive into the city 5 days a week and I have no problem with the stick. I can understand why so many would prefer an auto. Actually I believe 90% of drivers do not know how to drive a stick. Not properly anyway. The auto trans are so good these days that the manuals are on there way out of the market. They do not offer them in the new Chevy trucks. Dealer told me Ford would rather make only auto because it is totally controlled by the trucks computer hence no driver error. It is one of those things get what you want. The auto and manual have there good and bad it really depends on the driver. The good is nobody wants to drive my truck because of the stick. The bad is it can be work in traffic.

 

Some points I thought of. In <st1:place>Europe</st1:place> manuals are more popular then automatics. It was/is believed auto get more mpg then manual. With today’s technology it’s about the same almost better with auto. Auto shift at the right points more often. I believe that an auto can tow more due to the clutch heat. Then why are most semis still manual? Anyone driving those clutches manuals? Has ford or any company put a CVT Trans in trucks yet? Didn’t the Ford model T have pedals for the Trans gears?

 

Close, But I still don't think we're there yet. My half brother has put two auto's behind his Cummins. And I know several other people with 7.3's that have had auto troubles. Not to mention the TorqueShift issues behind 6.0's and V10's in recent years. I'll not even discuss the Allison behind the DuraIsuzu.

Show me an automatic with a 5.8:1 first gear!

-Steve

 

Actually, the automatic will now get better fuel economy. The computer that controls transmission and engine functions knows when to shift for best fuel economy, more so than the driver of a stick shift. This was one of the main reasons why they now are putting automatic transmissions (or what ever you want to call them) in semis. Fuel savings over the course of a year can be substantial.

 

From redford:
"Actually, the automatic will now get better fuel economy. "

Most of the guys on the PSD 6.0 forum are only getting 14mpg. Less when towing.

With my ZF6, I'm getting 17.5 on average, (over 50,000 miles) and have seen 22mpg on freeway runs.

Yes driving conditions and a slew of other factors affect one's fuel economy. But I've been on this forum since I bought my truck and not seen that the automatic PSD's are getting better mileage than the manual tranny guys. I also know someone else with a V10 with ZF6 that also gets better mileage than V10's with TorqueShifts.

Computers are not that smart. Not intuitive. They can't see that hill ahead. They can't possibly interpret all driving conditions as well as the driver. A driver that knows when to use what gear with a manual transmission should be able to get better fuel economy than a dumbed down driver with a 'smart automatic'. Automatic trasmissions are the least efficient part of the drive train. There is torque loss in the flow of fluids in the torque converter and fluid pump. No torque loss with a direct lockup from the engine crankshaft to the tail shaft of the ZF6.

-Steve

 

In passenger vehicles the only time that automatics are getting better Fuel economy is when they have a deeper (Lower numerically) overdrive gear. When they are the same as is the case on the SD the manuals are doing better.