That would apply at a steady rate cruising speed, but stop and go driving is different. Manual transmission drivers tend to rev the engines too high between gears when accelerating.

As for towing, it still holds true. Note my example was a semi. They are not putting those transmissions in semis because the drivers want them. They really do cut fuel comsumption.

 

Redford,

I dont doubt what you are saying about semis, but they are still a cluched transmission meaning that they are locked up all the time. A auto in a truck has a torque converter that bleeds off energy all the time that it is not in lock up mode. If a guy knows what hes doing a manual should do better than an auto in the city too. I am getting 15.5MPG in the city in the winter with my 6.0 while some cant even get that unloaded on the highway with thiers.

 

[QUOTE=redford]That would apply at a steady rate cruising speed, but stop and go driving is different. Manual transmission drivers tend to rev the engines too high between gears when accelerating.

That is a very general statement. It sure does not apply to all of us handshakers. From my experience the auto must be reved up more just to get it moving. With the manual all you need to do is let out the clutch and gradually get up to speed. No need to rev the engine. I can get 15.5 mpg all day long around town.

 

It's all generalization. A good driver with a manual can beat an automatic any day, but most of the people out there are not good drivers.

Reminds me of a quote. Driving is the one thing most people out there think they do better than everyone else.

 

I'm 18 and just learning how to drive a manual in an 89 ranger. I like automatic much better. UPS is switching to automatic too, I heard the drivers knees were going out before the trucks were

 

Having both types of trannies..........Auto here. all the way.

 

I think the fuel consumption is a added benefit. Labor issues is the driving force of auto in trucks. Most of what I read in trade mags talk about more and more limited availablility of people who can drive a manual tranny in a truck (semi), therefore making autos more practical.

 

Yea Yea Reminds me of that little word "humility"

 

It's really hard to drive in traffic, talk on the cell phone and eat my burger while rowing the gears in my Super Duty. Perhaps I should have gotten an auto... :-)

Seriously though, I have always driven stick's, but the technology of modern auto's is removing the few advantages that manual transmissions have.

I have a paddle shift tiptronic in my *other* truck, and it really kicks the crap out of super duty stick.

 

You can talk about towing and gas mileage and that other stuff, but for me I would choose manual because it's just more fun to drive. I think the more you enjoy driving, the more likely you are to choose manual. People don't enjoy driving as much as they used to, so I think more and more people choose automatic just because it's more convenient.

 

I didn't only seek out a ZF6 equiped PSD for my percieved benefits of better fuel economy. I'll agree, as long as the driver does his part, (not reving too high between shifts), the manual should do better than the auto.. I believe that I do.

One of my main reasons... THE main reason I went back to a standard transmission is for longevity. I'm not convinced that automatic transmissions are durable enough behind the torquey diesels, of any flavor, as the manual transmissions are. I don't think the electronically controlled autos are near as reliable as the vaccume controled three/four speed autos of yester year.

I use a hands free headset with my cell phone when driving a stick or automatic.


I love this!!!

Reminds me of a quote. Driving is the one thing most people out there think they do better than everyone else.

Anyone that's had some track time, is by far, a better driver than many others on the road. The unfortunate thing for those of us that have had some track time, (not just straight line stuff...), is that none of us can predict what that other driver is going to do in a 'street' situation when things get crazy. On the track, we can predict, for the most part, what another driver is going to do in a given situation.

More:
Years ago I was driving on snow and ice in British Columbia at 3 in the morning. I was going down a 5% grade for a few miles. Towing an empty trailer behind my 4x4. Down the other side of the valley coming at me was a semi with trailer. SIDEWAYS. He was taking up both lanes of the road. As I stood on the binders my surge braked trailer also went sideways. Somewhere before we hit the bottom to start our ascent up the other side, we both hit the throttle and straightened out, passed side by side as if nothing had ever happened. Both of our experience told us to try.

-Steve

 

I have a 6-speed in my F350. I just bought a F150 with a 5-speed as well. I don't think I will own an auto again.

Don't get me wrong, when I was in Houston for work, I was ready to trade it off for an auto right then and there.

But I live in WY now, and there are not very many people. Most of the towns are 100 miles apart. The wind blows like a SOB. The hills and mountains as well as elevation suck a lot of power. In these conditions, the autos suck, empty or towing. They are constantly shifting back and forth and that drives me bonkers. I can leave my PSD in 6th gear on cruise control and it just goes up and down with the speedo and tach locked in position. I know several people at work who have the exact same pickup as mine, only an auto, and for the most part they all agree that in our conditions, the manuals are getting 1-2 mpg better.

I recently test drove an auto (because my PSD has had problems) and it sure was nice in town, but as soon as I drove it up the pass, I turned it around.

 

Another fact to throw into the mix, insurance comapny studies have shown that drivers with manual transmissions tend to have lower accident rates.

 

automatics are great UNTIL they tear up. then all you have is a rebuilt trans. that is going to break again........

 

"Another fact to throw into the mix, insurance comapny studies have shown that drivers with manual transmissions tend to have lower accident rates."


I had no idea.. Could it be that drivers with manual transmission actually need to concentrate on "Driving"?

-Steve