I'll say. It's slim pickins. I live in Houston and this was the nearest 2010 available, 400 miles away in rural Louisiana. The only pickups for sale here are automatics and crew cabs. Gag. I'll buy an import before I buy a crew cab.

 

Yeah it's YOU...lol.

Seriously though, nice truck there CF!


You know, I'm not ready to buy, as I stated earlier in another post, I had been planning to buy around 12' or so, but if a few things go a little bit better than I forecast (I'm quite conservative minded and don't just throw money around that I don't have), I just might be able to swing a truck identical to your own by year's end.. That really is a sweet looking truck..

How many want to place odds on me being able to find one though if it turns out I can swing it by that time? So much for no demand huh?

 

It is obvious that when only the most durable and long lasting transmission choice will suffice, a manual is the option. Otherwise we would see heavy duty towing, semi diesel trucks also offering an automatic transmission option. Can't say I have seen one lately. I have a 1967 Ford 4spd manual trans with a 289 V8 that is 43 years old and has hundreds of thousands of miles on it. True that it has never been subject to towing loads. However is has never required a rebuild, just simple clutches and gear oil changes. Now that is ROI and long term durability not possible with any auto.

 

This pretty much solidifies me not buying another superduty from ford. My next truck will now be a dodge with the cummins and manual. Though, I would rather have a gasser n manual. As was stated earlier,i am one of those who has an automatic in the driveway who wishes he bought a manual. People tell me that the torque shift is better than my 4r100, but i didnt like it either.

 

They are EVERYWHERE! I can think of a couple OTR carriers that only have autos. I drove a '99 Freightliner with one a year and a half ago.

Every modern military truck I've ever seen is an auto as well. Including the entire FMTV family as well as the older HEMTT trucks. The latter two use Allison automatics tied to heavy duty turbodiesels.

I once had an owner/operator try to sell me his '05 Volvo VN780. Had a 15 liter Cummins ISX motor and a 12-speed automatic. With 700,000 miles on it. Never had a transmission problem!

 

Yep, that's my plan B for sure too 92F150I6, and no shame in it either.

Just like the rest of us, Ford has to face consequences for their decisions.

There IS demand for the product - if they won't supply one - someone else will..

I'm sure the auto works just fine for most of these buyers, but it won't work for me..

 

you think that's hard to find in white...

try Grey ;-)

 

Thanks but I think I took the last one out there and they're not being made anymore. If you hurry you might be able to build one up from a fleet truck or chassis/cab. If I was in your shoes and buying in a year I'd have to bite the bullet and get a Dodge/Cummins/manual. But that purchase delay is gonna cost big time.

 

This reminds me of the tow truck driver who hauled my brother's broke intrepid home one day. He was griping about the lack of muscle cars at the time. He said I finally got money for a new car and there's nothing to buy. Of course, now, he ought to be in heaven with the camaro and challenger back. At any rate, I like rowing gears. I love a 13 speed in my big trucks. Having said that, work only buys small trucks with autos now and even the big trucks are coming that way. They griped bc it cost 3k to rebuild a heavy duty manual after 10 years of stop and go driving. The auto trucks don't make it that long and get scrapped out bc when their trans quits, it's more than the worth of the truck to fix. I'm not anti auto don't get me wrong, if i were building a mud truck, it would have a c6 because you don't have a clutch for mud to pack in. But, I'm not going to shell out for a brand new truck unless it's gonna be exactly how I want, and how I want is a stick and mfwd. If that is not there, I'm not buying. At least there are plenty of good used vehicles out there. If I have to buy old/restored from now on, then fine.
ETA: Old vehicles are exempt from E check too!

 

Your more than welcome CF, that truck is beautiful.

It's sad in my opinion to see the end of an era in our trucks, and the thoughtlessness of so many who are indifferent to seeing it go, is evidence to me that they were never a part of it to begin with. I am sentimental yes, but also logical. Guys, I really have nothing against the new age automatics they have now, these transmissions are quite strong and capable. But truth be known, the stick not only has advantages, and gives a superiority complex, but it's also just down right - right. It FEELS right.

It's a part of who we are as individuals, it's not just a transmission.. Okay this is getting a bit hokey, even for me, but frig if it is'int true. It's so HARD to convey this to those who just don't feel it.. More than brand, more than engine, more than tonnage, that manual transmission just makes you feel connected. Your not just an owner, your a driver - a skilled one, who enjoys driving enough - to master the best there is.

Manuals have clear advantages - all of them well known, even if ignored or downplayed. But it's not just that about the manual, it is a piece of you. You might get listed as "troll" or whatnot, just because your honest. Some people just don't get it, or feel it.

Ford is wrong for eliminating this. I know there are a TON of people who love cars and trucks, but don't really like DRIVING who will disagree and give stats for this or that, and make every justification in the world - but none of that changes anything.

Not to be disrespectful, but I for one, don't give any creedance to the opinion of a guy who owns a 4x4 crew cab that never sees a day of work, for why it's right that I can't and should'int have the option of a manual transmission in a truck that I know damn well I will use for serious work on a daily basis - probably to fix something or install something for him.

The manual transmission is about the closest thing that a driver will feel to "the force" - a connection. This is funny yes, but say it ain't so? It IS so.

I know about taking the hit on the Dodge CF, I had another guy in competition forum telling me some dude would hook me up in his area, etc, etc. guess he did'int see that I'm just NOT ready to buy now. I could - yes, but if I do and things don't go right, I have a payment I can't make. I'd rather afford more later that I can, than chance something now by leveraging my kids meals on it.

Pisses me off that so many know it alls leveraged their homes at 125% for frivilous things - and now the responsible must pay as well when things become tight (Imagine that, leveraging an asset that gains value every year at 125% for liabilities which depreciate daily and which they could'int afford without the loan which provided the ability to provide for that backward logic,..but what do I know, I love manual transmissions)

Sounds like a nice truck Tex..

 

Oh and I agree hokie, I'm going to rebuild a few of each of the old trucks - end to end, and probably will be adding a Dodge diesel to the collection - though I don't need a diesel.

 

The first and hopefully last 4x4 crew cab I drove was 33 years ago, a GSA mid-'60's International Harvester. Very stiff frame, springs way too stiff, all metal interior except for stiff heavy vinyl seat covers. More comfortable outside than inside. It was so primitive it was used only when we needed its 4x4 crew cab features, which was rarely. IMO the majority of 4x4 crew cabs today serve their duty not much different than a mini-van, or at least justified that way to pass the wife test. Much of the SUV and mini-van crowd has shifted to this platform. Take that away and the pickup market shrinks drastically. Take that away and the old product mix would still be in force: the older platforms would still be in production because there would be no product development budget. When the old mini-van/SUV crowd with their new 4x4 crew cabs eventually move on to another platform, the true pickup market will be decimated.

 

Yes I did see that you say you're NOT ready to buy now. My point in that thread was that you've done nothing but complain about this issue. If you're so bent on having a manual and you want a Ford, this is your last chance to get one before the 2011 trucks come out. It was only a suggestion and trying to help you out if you wanted to try to get one of the last Ford manual transmission trucks.

The other point of that post was the fact that you said that manual transmission trucks don't stay on the lot because they're snatched up as soon as someone sees them. These trucks have been on the lot for quite a while now without being sold while the automatics have been moving out on a regular basis.

 

Every time this topic comes up, it cracks me up when people say the manual would have sold better if Ford had just made it available. I think you are all fooling yourselves.

You could have ordered a truck with a manual from any dealer at any time. IF you ever actually bought a new truck, which for most of you is very doubtful.

To say Ford never put enough of them on the lots means you think the dealerships are too stupid to stock what sells. Believe it, the sales managers know what equipment sells fastest, and they bend over backward to try to have what the public wants in stock. They would be fools to do otherwise, and experience has taught them that a manual will sit on their lot for too many days.

Just face facts. You are in a shrinking minority of qualified new truck buyers. And if you're not a new truck buyer, Ford doesn't much care what you think or want.

 

I have bought only NEW for the last 30 years. I AM a new truck buyer and Ford still doesn't care what I think. They won't get my money the next time around.