As most of you know I am looking to trade in my current truck and was wondering if I should look for one with a M/T. Sometimes when I get on it in my current truck it down shifts and redlines when I would have done much better staying in the original gear, I also think I could get better mileage since I can shift to keep the rpms low since with the 4 speed there is such an rpm gap between shifts. Problem is that I pull a trailer to work everyday and back into a lot of driveways, I am thinking this could be aggravating. I have had m/t's before but never in a big diesel. It is also a plus that it can handle more power for my edge upgrade and would be cheaper to beef up if I felt the need later on.

 

This is one of those things that can get argued back and forth. In the end, all that matters is you get what you want! The guys with auto say that's better for what you're looking for, and the guys with the manual say that's better. For what it's worth, I love my manual--but I knew I would! I've always hated how/when autos shift, and I'm averaging nearly 22 mpg per tank (with 95% highway). The couple times I've pulled, it has been a little frustrated reversing in tight places because I know I'm burning the clutch a little. Good luck...

 

I know what your saying, I guess what I was really asking is for the guys who do some pulling do they regret it. I know I will drive it and love it but how will I like it after a week of towing. I guess I will know when I test drive it, if I do.

 

I'm the same as Otis. Once I get my truck (just waiting on college finances to be finalized before taking the leap of a truck) I want a manual. but that's because my wrangler si stick and my old f150 with teh 300 I6 is stick. My dad's ram 1500 rcsb 4x4 with 4.7 is stick. only my moms ford escape is an auto. and it sux. So for me I love driving stick. Otis brings up a good point with backing up in tight spaces where clutch wear can happen from riding the clutch. but other than that I love stick shift. and plus big trucks need to be stick or it just really doesn't have that big truck feel to me.

 

I went with a friend this past friday lookin at new dodge trucks...cummins of course....all they had were AUTOS. no manuals in sight....that included the front lot and back storage area.

 

i have an auto and im still kicking myself for not getting the manual. I really dont feel that strong about the dodge auto trannys as i have seen way to many of them go out. They just cant handle the power. Does anyone know if they fixed the oil pump flow on the generation 3? I know on the first and 2nd generations when you set in park the tranny would not pump any oil and that was causing them to burn up.

 

I love my manual, but there a few things that would be better with an auto: Traffic isn't funwithany manual, you can't really drag race (if you're in to that), and I think all the new 6spds are geared very low, so even with 3.73 gears, your equivilant gearing is an auto w/4.10s (fuel mileage). Now, manuals are much less likely to break (a notorious DC problem) and keeping it in higher gear helps improve mileage (I get about 21MPG unloaded).

On a side note, why would your clutch be burning in reverse? It seems that reverse is pretty close to first and you shouldn't have to ride the clutch, butI don't tow anything larger than a 26ft RV so I could be wrong.

 

I think that a stick is the only way to go. I have had both and the milage alone is great but not thinking about how to drive itis the best. I got a CTD to ride in not to drive. With an auto I had to drive it. I live in the rockies and with the auto and towing I could hold 75 mphbig hill no problem .... but at the cost of running my truck at 3000 rpm. I couldn't do it. I would turn off the cruise and let it pull down until it was around 2000 rpm then hit the tow haul mode and pull the rest of the hill.

Now with my stick I just ride. I put my truck'scruise control onand go... no down shift just ride. It is hard for me to believe how hard it will pull with no problems. It is well worthreplacinga clutch every 100000 miles or so. I have 53000 on it now. I don't really know when I will be replacing my clutch but I don't think it will be for a while.

 

Depends on what you want it for. I bought mine because I like all the low end speed and torque. I don't haul anything with it. I drove both and bought the auto. The manual will last longer and get better milage but the auto really lets you feel the power especialy if you mod it up some.

 

I have a auto and I love it. A manual would be nice once in awhile. But driving thru the mountains and in the woods is nice when you can hold your coffee and drink it too. It comes down to personal preference.