Manual vs automatic transmission?

[DonC]

I am probably going to get a new truck before I get a FWC. I've never hauled this much weight and I may also use the truck to tow a small boat. I've been driving for 35 years and have never had an automatic, even in my trucks. I'm been thinking it might be nice to finally get an automatic, but I'm not sure of the pro's and con's. I will get another 4x4 because I like exploring desert roads, and I know for off-road a manual is always preferred (at least by me).

Thoughts, considerations, recommendations?

 

[Gerdo]

My 4runner is a manual. I tow a 2000# trailer. Other than going slow thru the Colorado mountains, due to lack of power at high altitudes, The manual does great. Around Denver I do rev the engine a little more but not much. The FWC doesn't weigh that much. Are you thinking a small truck or a fullsize truck? I wouldn't be too concerned about running a manual. Manual trans vehicles have more usable power, you loose power with a slushbox. The manual doesn't need a trans cooler either.

 

[pods8]

If you don't mind shifting all the time then a manual usually wins for efficiency, durability, low maintenance. However they are harder to find so unless you're buying new your options are limited and resale is usually more limited (however sometimes people will search them out as well so results vary).

Although I can drive a manual fine I tend to leave them for the sporty cars, I'm 60/40 towards an auto personally just for ease of use (I do have to deal with some traffic while around town). However I wouldn't pass a manual up in the right truck.

 

[Blair]

I have a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4. I factory ordered it with the 6 spd manual. I had to wait 6 months to get it, but I think it was worth the wait. The problem is now it's next to impossible to find manuals. It's not offered anymore by anyone in a 1/2 ton truck. I saved over a thousand dollars in purchase price by going with a manual. I have yet to have to do a brake job, brakes last way longer with a manual. My truck has close to 100K Km's on it. I have had it for over 6 years now and live in a mountainous area. I work with guys who have HD diesels and they are always having problems with there automatic transmissions. I say get a manual if it's available in the truck you are going to buy.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I really like the automatic in my Toyota. (Every other vehicle I have owned was a manual.)

Hard core off roaders will often go with an auto. I am not a hard core off roader, so I am not sure on the details of that. Maybe easier to go slow and crawl along?

Gas milage is better with the new autos versus a manual. The auto keeps the engine in the sweet spot.

 

[JohnF]

A lot depends on the operator - but - if you are looking for generalities:

Most truck manufacturers set higher tow rating for automatic equipped trucks. The automatic transmission has a torque converter that acts like a shock absorber.

As for preference in hard-core off-road: Its a beeeoootch when hard pitch/camber and you have to shift; pushing the clutch effectively freewheels the vehicle.

All that said, I've driven big farm trucks loaded heavy with triple axles and manual transmissions and if you ever see a person that can creep the tough stuff with a manual transmission it is a thing of beauty. (those I've seen usually have an underdrive)

I have a 99 1/2 F250 Superduty that for some reason (there was a short period Ford did this) did not have a transmission cooler in radiator and needed 40+ MPH for the air cooler to be effective. Guess how I found out? 30 MPH (the speed limit!) climbing here in the Rockies with the 5th wheel.

 

[Lighthawk]

I know lots of folks love their manual trannys.
I find that I am often fooling with the map, the phone or managing photo equipment and really don't need more controls to drive the truck. It works better for me to have an auto. I can focus on what I am there to do, and less on shifting the truck. I may give up a few miles per gallon, but that's me.

 

[pods8]

I work with guys who have HD diesels and they are always having problems with there automatic transmissions.


I think this is more a symptom of folks being naive or not paying attention to what their trans and temperatures are doing. Auto doesn't just mean set it and forget it, esp. in the mountains. Get some temperature monitoring going on your trans and dump out of gears as needed. Autos let you lock out gears for a reason. Mountains really highlight these situations and if you've ever looked at a trans fluid temp curve verse transmission life it will take a lot of like off a transmission if you run it hot.

 

[chnlisle]

After 35 years in the transportation biz driving heavy stuff with manual tranny's I love my CTD with an auto trans. Having said that, if I were to do it again I'd get a manual for the simplicity of it.

 

[Bisleybud]

When I was young and full of P&V I loved my sticks.Now that I am old I love my Allison auto !!!

 

[UglyScout]

After driving only manual transmission trucks for years - then getting a automatic --- I'll never go back to a stick unless it a very specific truck for a specific reason.

I've been towing 8,000 pounds around for the last 7 years with automatics and it just makes it so much easier, smoother, nicer, more relaxing.

 

[tk254254]

Lots of good input on this thread. One big issue for me is will this be a daily driver? Auto sure is nice if it's the rig you regularly drive. I only drive my pickup when I'm hauling something. So I wish I could have found a manual, but I couldn't.... Had to go with what I found a good deal on.

Around here (Oregon), people tend to hop up their diesels and then they wonder why they are going through transmissions left and right. Becomes the weakest link.

Just my $0.02

 

[dsrtrat]

I spend quite a bit of time on backcountry roads both with a manual transmission 4 Runner and my Chevy 1500 automatic with ATC Panther. After doing the same route with the manual as the auto I find that the extra work with the manual just leaves me that much more worn out. I am 5 to 6 hours behind the wheel a day and all the extra shifting really gets to be a drag. I also like the fact that in deep sand and mud the auto seems to always have the correct gear.
When I am on tight twisting two track in deep sand I would rather have both hands on the wheel rather than one on the shifter.
Dsrtrat

 

[MarkBC]

I like the automatic because it makes it easier -- and safer -- to eat and drink while driving in traffic.

I wish I'd gotten the auto in my Honda Civic -- I spend a lot more time in traffic with that daily driver. Next time...

 

[craig333]

Because my trucks a daily driver I like the auto but if it wasn't a daily I'd prefer the manual. At least my Jeep has a manual so I can get my fix when I need it.

 

[leadsled9]

I've had manual transmission 4X4's my entire life until the last two vehicles. I am now a big auto tranny fan. Getting old I guess.

 

[Gerdo]

One big thing that I like about a manual trans is when climbing mountains, YOU get to pick the gear and the trans doesn't hunt for the right gear.

 

[LuckyDan]

Thoughts, considerations, recommendations?

I think the answer to auto or stick is a function of availability and mission. If your searching the recently used market, auto vs manual availability is something like auto to manual 7 to 1. In the brand new market some mfg's don't even offer a manual anymore.

I'd consider your core mission or "focus" and "operating arena" for the truck. If the focus is to have a weekend fun buggy to haul your camper and boat to lake and run around in the woods then it's probably up to your personal preference. Both will do the job and unless or personal situation allows you to deploy the fun buggy daily you may never have enough duty cycle to reach a failure rate. I personally own a 5 speed manual pickup and haul my Grandby/15 foot outboard just fine. I've also hauled the camper on a trailer behind my wife's auto equipped Expedition loaded with people over the Cascades to the coast a couple of times and it did just fine. If the focus is a fun buggy/daily driver/commuter and you have a lot of stop and go traffic it's hard to beat an auto and probably will experience longer service life of that component. If your operating arena requires a lot of pulling grades or mountainous driving I'd buy a stick. You'd be hard pressed to find log truck or cow hauler around here with an auto. We're pretty short on rock crawler types around my neck of the woods but we have a few off road racers, (think Baja 1000 type) and they are almost exclusively purpose built automatics.

Based on my experience with my place of employment's commercial fleet, unless you fall in the stop and go category or have a health issue that precludes operating a clutch buy a manual if you can find one. In a forty something vehicle fleet that ranges from 1/2 ton supervisor trucks to 80,000lb+ lowboy's and including a couple specialty 6x6 off road trucks, the transmissions rarely break. When we do have a transmission issue though, it's usually with the auto equipped trucks.

If you do go auto I'd look for a truck with the factory camper or towing package. These typically came with a heaver duty cooling system/transmission cooler.

Good luck and happy shopping.

 

[LuckyDan]

I like the automatic because it makes it easier -- and safer -- to eat and drink while driving in traffic.

I wish I'd gotten the auto in my Honda Civic -- I spend a lot more time in traffic with that daily driver. Next time...


So your suggesting I'm safer while driving in Bend because of Honda -w- manuals?

Another reason I miss Arvards (sp?) cafe in Bend. I could eat, drink and after a few drinks they would'nt let me drive.

Hyjacking finished

 

[pods8]

One big thing that I like about a manual trans is when climbing mountains, YOU get to pick the gear and the trans doesn't hunt for the right gear.


You can do that with most autos as well, esp. with the newer electronic stuff. The main difference is if your are unaware you need to pick the right gear and just let an auto downshift to climb on its own w/o turning off the higher gear you'd cook them. That said if you understand what you're supposed to do they perform just fine.