Have truck manual trannys followed the Dodo bird?

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I was listening to one of the auto talk shows on the radio the other day, and the host said you can't buy a Ford F-150 with a manual transmission. I thought...naw...that can't be.

I went online and "chatted" with someone on Fords website and they said..."We're sorry...we do not offer any trucks with a manual transmission. I'll pass your thoughts and suggestions on..."

I then did the same with Chevy and it seems they offer a very few models (of the Colorado) with a manual transmission...you can't even buy a 4x4 with a manual transmission. That's nutty to me.

Wow...have trucks been this way for a while and I'm just now realizing it? I much prefer a manual transmission, but I guess (enough) other people don't!

Ed
 
Yep, they are going away. RAM still offers it in 2500 and up, but that's it. Of course there's the Tacoma.

Manuals have been very hard to find in 1/2 tons since around 2006/2007 or so.
 
It's been like that for a while. I wanna say since 06 on the hd Chevy pickups. The half tons it's been longer then that. Ford I'm not sure. Last I knew Dodge still had a manual trans option but that's probably gone too.
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Yep, they are going away. RAM still offers it in 2500 and up, but that's it.

Manuals have been very hard to find in 1/2 tons since around 2006/2007 or so.


Thank you. Wow...that is absolutely shocking to me.

Ed
 
Given the pricing of these trucks, the extra $1000-1500 just gets rolled into the payment and people can be lazier. Since most trucks aren't really used for hauling, the reduced mass of the MT is irrelevant.

Often for towing an AT is easier, though most HD truck operators might disagree.
 
I seriously considered a manual transmission in my newest truck (Ram 3500), but the engine's power and the tow rating of the truck were greatly reduced with the manual trans.

I like manual transmissions, and own three vehicles with them currently. The truck certainly would've been cheaper (3k) with the manual transmission, but it also wouldn't be rated to do what I needed it to. I'll see if the Automatic is as tough as is claimed. So far I'm impressed with it.
 
I can't say I'm really that sad. I love manuals and almost every car I've ever owned has been a manual, but manual trucks are not very fun to drive. Especially when towing. I used to borrow a 90's manual F150 from a friend occasionally and it was more annoying than anything.
 
Searched several years for my truck, ford stopped manuals in the super duties in 2010 and they were special ordered from 2008-2010. Love mine, but good luck trying to find a low mileage diesel 4x4 there is not many out there (i didnt want a dodge). Its sad but they have been phased out. F150s are even harder to find and those are usually v6 or low end 2wd versions pre 2010.
 
They have because very few people want them. Also the ones that make the most noise saying they would buy them generally don't buy them new. Same thing with people like me demanding that GM or Ford bring over their Australian sedans with a V8 and a manual and then when GM does we don't do anything.
 
Its sad. The manual transmission is going the way of the dodo in all cars, not just trucks. My daily driver is a manual and it wasnt hard to get but I just got lucky. I went in and got the last one on the lot. The salesman said they sold the other one the day before and it would be months before any more came in. The next day he said someone came in looking for the car I just bought.
My truck is a manual and I feel like I can never get rid of it. I love it. It however is rated only to tow 2100 lbs with said manual. Thats probably why they dont offer them.That and automatics get better fuel economy now, at least on paper. Oh and people are lazy.
 
Past manual transmissions in ford and GM where so awful to shift to me and a chore that it only makes sense. It's not like they were quick easy slick shifting setups but I going from 1970-2001. Maybe past then they improved. I do enjoy manual transmissions in most recent cars except Toyota.
 
I'm kind of surprised manuals have lasted this long. The autoboxes must be a lot easier to tune for emissions since, in many ways, the transmission is in charge rather than the other way around with the manual. I'm a dyed in the wool manual lover. There will always be one around here as long as I am. "They" are already plotting our driverless future and won't be happy till we get there. Grrrr..
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
You have women like my wife that prefer driving a


That's a BMW and a car not a clunky obtuse truck transmission.....
 
After driving three Ford F250 MT's and now an automatic truck I'd never go back dailying an MT truck. Maybe there is a fun factor when rowing gears taking off from a stoplight like a ricerboi in a heavy truck but that diminishes when in bumper to bumper traffic carrying full payload.

Having the torque converter take the work instead of my left leg is so relaxing.
 
I prefer towing with an automatic. I'm always surprised to hear people preferring to tow with a manual transmission. But to each their own.
 
Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
After driving three Ford F250 MT's and now an automatic truck I'd never go back dailying an MT truck. Maybe there is a fun factor when rowing gears taking off from a stoplight like a ricerboi in a heavy truck but that diminishes when in bumper to bumper traffic carrying full payload.

Having the torque converter take the work instead of my left leg is so relaxing.


I owned a Chevy Silverado 1500 with a 4.3 V6 and a 5 speed manual. I would have preferred an automatic transmission in that truck. I bought it cheap with issues which I fixed and sold at a profit.

Originally Posted By: madRiver
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
You have women like my wife that prefer driving a


That's a BMW and a car not a clunky obtuse truck transmission.....


It's a VW
 
I've had a half dozen beater trucks all with sticks. Never an automatic, though I would prefer one. Doing stuff like backing up a load of drywall uphill on grass goes better without riding a clutch to obtain the 1/2 mile an hour desired.

Present ride is a 95 f150 6 cyl 4x2 with 2.73 gears and the cheezeball mazda tranny. 1st and Reverse are way too tall, meaning lots of clutch slippage. Tow rating is only a ton-- I looked into it and the frame, brakes etc will do a combined weight of 9k or tow near 5k if only I had a different transmission. The tranny rattles in 3rd gear and "they all do that". Most vomit their fluid through some crummy plug but mine remains full. Just a poor implementation.

Best tranny ever, oddly, was the NV1500 in my 4 cyl dodge dakota. Great feel.

As my truck is my spare vehicle, part of its reason for existence is having an automatic in the fleet in case I break an ankle or something.
 
The Rat is a toy, my wife refuses to drive it, because it aggravates her leg and back. It is my first manual shift in 30 yrs. It has 3.27 diffs
 
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