How many automatic transmissions......

[GSS]

I don't understand it either. In 2001, I ordered a 1/2 ton GMC Seirra. A stick was not even available when you chose any of the V8's (except for the 4.8 for some reason). I was really upset, b/c I couldn't afford the Duramax 2500 with 6 speed. Now, after driving it for 2+ years, I wish I had splurged and gotten the Duramax. The extra power and towing capacity would be nice, but the stick is what I really miss. I can't stand this automatic...

- Gerald

[JerryG]

If I drove in town all the time, I would more than likely want an automatic. We have two identical Explorer except one is a standard and the other is a automatic. My wife drives the automatic. I had rather shift than pay more for gas. Her Explorer uses quite a bit more gas than mine.

[Corm]

I've had 6 pickups over the last 25 years. Hlaf with standard shift, half with auto trans. My current truck is a 2000 F250 SD with a V10 and a standard shift. Based on my experiences, the standard shift is superior if you are using the truck to haul or pull heavy loads. Like several others have said, with a standard, it stays in the gear you want until you are ready to shift. There are times however when an auto would be easier to drive... As far as reliability goes, I have never had a problem with any of my transmissions. Every one of my trucks has been traded in with over 100k miles on them. In regards to gas mileage, I've always gotten better gas mileage with my standard shift trucks. With my current rig, I'm getting close to 2 miles a gallon better than friends with the same truck and an auto trans. I think driving habits have as much do with gas mileage as anything else. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Corm

[lbrown59]

<font color="blue"> 1*We looked at over 60 Quad cabs in 4 dealers in NH and Vt. Only one was a stick. Internet and dealer searches showed only 3 sticks in all of New England.
Prior to deciding on the Dakota we looked at the Ford Explorer sport trac and the Nissan 4 door Frontier. None of those were available in sticks.
2*All told we are talking in excess of 200 trucks at multiple dealers and we saw only one stick
Another poster mentioned gas mileage better in automatics.
I always thought the reverse was true.
3**Not counting today's hybrids I remember the high mileage cars as rated in Consumer Reports were always the manual version.
PhilNH5
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</font color>1* &amp; 2*you looked at the wrong vehicles for finding stick shifts.
Had you been looking at Import pick ups you would have found just the opposite.
An automatic in one of those is a rare find.
3*Yester year it was true today you might get a mile more per gallon with a stick which to me hain't worth the hassle of doing all that shifting and clutching just to save a mile.

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