1. Ram 2500/3500 with diesel
2. Nissan Frontier in certain configurations
3. Toyota Tacoma in certain configurations

I hear ya - but If I was to get a new vehicle today it wouldn't be a Ford truck for this reason alone. It would be one of the 3 above or a different type of vehicle. I don't want an automatic, I don't like automatics. I almost ordered a new Fusion back in 2013 but the manual was only available in the 1.6 Ecoboost, I wanted the base 2.5.

 

I think one of the big reasons that many auto makers do not offer manual transmissions anymore is that fewer and fewer people know how to drive them.

A few years ago I had to give one of our customers a ride home in my 2006 Scion xB daily driver - with a 5 speed manual. When he got in, he said, "I see you have the 5 speed anti-theft device." When I looked at him with a quizzical look, he clarified. "No kid knows how to drive one of these things." Good point.

 

The new automatics are far superior to the automatics in the past. They have a wide range of gears and many gears, shift quickly, and really put the power down. My wife's Infiniti EX37 has a 7 speed and it really puts the power to the rear wheels. With a 325hp V6, it is faster than most of the "supercars" of the 60's. I love the new automatics.

I prefer the Supercab trucks. Actually I prefer the looks and the length of the regular cab but the supercab gives me some room in the back seat area to carry stuff inside.

 

The take rate on manual transmissions is around 6% for all vehicle sales. In certain vehicles like a fast, fun car they are a requirement for me, otherwise it's not really necessary for a daily driver. Most of the manual transmissions in trucks for the last 15 years or so have sucked anyway, I wouldn't want one. The M5OD in the F150 is a weaksauce turd that was barely stout enough for a 4 banger Ranger. Put that behind a V8 or stout V6 and it's a question of when not if it pops. The new auto boxes are good enough now to negotiate most all of the benefits a manual used to provide plus they are easier to certify for emissions. I love to get a heal to toe shift perfect in the right vehicle. A full sized truck really doesn't fit the bill for that.

 

I know. I don't care. I don't like driving an automatic except in big city rush hour traffic, which I am able to avoid these days.

Haven't had any issues with mine.

 

When I was a young pup, I agreed with you. During my misspent youth, drag racing with open exhaust and speed shifting my Muncie 4 speed Chevelle trying to beat the guy in the next lane was and still is one of the greatest thrills of my life.

 

Load up 8,000 pound behind it and see what happens. For light duty work it gets the job done but that's about it. It was never designed for pulling more than light trailers at the most, it just doesn't have the guts. There's a reason Ford never put one behind anything bigger than a 4.6 and that was pretty rare.

I had one in a Ranger I used to own. With good ATF in one they shift ok and work fine as long as the vent holes behind the shifter are properly plugged. It's common for the rubber plugs to dry out and fall off and cause the fluid to leak out while you're driving. Replace those with freeze plugs and RTV them good and tight and problem solved.

 

Wow..sounds like me! No self-respecting young guy wanted a 2 speed Powerglide back then... I was lucky enough to have had this '66 GTO back then. close ratio Muncie 4 speed..tri-power with 3.90 gearing. Note the Casler cheater slicks on the rear!




'66 GTO 389 tri-power..close ratio 4 speed...3.90 Saf T Trak rear...handling package and transistorized ignition. Rear power antenna and factory reverb for the AM radio!

 

I'm probably as old as you are, if not real close.

Now why would I do that? My tow rating is 3500# and I won't exceed it. If I wanted to tow 8000# and wanted a new truck to do it, I'd be over at the Ram dealer ordering a 2500 diesel with a 6 speed stick.

 

I suppose I got lazier in my old age than you did

Like someone else said, if I got another hot rod, I would want a manual. About 5 years ago, I test drove a 2004 Mach I Mustang 4.6 DOHC stick that had full length headers and Borla exhaust and that thing really got me excited. I was looking for a car for my stepson and ended up buying a Miata for him which was what he wanted but I almost went back and bought that Mach I for myself.

I'm 73 and enjoying retirement! Happy Thanksgiving!

 

2017 limited 4 door



2012 f250 SINGLE CAB XL




2004 lightning SINGLE CAB




2009 Z06 6 SPEED



I currently own and use all 4

the Z06, fun week end car, shifting the trans is a pain in the but, no way i could row my own every day. i just cant see the benefit of a stick shift on a daily car. the z06 on a track is one thing. sitting in Houston traffic......probably why it only has 8800 miles

Lightning, fun, fun fun, but stopping at the store...no taking the family...no the ride can not even come close to the limited.

F250, great work truck, rides terrible, great for 1 or 2 people working, load a tool bag, briefcase and the inside is now for 1 person. I can drive it 3 or 4 days then the bouncing and ride harshness are just to much. Maybe if i never had a f150 i would be happy with the ride. i did put a MPT tune in it and it runs so much better and the shifting is much improved. the inside can fill up and get cramped real fast. i bought this truck used in 2014, had 19,000 miles and i paid $19,000, had the windows tinted added the rack and tires and rims. For as simple as it is, i like the look

the LIMITED. I can pull my 26 ft tt , no problem, plenty of power, i can load up the family and the dog and drive 8 hours away, everyone comfortable. I can load up friends and go to a sporting event. i can stop at the store and put groceries in the back. I can fold down the back seat and carry large objects and have some security and not worry about the weather. After the Roush stage one i have close to lightning performance. other than parking in a tight lot, it rocks and the cameras make that easier

for my daily driving i will never go back to a single cab truck, the 4 door just offers way to much utility. i can only add that ford is leading in sales and can do what ever they want , if dodge or Nissian thought that a large section of the market wanted single cab trucks or 6 speeds, they would offer it. Money and profit talk.

 

^^^

Manuals:

 

When dodge starts offering a stick in a new 1/2 ton behind the 5.7 hemi, then you could say that people want it. same for the big Nissan

the frontier and the tacoma are mid size trucks. neither are offered in a single cab configuration which just goes to show how unpopular the single cab is.

i would guess the manual transmission in both are designs from 15 years ago and carry overs. the frontier is not attracting the same buyer as an f150.



to me a stick in a 2500/3500 actually makes sense, but there again Ford and GM dont see the value.

 

Wow.
I just want 20 - 30 minutes of some alone time with the keys to that L.
Nice looking truck! That is the exact setup I like.

 

In the Ram 2500/3500 it's only available in the low trims and limits a whole lot of options while hurting your tow ratings. It further rub salt into the wound the auto doesn't cost any more money. I doubt they will last after the next refresh. For now it doesn't cost anything extra to build a manual truck but in a new design it will and the ROI isn't there.

For a personal truck the manual is more owner preference but a whole lot of the HD series trucks I see are owned by a company. Not a lot of fleet managers want to fool with changing out clutches because some moron was driving with his foot on the pedal.