Stick shift trucks...newer than 1990

All,

I tried to find a manual transmission in a newer truck. They are hard to find.

I wonder why the manufacturers don't make the stick shifts anymore? Think they want all the "controls" a computer will do, in the event of warranty issues?

I prefer a stick shift, simple and long-lived, and I have the ability to replace the parts; as opposed to an automatic, which I am better off giving it to the experts.

D.
 
Well, I wouldn't really call it a "truck" (I think real trucks have dual wheels and a grain box or a stock rack), but I had a 2004 Ford Ranger with 5 speed stick shift.

Stan
 
They have gone to the automatics with the shift control capability. I would drive a manual full time if my knee could take it. As it is, all of the tractors have a clutch, the chore pickup is a four speed, and the grain truck is too. The only time I drive an automatic is when I take the car someplace.

My wife is indicative of the future - she has no idea how to drive a manual. That means I run all of the grain to town and drive all of the vehicles with manuals. It gets interesting when I get stuck and she has to pull me out. Luckily we haven't had to use the 8430. My fear is she will panic and not know how to stop when I get out. With everything else I could lock up the brakes and buy some time. At least I know the clutches will last forever because I am easy on them.
 
A friend just bought a 2008 Ford F250 diesel with a 6.7 diesel that is a stick shift. I think he said it was the last year Ford offered it in the F250.

I am in your band wagon. I like and desire a stick shift pickup. I am currently looking for a newer one but am having your same issues. They are few and far between.
 
You find a rust free 05 or so gas ford with an automatic and I'll trade my 05 v10 with the 6spd. I'm much too lazy for all that shifting.
 
Some import small trucks and the Cummins are the only trucks available with a stick anymore. The wrangler and challenger are the only other ones from fiat that I know of. Ford's and Chevy's ricers might have one available too.
 
jon,

A rust-free ford? Heck, add chevy, Toyota, geo, and any other to that mix all the way back to Duesenberg!

Minnesota?

I've heard of unicorns....but that's a stretch.

D.
 
A friend of mine has a 2010 F-250 with a manual 6-speed behind the 5.4 gasser. It had sat on the lot for the better part of a year when he bought it new - not many people are wanting a stripped-down, regular cab, manual shift, 2WD pickup these days. He said the salesman was kind of deflated when he said that was the one he was interested in. Poor guy probably knew he wasn't going to make much commission on that one!
 
I had a 98 ford F150 with a stick and a small V-6, not much power but very easy to drive, nice shifting pickup , wouldnt mind finding another
 
(quoted from post at 19:00:04 02/02/15) All,

I tried to find a manual transmission in a newer truck. They are hard to find.

I wonder why the manufacturers don't make the stick shifts anymore? Think they want all the "controls" a computer will do, in the event of warranty issues?

I prefer a stick shift, simple and long-lived, and I have the ability to replace the parts; as opposed to an automatic, which I am better off giving it to the experts.

D.

You can still get the 6 speed in the Dodge Cummins, but they de-rate the engine from the automatic.
 
And to think ,you used to have to pay extra to have a auto in a pickup. I have had many stander pickup trucks , and still like them best, regular cab too please, I am not running a day care. But all our pickups a auto extend a cab, cause that is what is out there to buy. I still long for my 1972 Chev 20 with 350 4brl, 4 speed , real good truck.At least my heavy trucks a sill standard, lot of auto 5 ton trucks out on the market now.
 
Most big trucks are autos too. Better mileage and less breakage. Even our company just bought an auto in a new Kenworth,they got tired of putting in a clutch every eighteen months(city truck and drivers that think third is a good starting gear,in a six speed)
 
Gen III Dodge 250 cummins (94-98 had great 5 speed Gertrag trannies, Ford 150's 97 to 2005 with V-6 had a smooth 5 speed.
 
(quoted from post at 19:50:40 02/02/15) And to think ,you used to have to pay extra to have a auto in a pickup. I have had many stander pickup trucks , and still like them best, regular cab too please, I am not running a day care. But all our pickups a auto extend a cab, cause that is what is out there to buy. I still long for my 1972 Chev 20 with 350 4brl, 4 speed , real good truck.At least my heavy trucks a sill standard, lot of auto 5 ton trucks out on the market now.

It's nice to romanticize about your old truck, but I'd bet the farm if you had it back you would be drivin the newer one and the old one would just sit....kinda like your tractors.
 
Car or truck I do not want any thing with out a stick shift. All the cars/trucks I own are stick shift but as I get older maybe it will be harder to find them but I hope not to hard
 
The last pickup I bought finally has an automatic. I requested an automatic. I'm tired of shifting gears. Every one of my previous pickups and two of my present pickups have sticks the trucks I drive have sticks, my tractor's are gear grinders except for one power shift. I don't feel any less in control driving an automatic pickup. However, I did drive a semi with an automatic and it was scary.
 
Eldon,

I long for a simpler truck. Transmission is one of the bigger expenses to repair. The unused electronics is another.

My lament is that I apparently cannot option my way out of those items.

D.
 
Our company at one time bought 5 GMC tractors with autos in then. Two of them never got out of town trans. went out three miles from terminal. They did hold up in straight trucks. A lot of the younger don't know how to use a clutch. After you drive long enough you can learn how to shift gears without useing clutch only need clutch to get started.
 
Have 2 sticks on the farm 96 f350 and91 Chevy 2500. Had to look for a while to find the f350 since we wanted stick, dually, and dump. I stumbled on the 2500 when my other truck started acting up. I'll take a stick any day, better power to wheels, more control over speed, and better fuel millage. I had a smaller 85C10 automatic and get the same millage with the bigger 91 ex cab 2500,4x4. The fuel is saved on the shift, auto foot on gas during shift; manual let off gas and shift.
 
Good luck. Last I knew Ford still offers manual ("standard") tranmissions in 150/250's with gas engines. I don't know of any that offer a manual tranny with a diesel. Of course, I have never been in the market for a new vehicle, and won't start, even should I win the Lottery.

Consumer Reports said back in the '90's, that the best anti-theft device in a new car (other than in high-end sports cars) was a manual transmission - few ordinary people know how to drive one, and there is little call for them on the black market.

That was then. Now, even fewer people have the schmartz to use one properly, even if they can figure out how to use one at all. Manufacturers seem hesitant to put them in, not only because sales numbers are so low, but because they're afraid of warranty issues when someone beats up syncros, or tears up a clutch, or drive axle(s). That sort of damage is nearly impossible when there is slush between engine and wheels, and the computer controlling the automatic can limit torque.

Gotta admit, it's brain dead easier to back up a heavy trailer with an automatic than a standard. Fortunately, I'm not brain dead, yet, so I'll keep my sticks.

(ETA: too many interruptions from start to finish in this post)
Nice to see that that there are a few (de-rated) diesels with standards.

JFTR, with about 2 million miles over several vehicles, I've never had to replace a clutch or rebuild a tranny. Last one was ~260k on the original clutch, in a minivan that often hauled over a ton (firewood or a Super A w/ implements) on a trailer.
 
Declining market. Less people know how to operate a manual and lots of pickups sold to people in cities. Not everyone knows how to manage a standard trans in severe stop and go traffic jams.

My kids will learn to drive with a three on the tree. I have a bone stock '57 Chevy long stepside out back somewhere for that job.
 
my farm truck is 99 dodge diesel with a 5 speed... great machine but if you are looking try to find a six speed... 3rd to 4th is a big jump in a 5 speed if you are towing a heavy load... neighbour has a f350 (2000 i think) with a 6 speed...

our "good" truck is 05 f350 with an auto... nice to drive but with a trailer the auto is no match for a stick... still trying to figure out why these truck make massive power and great gobs of torque and the they stick an auto box in them that won't let the torque do it's thing...
 
I had a 2000 F-250 with a 5 speed I ordered and bought new. When I was going to trade in '05, I started in Sioux Falls SD, and the dealer told me he would not trade for my truck because of the manual transmission. Wound up trading where I bought the 2000, got a '05 F-250 with a 6 speed. I still have it, and just turned 72K on it.
 
(quoted from post at 21:28:49 02/02/15) my farm truck is 99 dodge diesel with a 5 speed... great machine but if you are looking try to find a six speed... 3rd to 4th is a big jump in a 5 speed if you are towing a heavy load... neighbour has a f350 (2000 i think) with a 6 speed...

our "good" truck is 05 f350 with an auto... nice to drive but with a trailer the auto is no match for a stick... still trying to figure out why these truck make massive power and great gobs of torque and the they stick an auto box in them that won't let the torque do it's thing...

OJ I agree with you on the five speed. I have a 98 with the five speed. You need to have it wound up pretty tight in third before you shift up to fourth or you will be under the turbo on fourth.
 
Have a 2002 F250 7.3 diesel, 6 speed. Wished it had a two speed axle. Do a lot of pulling in the mountains. Always had stick, but bought a 1988 F250 460 gas Auto. Couldn't get ride of it fast enough.
 
Rice burner is an Asian car. A ricer is one of those cars the kids put the fart can/horn knee bumblebee exhaust on with the huge wing on the trunk because we all know how important rear traction is for accelerating in a front drive car.
 
Dennis........grew up with 1941 6-cyl Plymouth and 3-onnna-tree. Dad finally traded it in on a DeSoto with weird 4-speed Tip-toe-matic. Start in 1st, then shift to 3rd and WAIT fer hydraulic shift to 4th. Don't even try to wait fer shift into 2nd. Then my 1st car was '52 Ford-V8 3-speed + OD. Next was 1956 Dodge coupe with semi-hemi V-8 3-speed plus OD. Next was Plymouth Barracuda with GLASS back and 4-speed V-8; Finally a 1969 BMW 4-speed I took delivery at the factory in Munich, Ger. It now has 387K mi and 1-eng overhaul. Then a 6-cyl BMW Bavaria with 4-speed. 1st pick'em-up was Ford 3/4-T auto to haul an Alaskan uppsie-downsie camper. Then came 3 Volkswagen Rabbit pick'em-ups to commute 60-miles to Boeing in Seattle. Then alla sudden, my wife wants a NEW Eddie Bauer Ford SUV to commute to Seattle fer her DR's degree. (I think there is sumptin' in the upholstery glue that warps their thinking) Ennyhow, I summhow convinced her a Subaru AWD auto at 22mpg was better commuter than the 10mpg Ford SUV. (she divorced me after 32-yrs) I now drive a 1994 Dodge Cummins Diesel 3/4T with auto. I tried a 2002 Dodge Cummins with 6-speed tranny but didn't like it 'cuz I wouldda had to buy the 4-wheel drive virgin. My attitude about 4WD is it just gittscha stuck deeper in the woods. I just made a 300+ mile trip to Portland, Ore and got 22+mpg at 80mph!!! Had to do 80 to keep outta the way of them 18-wheelers. Whooee, hot-doggies thems FLYING.......Diesel Dell
 
I was a die hard Ford man until I bought an 04 with the 6.0 liter engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Had nothing but grief with that truck. Went to the Ford dealer in 2010 and looked at a 2010 with the 6.7. I asked if they come with a manual. Salesman said that the diesels no longer come with manual transmissions, so I left and kept the 04 for a while longer. In July of 2011, stopped at the Dodge dealer just to have a look at what they had. There was a 3500 Mega Cab dually with the Cummins 6.7 and a 6-speed manual transmission. And it was the same color as my Ford. Took it for a test drive and was pretty impressed on the handling. After some back and forth finagling, I took that truck home and haven't regretted it. Mileage could be a little better, but it tows my gooseneck flatbed and stock trailer like they are not there. Pretty well satisfied with it.
 
I sometimes miss my 72 Chevy 20 350 4 bbl 4 speed with 7 1/2 ft fisher plow however what I DON"T miss is the 8 MPG. Had 4:10s in front, 4:11s in rear
 
10 yrs ago went I bought my used truck, I found 3 stick shifts out of 100 I looked thru. And that was in WV-OH-PA where manual trannys are popular! I bought the closest one, '00 Chevy 2500 4x4. Still use it for long distance trips.
 
No one is making the manual trannies anymore. Ford quit in 2009- 2010, don't know when Chevy quit. The Dodge you have to buy the 2500-3500 Diesel to even get a stick but, it's not a true stick. Just try rocking the truck if you're stuck. You have to wait for the rpms to slow to a certain point before the computer will allow it to shift. That is nothing like a real standard where you can control the shift.

I suspect that the computer control of the engine and tranny is why they discontinued the manual transmissions if the truth could be known.

I will probably never buy a new truck again because you cannot get a manual tranny. I have an auto now and hate it for several reasons. I totally disagree with whoever said that an auto tranny is easier to back up a heavy load with. Don't even like trying to hook up to an empty trailer with my auto. They lack the "feel" of the manual shift where you can ease the clutch out and get that " ease it back" control. With the Auto you have to push the accelerator down until the tranny finally grips and then it wants to take off on you. Really hard to ease into either forward or reverse. Almost has the feel of a centrifugal clutch on a UTV.

The auto companies are going after the sissy market of people who would rather not have to shift for themselves. They will try like heck to sell you an auto with all kinds of BS on why they are better. Bull- Pucky!
 
You can blame a lot of the scarcity of stick shift on a few factors.
First, there is the EPA. They are getting stricter and stricter every year. To qualify, a vehicle has to meet their standards under pretty much all of the conditions that they define. Seems that they want the tailpipe emissions to come out cleaner than the air that went in the intake.
Second, there is the issue of low sales. Apparently, not many customers are willing to buy stick shift any more.

I do have to take exception about one thing, though...

Stick shift is NOT easier or cheaper to fix anymore. There was a time when you could knock apart stick trans, and change a couple of parts and it would be goo as new. Those days are gone. I had several that came into the dealerships when I worked there with various complaints - like jumping out of gear, grinding, and hard shifting.
It took a LOT of special tools to disassemble and reassemble one. Hubs pressed on to the main shaft that required special fixtures to press off (without breaking things), special fixtures for replacing stacked needle bearings, and host of special tools for servicing them in general. Then there was the cost of parts. A 1/2 synchronizer assembly was running about $600 and a 2nd gear about $400. That totaled up to a grand in parts before replacing gaskets and fluid. That was too close to the price of a remanufactured one from the manufacturer. Of all of the ones that I saw come in for repairs, every one was too expensive to fix, and was replaced with a reman.
 
I have a 2014 Ram 2500 6.7 with a six speed....so yeah they do still offer a manual. My has an exhaust brake too. Have had Zero issues and it shifts great.
 
With the new hydraulic clutches better not be slipping it to much. You won't have a clutch very long that way.Ask me how I know.
 
Interesting about the good talk on manual trans. I drove A truck A lot in my time before I retired. All had manual trans. I still like to shift the manual trans. I had A 1978 F 250,4 sp. now I have A 1994 F 250 , 5 sp. gas. for my farm truck. It sure is A good PU. Lots of miles on it.

Hammer Man
a181674.jpg
 
(reply to post at 21:51:43 02/02/15)
I have a 2007 dodge 2500 with a 6 speed manual and a hemi. I had to order the regular cab, stripped down, no body, ( built my own flatbed). It cost less than the loaded leftovers on the lot and I didn't want all the optional junk. All I got was limited slip rear end, opening rear window and speed control. I drove it off the lot for $20000 and it has been good. Only a couple of minor problems. The transmission is good with the exception that reverse as a little high, higher by a bit than first. First is a "creeper" and normally with no, or a light load you start in second and drive it like a 5 sp. I like it. Afraid that it is the last manual I will own, but with the exception of reverse it is also the best.
 
I like stick shifts also, but not any of the newer ones. But the good thing about a automatic is you are always in the right gear.
 

The US military saved money and increased combat capability by getting rid of manual transmissions and going all automatics.
The HD lock up torque converter auto transmissions of today . No more compare to the old power-glide, TH200, TH350 or TH400. Than a 2015 Chev 5.3 DI compares to a 1974 Chev 400 four barrel.
 
One reason is it's hard to talk on a cell phone and shift at the same time! Ever really notice how many drivers are holding a phone up to the side of their face?
 
2006 was the last year GM installed a manual in a pickup in the US. At that time the reason stated by GM for dropping the manual was warranty costs. Most of the manuals were sold in fleet trucks. Seems most people didn't know how to drive a stick and were breaking them and costing GM a bunch in warranty costs. With an automatic it takes the control of the transmission out of the hands of the idiot driving and puts it under computer control thus mostly eliminating idiot caused breakage and warranty costs.
 
Reasons the stick shift has gone the way of the dodo:

1. Market demand. If 98 percent of your customers order automatics, it really doesn't make sense to engineer and build a manual transmission option for the remaining two percent.

2. Towing capacity. A truck with an automatic will almost always have a higher tow rating than a similar vehicle with a manual transmission.

3. Better automatics. As automatic transmissions become more sophisticated, any advantage a manual has in fuel economy over a auto has been eliminated. There's just no way a five-speed manual is going to give better gas mileage than an eight-speed auto.

4. High speed engines. Today's trucks use engines which sacrifice low-end torque for high speed power. They need an automatic transmission with lots of gears to stay in their power band.
 
One thing I didn't see discussed is the overhead costs of keeping an unpopular option available in new vehicle designs. An automaker could easily have to commit an extra $10 million in overhead costs to provide a major option like a stick shift in a new product: design costs, tooling costs, inventory tracking, extra sections in service manuals, dealer service tech training, repair parts inventory and management, etc.

If you sell 250,000 pickups per year and you can't sell over 2 percent (5,000 units a year) with the stick shift option, how do you recover you extra $10 million overhead on those 5,000 units ($2,000 per vehicle)? If you pass the full $2,000 overhead cost to the customer, your sales department projects that stick shift option sales could drop further, say to 2,000 units a year instead of 5,000 ($5,000 overhead per vehicle). At some point you stop eating the losses and drop unpopular options.

Full size pickups are not available with manual steering anymore. That I know of, full size cars have not been available with a stick shift since the 1960's. At one time those were popular.
 
(quoted from post at 12:22:02 02/04/15) One thing I didn't see discussed is the overhead costs of keeping an unpopular option available in new vehicle designs. An automaker could easily have to commit an extra $10 million in overhead costs to provide a major option like a stick shift in a new product: design costs, tooling costs, inventory tracking, extra sections in service manuals, dealer service tech training, repair parts inventory and management, etc.

If you sell 250,000 pickups per year and you can't sell over 2 percent (5,000 units a year) with the stick shift option, how do you recover you extra $10 million overhead on those 5,000 units ($2,000 per vehicle)? If you pass the full $2,000 overhead cost to the customer, your sales department projects that stick shift option sales could drop further, say to 2,000 units a year instead of 5,000 ($5,000 overhead per vehicle). At some point you stop eating the losses and drop unpopular options.

Full size pickups are not available with manual steering anymore. That I know of, full size cars have not been available with a stick shift since the 1960's. At one time those were popular.


Ram must still pencil that keeping the 6-speed manual gets them sales, seeing as they still offer it only with the diesel, and at derated HP compared to the automatic.

Ram ads here even had "class exclusive 6-speed manual transmission available" as a selling point. Mind you it is next to impossible to find one...
 
Bought my oldest daughter a '94 Ranger w/ 5 spd when she turned 16. She cried after she tried to drive it the 1st time. I put it by the curb and said "there's your ride". A couple of days later I came home and the truck was not there. :wink: Years later, she thanked me for making her learn how to drive a stick.

Fast forward to 2004. Looked all over to find a stick full-size p/u. Found a 2002 Chevy 1500 W/T 4x4 with a 5 spd. Had to drive 60 miles to the only dealer that had a low mileage (50K) certified vehicle. Next 2 daughters also learned to drive a stick on it. Youngest daughter (who stands about 5'4") says guys would gape when she wheeled in to the HS parking lot in it, barely able to see over the steering wheel. Still have that truck today with 130k on it. I'd rather drive it than anything else. Girls still ask to use it on snowy days like the last few around here in Michigan.

Funny story about the 2002: Middle daughter called me and said she slid up a guardrail of a bridge over a creek near our house one rainy day. Said the truck was hung up on it. Figured it was one of those guardrails where the end is buried in the ground. Got there after she had already freed it and I just about freaked out. The guardrail was peeled back about 40 ft and sticking up in the air. She took out 4 6x6 support posts that were now scattered about and you could see the tire tracks leading down towards the river where the guardrail ended up at.

Got home expecting to see the truck all tore up. Only damage was a cracked bumper plastic trim piece. I asked her how fast she was going when she hit the guardrail as she was turning the corner. Her answer "not that fast". :shock: :roll: The fact she ended up on top of the guardrail saved the truck from serious damage and kept if from going into the river. I took a picture of the guardrail and show it to her every now and then.

As for sticks, I think all the OEM's quit making Work Trucks (bare bones vehicles) a few years ago.
 
ss55,

Contrary to what you've written, there's a deduction in cost if you can find a new stick-shift vehicle.

Why would the manufacturer do that if it cost money, and especially if the manufacturer knew that on the forefront?

Perhaps the stick-shift technology is decades old, proven, and development costs are insignificant?

Good thoughts, though.

D.
 
i prefer a manual, but there is one exception, snowplowing. theres enough to deal with when plowing snow, esp in close quarters and id much rather have the slushbox for that job. anything else though id rather have my manual trans. epa and consumer demand have made the manual pretty much extinct. what i wonder thoug is on the window sticker of the truck, do they still list the automatic as a $1500 (or whatever $) option- when it only comes with a automatic? i also dislaike how ford went away from the twin I beam / twin traction beam front end in favor of the A-arm/torsion bar setup commonly used by gm. i know the t.i.b./t.t.b. had its own set of issues, but i did prefer them and still think its a better more durable design. add in $200+ unit bearings for the front instead of the $30 set of tapered roller that you COULD service, and its apparrent that the new stuff is just meant to be thrown away, will a new truck of today still be around 40+ years from now like the 40 year old stuff is now thats still running? maybe...maybe not. my personal truck is a '93 ranger, 5 speed manual of course, nearly 200,000 miles, and i plan on keeping it on the road as long as possible.
 
Trouble with the 6 speeds is finding parts for them.
The first ones they used were discontinued and some
of the synchro parts are simply unavailable. The
newer ones are still being built but parts take
forever to get shipped in.

Dodge says it would cost too much to durability test
a heavier 6 speed that would take the torque of the:
higher power ratings.
 
The only stick shift fulls sized pickup still made is the 2500 diesel Dodge Ram. I just got one last September. It replaced my 10 year old Ram Hemi with 5spd. That one was trouble free. The new one blew it's clutch at 900 miles. Dodge did of course replace it at no charge. They even provide a free rental Ram. But I'm not thrilled with what happened to the new one. It has been fine since, and now has about 3500 miles on it. It gets 16.5 MPG which is 4.5 more than the Hemi did.
 
(quoted from post at 13:56:47 02/04/15)
(quoted from post at 12:22:02 02/04/15) One thing I didn't see discussed is the overhead costs of keeping an unpopular option available in new vehicle designs. An automaker could easily have to commit an extra $10 million in overhead costs to provide a major option like a stick shift in a new product: design costs, tooling costs, inventory tracking, extra sections in service manuals, dealer service tech training, repair parts inventory and management, etc.

If you sell 250,000 pickups per year and you can't sell over 2 percent (5,000 units a year) with the stick shift option, how do you recover you extra $10 million overhead on those 5,000 units ($2,000 per vehicle)? If you pass the full $2,000 overhead cost to the customer, your sales department projects that stick shift option sales could drop further, say to 2,000 units a year instead of 5,000 ($5,000 overhead per vehicle). At some point you stop eating the losses and drop unpopular options.

Full size pickups are not available with manual steering anymore. That I know of, full size cars have not been available with a stick shift since the 1960's. At one time those were popular.


Ram must still pencil that keeping the 6-speed manual gets them sales, seeing as they still offer it only with the diesel, and at derated HP compared to the automatic.

Ram ads here even had "class exclusive 6-speed manual transmission available" as a selling point. Mind you it is next to impossible to find one...


Not much of a selling point if the end result is owning a FIAT.

Rick :lol: :lol:
 
I have a 2004 Chevrolet 1 ton with a 6.0 gas and a 5 speed with about 135,000 miles. My truck is working on its 3rd set of clutch/ pressure plate throwoutbearing/ assemblies and I have replace some parts in the transmission. I am pretty upset that GM cant build a decent standard transmission for this truck. This is my 4th GM/Gas/standard truck in a row. I have had more trouble with this 2004 than the other three combined. I usually trade at 200,000 miles, But I don't think this one will make it. Maybe try a dodge next, but I don't know. Johnny (Diehard Chevy man, but looking at the others)
 

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