Manual or Automatic?

[RSchlosser]

I am new to the TDR website and I love all the information and knowledge it provides.

I am looking into buying a new Dodge pickup, but can't decide whether to get a six speed or the new 48re automatic. I would like an automatic but have heard there may be problems with the transmission. If I order a 2004 pickup, my dealer told me it could take up to 10 weeks. Does anyone know if it will come with an EGR and should I be concerned if it does?

 

[KLockliear]

If you tow more than 50% of the time or over 10k, get the 6-speed.

 

[CATCRACKER]

i had an 99 cummins auto and i spent $36,000 to get a 6speed does that tell you anything.



also look at resale and how quick the 6spds move!



in eight months i have 17000K mostly city and a lot of traffic jam time no worries.



when in traffic i let out in 1st gear and crawl like the big tractors do.



other than for easy why would you want a auto.



besides a 6spd will keep your wife out of it.



bottom line the 6speed will tow more longer faster and give you the full power of the engine without having to worry about changing fluid, overheating, slippage with small box mods



6spd there is no other choice.





now others that will follow will say that these transmission can be made to be bullet proof... ... yea but it will cost you 4000K. yea if you want heavy duty get the 6spd and shift for yourself like men do!



for example. . look below your post right now. "transmission will not shift into overdrive" i bet mine will everytime unless somone chops my arm off. dodge has never put a hoss of a transmission behind the diesel and the 48re was their 1st attempt. my dad just ordered an 04 he got the auto. he is old though so i will let him be (56)



when i am 56 it will be 6spd for me. (off course i dont know what we will be driving when i am 56. but i bet it will be made in china.

:-{}

 

[rashwor]

My thoughts...

If you tow or want to be a HP junky and uprate the engine power, get the 6 speed. Proven and ready for work.



If all you want is to drive around town empty at stock power levels, the auto is probably fine.



I am biased. Everytime there is a choice, I get the manual transmission. My next one will be a 6 shooter. The only reason I don't have one now is that '99 saw limited production with the 6 shooter and I was not lucky enough to score one. :{

 

[CSilkowski]

Even though I live in the Los Angeles area and have to deal with rush hour traffic on a daily basis, I went with the 6 spd for reliability. You will get use to it. Plus... as CatCracker says "It'll keep your wife out of it"

 

[Phil Howell]

I have owned a five-speed and a six speed. I now own an HO with the 48RE automatic.



The five-speed worked fine. My six-speed ETH/DEE was notchy, but I got used to it. I had some clutch issues with it (slipping, etc. ). Most of all, besides towing, I use my truck as a daily driver and driving around everyday in stop and go traffic, etc. , was a pain. My 48RE is working great! It's beefier than the earlier models and I bet that we're going to see much less trouble with them than the weaker, older trannies.



The manuals need oil changes, too, and if you get the urge to BOMB, you'll have clutch issues to deal with (I had clutch issues without BOMBing). Automatic or manual, you're going to get lots of dyed-in-the-wool devotees to either one. You have to decide what's best for you and the way you drive.

 

[wsurf]

RSchlosser, you did not say where you are located. I presume in a state where you can get a 6 speed. If I'm not mistaken you can only get a 5 speed with the SO and the 6 speed with the HO, or auto with both.



CSilkoski, you must have purchased or come from another state with the HO.



As for my 2 cents, living in CA and the city I went with the auto. Had a 460 ford with the E4OD and the 48RE seems superior, but will reserve judgment until 100K. If you want the speeds get a Gearvendor or US Gear over/under.

 

[brillmtb]

I went Auto.



I will never need an exhaust brake as I dont tow >10K

I love the ease of driving and having a cup of coffee

Like the extra room in the middle

Have a 100K warrenty and if the transmission makes it to 150K as promised I will be happy

The 6 speed is too much shifting for the majority of every day driving.



When they put the Mercedes 6 speed auto that will be even better... . rumors



I agree that the 6 speed is the "safe" answer for some and it is better piece of mind if towing a lot over say 10K.





Time will tell with the 48RE.

 

[CSilkowski]

Yes, I purchased out of state. Also, when I bought my truck, the 48RE was relatively new and I wasn't willing to take the risk. Don't get me wrong, I would prefer not to be shifting all of the time. Besides, an auto is a lot faster off the line for most drivers. I have to jam through the gears just to keep up with most of them.

 

[rmcnamee]

When I was first started looking for my 2003 last May, I was set on an HO/48RE (auto) since every Cummins I had in the past was mated to an automatic. However, just before giving the dealer the go-ahead to go get the HO/48RE, I changed my mind and had him locate a HO/6-speed. When I took delivery of the new truck I thought it was geat. However, about 4 months later, all the shifting started getting to me. I thought long and hard about what to do and while I didn't want to spend the money to correct my error, I did it and would do it again. Now I have a 2004 HO/48RE and couldn't be happier. The way I look at it is, you live and you learn. Although some lessons are more expensive than others.



Ryan

 

[Steve M]

I tow over 10,000 lbs with my SO/47RE. My '01. 5 was a 47RE and my '95 was a 47RH. Never had any trouble with them. I run 70 on the interstate but I don't abuse the transmission. I've never seen over 180* on the transmission temp and I don't know what burned fluid looks like. Good maintenance and reasonable expectation will make a 47RE last a long time. The 48RE should last even longer.

I put 89K trouble free miles on my '98 12v 5spd/4. 10. I enjoyed driving it except for the noise at 2500rpm/70mph. Sometimes I still reach for the shifter that's not there but I don't really miss the constant shifting in town.

Amost all medium duty short haul tractor trailers and straight trucks are automatic. Same with fire trucks, garbage trucks, local dump trucks and cement trucks. OTR trucks are almost all standards but there are a few automatics. Allison has an auto rated for 83,000 lbs GVW. Heavy equipment autos go way up in the power ratings. There's nothing whimpy about an automatic. Just depends on whether you like rowing or not.

 

[rrausch]

I Love my Automatic. I can't imagine getting a stick again, and I drove stick trucks for 20 years.

 

[RMcCulloch]

With a "questionable" left leg, I went with the HO/48RE.



I'm not pulling "heavy" - only ~13,000 pounds of fifth-wheel RV - and the truck seems "happiest" when pulling.



8 - 10 weeks seems to be the standard time frame when ordering a new truck: mine took that long to build, get shipped, and arrive.



I will only say that, once I got it, it was worth every second of waiting.



Although I avoid "rush hour" traffic as best I can, the automatic sure makes it a lot easier to deal with.

 

[MO'Donnell]

Six speed. I do a good bit of city driving, and don't have any complaints. Very easy to drive. New clutch will set you back around $900 if you BOMB. Beefing up your auto will cost around $4k. Dodge (and DC as a whole) has a track record of taking about 2+ years to sort out a new auto trans design.



As for the "keeping your wife out of it. . " comments - maybe your wives, but not mine!

 

[RSchlosser]

I would like to thank everyone for their input. The pickup will used to pull our 7500# camper & boat . we've made the decision!! wife says automatic?

 

[Task125]

Booooo,Who wears the pants in your family?

 

[RMcCulloch]

Originally posted by RSchlosser

I would like to thank everyone for their input. The pickup will used to pull our 7500# camper & boat . we've made the decision!! wife says automatic?

If you're [not?] careful, you could end up with 2 CTDs!



My wife has already informed me that, if I ever get another truck, this one's HERS!

 

[brillmtb]

RM,



I noticed you have an exhaust brake on your 48RE. With all the concerns that people have how is it working, did you do anything special like change the TC, etc

 

[sdbelt]

I know I'm late in this, but just wanted to let you know I'm having no problems pulling my 12k 5er with the 48RE. I've got 15k miles on her now, with over 8k of those pulling the heavy 5er.



The 48RE is a very good automatic transmission. And the electronics are very smart. The electronics sense overheating, and will lock up with TC when pulling a steep hill (7+%) in 2nd gear, where otherwise that would not happen.



Also, I've been able to toss my keys to more people, because of the auto, which has enabled me to do more mountain bike riding (my #1 hobby). We'll drive to the top of a hill, I'll toss my keys to someone, and then meet them at the bottom. It's a major luxury from that respect.

 

[Dean Upson]

I'm late on this as well, but I have to say my six speed with the 4. 10s does the job. I tow a pretty heavy fiver and I like the control with the manual and the Jacob's brake. The six speed is a sweet transmission and very easy to get used to. The only problem I had was the famous (infamous?) clatter, but the new clutch plate fixed that .



Dean