Stick shift anyone?

[spacex]

I’m lucky enough to have stick and auto cars, so the ram is enjoyable as it sits.

Even if it came from the factory as an option, it wouldn’t be the vehicle I’d pick to row gears in.

 

[RLJ10X]

As much as it pains me to admit it, automatics are superior performance wise.

And no, I'm not a drag racer. A quarter mile in a straight line never held any fascination for me. Unless you're testing new performance parts, or setting records, personally, I don't see the point. But anybody can do whatever they want. Plus, drag racing puts tremendous stress on everything. (Break parts so UPS can deliver more!)

I haven't done it for a few years now, but my thing used to be to ride one of my motorcycles on the Putnam Road Course. Knee dragging, and dicing it up with the younger guys was a lot of fun. Nowadays, I do some woods riding, and some street, with Manuals!

 

[turkeybird56]

Hard to text with a stick shift!!!! We have cars with beds! Wish we still had a choice, we can't even find CDL truck drivers who can drive a manual, we offer more pay if they can drive a manual. You ask, "Can you drive a manual" you hear "Duh, I usually keep mine in the glove box." Oh boy, going to be a short test drive! Never thought I'd see it in my lifetime. Something most guys could do by 10 years old before, now grown men can't. I know...... times are different......... So. Lol

Cannot even find a manual in an "Army" vehicle, K-wopper transport, ne thing. All auto with extra buttons to air up/air down tires etc. It was real fun to drive the ole M151A2/3's.

ADDED: I enjoy riding my big *** MC with 5 speed. I was trying to upgrade to a 2018 Honda Wing/Motor Trike config, last year with a 6 Speed, since all U can find are DTC (auto) now, and I am a lot happier riding and changing gears. They just wanted way too much money for a used 2018 Bike.

 

[Wild one]

1. I know that losing traction is typically something that will cost you the race, so why would you want that to happen? 2. If you have enough power to break the tires free with an auto, you can do it with a manual as well. To each their own. The strip is fine for a few seconds but for me real racing has curves. :-D

With enough tire and suspension it'll hook at the track,but on street tires nope,lol. Nobody said auto crossing wasn't fun,but it's harder on a car,then drag racing is.

 

[Wild one]

As much as it pains me to admit it, automatics are superior performance wise.

And no, I'm not a drag racer. A quarter mile in a straight line never held any fascination for me. Unless you're testing new performance parts, or setting records, personally, I don't see the point. But anybody can do whatever they want. Plus, drag racing puts tremendous stress on everything. (Break parts so UPS can deliver more!)

With the cars you can buy these days,drag racing them is no harder on them,then driving them hard on the street.You can buy brand new cars now,right off the showroom floor,with the capability of running low 10's and some even run 9 second quarter's,with warrenty.Very few of them are manual transmission cars though,lol

 

[Jeepwalker]

I haven't done it for a few years now, but my thing used to be to ride one of my motorcycles on the Putnam Road Course. Knee dragging, and dicing it up with the younger guys was a lot of fun.

Sounds fun! I haven't tried that on a road track but it always looked like it would be a blast! My brother and I had dirt paths (slightly banked) where we'd come in real hot and get as low as we could ..on dirt bikes, getting close to that knee-dragging level. But you can only go so low with knobby tires before they give out (which happen many a time!).

Thanks for sharing..

 

[Docwagon1776]

1. I know that losing traction is typically something that will cost you the race, so why would you want that to happen? 2. If you have enough power to break the tires free with an auto, you can do it with a manual as well. To each their own. The strip is fine for a few seconds but for me real racing has curves. :-D

Some of us only have drag race attention spans. Then we see a squirrel and

 

[RLJ10X]

For us clutch junkies, there are still a few vehicles that will provide the fix we need.

But I just I can't imagine Frank Bullitt turning the dial shifter on his old fastback, and then deciding to leave the traction control on. That would have been like Dirty Harry carrying a Glock.

I'll bet there have been guys that have gone out and bought Hellcats, went to the drag strip for the first time, got on the line, pushed this button, then that button, did the obligatory burn out, then turned in a timeslip that an old dude in his Nova had been chasing for years.

The great thing about riding motorcycles is, you can't buy "fast". A fearless young guy on a beat up old 600 will annihilate the new guy on his 1000.

There is satisfaction in mastering something difficult. You don't get that from turning a dial, and pushing buttons.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Yesterday in the Camaro I passed a bro-dozer on the right because he was a left lane hog. As I about pulled even he tried to 'roll coal' on me and take off. I embarrassed him pretty quick by grabbing another gear and teleporting around him, embarrassed him enough he let off and acted like he wasn't trying to roll. ********* in diesels are, by far, the most likely to try and 'street race' with me. Could I have embarrassed him with an automatic? Absolutely. Was it more satisfying to grab my own gear? By far.

I get all the arguments for the automatic, but it's just stuff I don't care about. Not even their biggest advocate ever says "more fun" or "more engaging to drive". You can definitely have fun in an automatic, manuals just make it more fun.

 

[dputnam01]

I factory ordered my 2018 3500 CTD with the G56 manual transmission, not knowing that that was the last year they were going to offer a shtick shift. So glad I did. I just love driving a manual.

 

[Baggio95]

I factory ordered my 2018 3500 CTD with the G56 manual transmission, not knowing that that was the last year they were going to offer a shtick shift. So glad I did. I just love driving a manual.

I was going to say, I thought they ended the G56 in '18. I ended up with a '12 3500ST with the G56 when I was looking high and low for a 2500/3500 truck with a manual transmission. That's when I learned Ram was the only one left making a manual and that Ford had stopped their V10 gasser with the manual.

Someone hit the nail on the head when they said they want to actually drive the truck. I was new to the full size trucks when I got my first truck camper and shortly owned 2500 with the 5.7 hemi had plenty of power, it drove me crazy searching for a gear climbing through the Rockies. Once I made it to AZ I sold it in a heart beat and started my search for a manual. Five years later I still have my 3500 and am glad I tracked it down. Living in the mountains, I want to actually be able to drive and control the truck by activating the clutch and picking a gear

 

[Marshall]

LOL ...there's one I haven't experienced!!

Had a couple, one was in a truck
Don’t forget the Edsel, push buttons on the center of the steering wheel
I rebuilt the shift on the transmission
That was a nightmare
The manual that I changed to Allison auto was 67 IHC 3ton cab over with 5 on the tree
All the kid’s grew up driving standards, one tractor has 32 gear shifts all syco

I had a hemi ram with a standard, much prefer the new 8 speed

 

[Bramic71]

Does Ram make new trucks with a stick shift or are they all automatics?

I wish. I would have bought my 2500 with a stick.

 

[Regcabguy]

Does Ram make new trucks with a stick shift or are they all automatics?

The diesels are all automatics now for a couple of years or more.

 

[Regcabguy]

We all wish there was still a stick shift .. I even looked into changing my 2014 Ram 2500 Hemi into a stick .. but not doable due to the modules that talk to each other.. so what that means due to the level of safety put into drivetrains stick shift is no longer an option.

I have an '07 Cummins G-56 that I had to special order from Dave Smith. At the time there was a '06 Ram 2500 hemi with a G-56 at a dealer.

 

[TXThumper]

Nothing like rowing thru the gears. Last time I took my truck in for it’s annual safety inspection, the inspector opened the door, looked inside and had to go get the old guy in the shop to do the test drive as he was the only one there that knew how to drive a stick shift.

 

[2012RAM1500RT]

View attachment 493908
Nothing like rowing thru the gears. Last time I took my truck in for it’s annual safety inspection, the inspector opened the door, looked inside and had to go get the old guy in the shop to do the test drive as he was the only one there that knew how to drive a stick shift.

Oh yeah! Pistol Grip! I always loved that shifter, fits so well in your hand!

 

[Blue Truck]

Pure effin' joy isn't measured in tenths or car lengths. My truck has the NV5600, which is far from a quick or smooth shifting transmission. If I play it just right, it will shift like butter. Other times it still shifts like butter, just semi-frozen. Part of the fun is improving my skills with it. Doesn't matter how many data points there are on how automatics are "better." I'm still going to love the feel, sound, and entire experience of manually shifting through the gears.

 

[Coastal WA Gal]

I don’t think my knees could handle a manual but my mind is still willing……..

You hit the nail squarely on the head, Tidefan! I learned to drive in a 1963 Karman Ghia with a manual transmission and have always preferred manual transmissions. At least, until my left knee got so bad I was in massive amounts of pain by the time I got home driving in rush hour traffic before I retired.

There is nothing like driving a manual transmission on a curvy road, especially in the mountains. I truly do miss that but I wouldn't be driving my Ram like a sports car on such roads anyway, so I'll take my automatic and enjoy the lack of excessive pain in my knee.

 

[Native Texan]

This year, I bought an '02 Ram 2500 Cummins with a manual showing 253k miles. I use it to drive all over the metroplex of Fort Worth/Dallas. I would not even consider an automatic when I was looking. I have a 2000 lb workbed and am getting almost exactly 20mpg after over 4k miles. I have never filled up before 500 miles.

I love the fact that I can choose the gear, not some box.

That said, it is nice to sit down in a car and use and auto sometimes. However, we are using the truck for most of our driving right now.