Highbeam
Super Member
It sounds like you keep your trucks forever but.... if you go to sell it I would assume that there is a larger market for the automatic. Regular Joes don't want to shift gears.
New Dodge Diesel Truck - Auto or 6 speed?
- Thread starter Kelvin
- Start date
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budman72
Silver Member
Kelvin,
I have a 2004 2500 with the auto, zero problems in 35000 miles. The 48re tranny in the newer Rams was designed for the power of the HO Cummins engine. Like others have said, unless you bomb your truck the tranny should last a long time.
I occasionally pull a 3 horse gooseneck trailer and the tranny does a good job doing this. Since I don't tow a whole lot and probably half my driving is around town, I got the auto, if most of my driving was hiway I'd have bought the manual. It's really a matter of personal preference, there isn't much talk on the forums about problems with either one.
As far as waiting for a MegaCab, keep in mind Dodge is doing away with the 7 year 70,000 mile warranty after the 05 model year, for 06 it will be 3 / 36. While I like my auto, the 70 K mile warranty is reassuring.
Good luck with your new truck, let us know what you decide.
Bud
I have a 2004 2500 with the auto, zero problems in 35000 miles. The 48re tranny in the newer Rams was designed for the power of the HO Cummins engine. Like others have said, unless you bomb your truck the tranny should last a long time.
I occasionally pull a 3 horse gooseneck trailer and the tranny does a good job doing this. Since I don't tow a whole lot and probably half my driving is around town, I got the auto, if most of my driving was hiway I'd have bought the manual. It's really a matter of personal preference, there isn't much talk on the forums about problems with either one.
As far as waiting for a MegaCab, keep in mind Dodge is doing away with the 7 year 70,000 mile warranty after the 05 model year, for 06 it will be 3 / 36. While I like my auto, the 70 K mile warranty is reassuring.
Good luck with your new truck, let us know what you decide.
Bud
OP
Kelvin
Platinum Member
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I visited dealer #6 today to see what they had to offer. It seems that all 6 dealers tell the same story:
"The price in the window is the employee price minus the $1500 rebate; with the exception of a possible Farm Bureau rebate there is no room to budge beyond that, so find whichever dealer has the truck that most closely matches what you want and buy it".
So, tomorrow I plan to go to dealer #1 (whom is the closest and whom I have had positive dealings with the service department before) and offer them x dollars (exact amount to be determined) less than their "no budging" price on either the 2500 with automatic transmission or a single-rear-wheel 3500 with 6 speed (I may let them pick which truck they'd rather me have since I seem to like them both equally well; the 2500 automatic is sticker priced $300 more than the 6-speed 3500). If they reject the offer, I will go to the other dealers with basically the same offer. If all dealers reject the offer, then I'll have to decide whether to come up with a higher number that I am willing to offer and make the rounds again.
Note #1: Ride confort. Can't remember how much I talked about this in the previous post, but both the new diesel 4x4 4-door trucks that I test drove (the 2500 and the single-rear-wheel 3500) rode a lot smoother than my old 1985 1/2 ton Ram Charger, and rode smoother than the 2001 4x4 2500 diesel club-cab that I test drove.
Note #2: More on Automatic Transmission. At dealer #6 today I noticed a used 2004 4x4 diesel 2500 automatic that had been traded in over this past weekend for a new diesel pickup. I asked them whether the person that bought the new truck got a manual or automatic transmission, thinking that this might suggest some problems with the auto transmission. They replied that the previous owner had ordered a 2006 with automatic transmission; presumably with the "mega-cab" option. Of course, now I'm wondering why the 2004 truck was turned in if he only "ordered" a new truck; what's he driving now? Unfortunately, this question did not come to mind until after I had left the dealership.
Kelvin
"The price in the window is the employee price minus the $1500 rebate; with the exception of a possible Farm Bureau rebate there is no room to budge beyond that, so find whichever dealer has the truck that most closely matches what you want and buy it".
So, tomorrow I plan to go to dealer #1 (whom is the closest and whom I have had positive dealings with the service department before) and offer them x dollars (exact amount to be determined) less than their "no budging" price on either the 2500 with automatic transmission or a single-rear-wheel 3500 with 6 speed (I may let them pick which truck they'd rather me have since I seem to like them both equally well; the 2500 automatic is sticker priced $300 more than the 6-speed 3500). If they reject the offer, I will go to the other dealers with basically the same offer. If all dealers reject the offer, then I'll have to decide whether to come up with a higher number that I am willing to offer and make the rounds again.
Note #1: Ride confort. Can't remember how much I talked about this in the previous post, but both the new diesel 4x4 4-door trucks that I test drove (the 2500 and the single-rear-wheel 3500) rode a lot smoother than my old 1985 1/2 ton Ram Charger, and rode smoother than the 2001 4x4 2500 diesel club-cab that I test drove.
Note #2: More on Automatic Transmission. At dealer #6 today I noticed a used 2004 4x4 diesel 2500 automatic that had been traded in over this past weekend for a new diesel pickup. I asked them whether the person that bought the new truck got a manual or automatic transmission, thinking that this might suggest some problems with the auto transmission. They replied that the previous owner had ordered a 2006 with automatic transmission; presumably with the "mega-cab" option. Of course, now I'm wondering why the 2004 truck was turned in if he only "ordered" a new truck; what's he driving now? Unfortunately, this question did not come to mind until after I had left the dealership.
Kelvin
rockyridgefarm
Elite Member
I work at a Dodge Store , Get the auto. Course we have WAY more 6 speeds, so what do I know?
btw, I am not trying to sell you one, info posted for FUN and INFO only!
btw, I am not trying to sell you one, info posted for FUN and INFO only!
rswyan
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Kelvin,
I'll tell ya what my neighbor, who owns a lawncare business said to me, when I asked him how liked the RAM 2500(s) he bought a few years ago:
"I wish I had gotten manual transmissions."
..... interesting comment from a guy who drives his vehicles 5 or 6 days a week to lots of locations per day, and only pulling a fairly small/light trailer.
He owns two of them and I hired him to drive to the dealer where I bought my tractor (120 miles away) and haul it home for me.
Me ? ...... I liked the idea of the manual tranny too. I've been driving a van with an automatic for the last four years, so I won't mind rowing (at least for a while /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)
I just picked up the attached this evening. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif (Dealer was out of bunch of stuff so I'm waiting on things like mudflaps, etc.)
It's a RAM 3500 4x4 SRW QuadCab Long Bed, Big Horn Edition, with the 3.73 rear. Has the older NV5600 heavy-duty manual tranny in it. Didn't have some things I would have liked to have, like the driver's side power seat (I'm tall - would have been since to be able to lower it some.), or the jake brake.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have mostly been looking at used trucks as I can't stand the idea of putting $34K into anything that is a guarenteed negative investment. )</font>
I've been looking for awhile - both new and used. The used ones generally are pretty pricey - especially now with all dealers offering employee pricing .... can't imagine many used are selling at the prices they are asking. One thing to consider is how long it will last ..... with the CTD, if you take care of it, the truck will likely go before the motor ever does. I saw three relatively new units (2000 or 2001) for sale that apparently came from a fleet .... the low miler had 440K on it, the middle one had 660K on it and the high-miler had 880K miles on it ... I could hardly believe it.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Besides reliability issues, are there other concerns that should be considered when looking at the two different transmissions? Any significant issues with fuel economy? )</font>
The newer G56 6-speed tranny is, from what I've read, a Daimler offering from their Eurpoean light/medium duty truck line ... given that, I would think it would be fine ... but I have no experience personally.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I will still drag my feet for a few days; if they're all gone by the end of July then my decision will have been made for me! )</font>
The dealer where I bought mine sold 32 vehicles this past week, which is apparently alot for them (they are located in a relatively rural area .... Wooster, Ohio) The salesman made the comment about people in the past complaining about not being able to get a deal on RAMs with the CTD (it is possible to do, just depends on the dealer) .... said he if they didn't buy now, with Employee Pricing he wouldn't have any sympathy for 'em. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
There was a dualie that was almost the twin to mine that went out the day I stopped by to look.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Note #1: Ride confort. )</font>
FWIW, I test drove a 2004.5 3500 DRW earlier this year ...... my 2005 SRW seems to have a significantly better ride (at least unloaded) .... dunno if that's really true or not but it seemed that way.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Of course, now I'm wondering why the 2004 truck was turned in if he only "ordered" a new truck; what's he driving now? )</font>
The trade-in price that they quoted was for the vehical with a specific amount of miles on it. Probably has something else to drive until the new one arrives. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I'll tell ya what my neighbor, who owns a lawncare business said to me, when I asked him how liked the RAM 2500(s) he bought a few years ago:
"I wish I had gotten manual transmissions."
..... interesting comment from a guy who drives his vehicles 5 or 6 days a week to lots of locations per day, and only pulling a fairly small/light trailer.
He owns two of them and I hired him to drive to the dealer where I bought my tractor (120 miles away) and haul it home for me.
Me ? ...... I liked the idea of the manual tranny too. I've been driving a van with an automatic for the last four years, so I won't mind rowing (at least for a while /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)
I just picked up the attached this evening. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif (Dealer was out of bunch of stuff so I'm waiting on things like mudflaps, etc.)
It's a RAM 3500 4x4 SRW QuadCab Long Bed, Big Horn Edition, with the 3.73 rear. Has the older NV5600 heavy-duty manual tranny in it. Didn't have some things I would have liked to have, like the driver's side power seat (I'm tall - would have been since to be able to lower it some.), or the jake brake.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have mostly been looking at used trucks as I can't stand the idea of putting $34K into anything that is a guarenteed negative investment. )</font>
I've been looking for awhile - both new and used. The used ones generally are pretty pricey - especially now with all dealers offering employee pricing .... can't imagine many used are selling at the prices they are asking. One thing to consider is how long it will last ..... with the CTD, if you take care of it, the truck will likely go before the motor ever does. I saw three relatively new units (2000 or 2001) for sale that apparently came from a fleet .... the low miler had 440K on it, the middle one had 660K on it and the high-miler had 880K miles on it ... I could hardly believe it.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Besides reliability issues, are there other concerns that should be considered when looking at the two different transmissions? Any significant issues with fuel economy? )</font>
The newer G56 6-speed tranny is, from what I've read, a Daimler offering from their Eurpoean light/medium duty truck line ... given that, I would think it would be fine ... but I have no experience personally.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I will still drag my feet for a few days; if they're all gone by the end of July then my decision will have been made for me! )</font>
The dealer where I bought mine sold 32 vehicles this past week, which is apparently alot for them (they are located in a relatively rural area .... Wooster, Ohio) The salesman made the comment about people in the past complaining about not being able to get a deal on RAMs with the CTD (it is possible to do, just depends on the dealer) .... said he if they didn't buy now, with Employee Pricing he wouldn't have any sympathy for 'em. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
There was a dualie that was almost the twin to mine that went out the day I stopped by to look.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Note #1: Ride confort. )</font>
FWIW, I test drove a 2004.5 3500 DRW earlier this year ...... my 2005 SRW seems to have a significantly better ride (at least unloaded) .... dunno if that's really true or not but it seemed that way.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Of course, now I'm wondering why the 2004 truck was turned in if he only "ordered" a new truck; what's he driving now? )</font>
The trade-in price that they quoted was for the vehical with a specific amount of miles on it. Probably has something else to drive until the new one arrives. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Attachments
RobertN
Super Member
This is not 100% apple to apple, but... I have an '01 Ram 2500 CTD with Auto. It works nice, have 72k on it now. I also put some miles on a work truck, an '01 F450 Ford with 6 spd. I like both traanies... I like a stick in a truck. Sometimes, I just like having the options of more gears. That's one thing I miss with the auto. At least on my '01, it is a big jump from 3rd to OD. Since I have 4.11's, I'm cranking some RPM if I kick out of OD on the highway.
But, the second I get in to traffic, I really like the auto /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
But, the second I get in to traffic, I really like the auto /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Mark4510
Gold Member
Kelvin,
I would use Dave Smith Motors (you can find them on the web) as a bench mark for pricing. See what they offer and use that to negotiate from strength.
I have an '02 6spd and use it to haul our horses. I would buy manual again. If I had to drive through town a lot AND had to use a truck I would probably still buy the manual although the auto would look better.
Best of luck.
Mark
I would use Dave Smith Motors (you can find them on the web) as a bench mark for pricing. See what they offer and use that to negotiate from strength.
I have an '02 6spd and use it to haul our horses. I would buy manual again. If I had to drive through town a lot AND had to use a truck I would probably still buy the manual although the auto would look better.
Best of luck.
Mark
rockyridgefarm
Elite Member
The new Auto is a HUGE improvement over the old ones, really worth a look. But the 6 speeds are doing well too.
RobertN
Super Member
By old auto, how old do you mean? Mine has done fine, although I have left it stock to this point. It is an '01 Ram-2500 CTD with auto and 4.11's. Is this "old"?
Egon
Epic Contributor
I was under the impression the dodge diesel still uses the "old" auto transmission. The new one is for gas only. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Egon
Egon
