Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

RE: [SPAM] [RC] diesel automatic vs. manual - heidi

I am wondering if there is a significant difference in power and gas 
mileage between diesel automatics and diesel manual transmissions.  We 
currently have 2 Dodge diesel manual transmissions 3/4 tons trucks, one 
4 wheel drive and the other 2 wheel drive.  We keep track of the 
mileage faithfully, so I know how our trucks do.  I was told the 
automatics lose have up to 20% less in power, and the gas mileage is 
less.  Does anybody have any experience they can share with this?  I'd 
love to have an automatic some day, but my other half is not going for 
it.  Just curious what others have experienced.


I think with a manual transmission, you can do better on mileage IF you
know how to use it.  But the deciding factor for me is control and
safety.  I drive enough on mountainous roads and on icy roads that I
want the choice to be in the appropriate gear for the conditions--and I
don't get that with an automatic.  I can understand the desire to drive
an automatic if one has to deal with a lot of stop-and-go traffic, and
if one's driving is mostly on highways without much difficult terrain. 
But I gladly put up with the hassle of shifting gears in those
conditions to be able to have the control I want when the going gets
tough.

I do have an automatic tranny in my Subaru--and it isn't so bad there,
but I'd still rather have a stick shift.  I can't go down my own
driveway safely in the car when it is icy (have to cut through my
neighbor's)--even in the lowest gear with the automatic, it will still
shift up going down the steep stretch, and will go out of control on
the ice.  OTOH, I can point my truck down the same thing in first gear,
and it will just walk its way down.

Thankfully, my other half and I are in absolute agreement on this one. 
;-)

Heidi


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=