Drivetrain Tech General discussion of drivetrain for the Ford Ranger.
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5Spd Vs. Auto

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  #1  
Old 12-03-2008
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Icon5 5Spd Vs. Auto

Alright I have a manual trans. and have drivin one with an auto trans. I hated it! They suck! Why would anyone get an auto trans. in anything? The idea of not shifting gears yourself is out of the question. Especially for a truck. In any truck you get the largest engine, manual trans. And if your gonna have a "work" truck you get the standard cab with the long bed. Unless it's a gentleman's truck lol. But the question im asking is Manual or Auto.? Ive told you my opinion, now tell me yours?
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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In my opinion manuals are cheaper to buy, cheaper and easier to maintain, repair, or replace, and enable getting better gas mileage. Auto vs manual is a no-brainer in my mind.

The one strike against the manual in the Ranger is that the official towing specs are nearly 2x for a similarly equipped Ranger w/ the auto than w/ the manual. Now I have some opinions about that (namely that the manual is drastically underrated), but the spec is what it is.

Oh, and the manual in the Ranger is not a very highly regarded trans. I chalk this up to the auto in the Explorer getting lots of R&D attention from Ford because it was a big seller. Then this development eventually trickled down into the Ranger because they shared drive trains. Meanwhile the manual trans was hugely unpopular and got left alone.
 

Last edited by NHBubba_Revisited; 06-08-2009 at 07:36 AM.
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Old 12-03-2008
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Autos are more expensive to buy.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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the 5r55e in our rangers is a crappy teans, very expensive to repair, very expensive to replace, numberous TSB's are out on them and i would never buy one. I wouldnt be sad if i never owned another automatic again. i have owned a 4r100 and a 700r4 and both trucks were manual transmissions by the time i sold them
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Originally Posted by NHBubba_Revisited
In my opinion autos are cheaper to buy, cheaper and easier to maintain, repair, or replace, and enable getting better gas mileage. Auto vs manual is a no-brainer in my mind.

The one strike against the manual in the Ranger is that the official towing specs are nearly 2x for a similarly equipped Ranger w/ the auto than w/ the manual. Now I have some opinions about that (namely that the manual is drastically underrated), but the spec is what it is.

Oh, and the manual in the Ranger is not a very highly regarded trans. I chalk this up to the auto in the Explorer getting lots of R&D attention from Ford because it was a big seller. Then this development eventually trickled down into the Ranger because they shared drive trains. Meanwhile the manual trans was hugely unpopular and got left alone.
Autos are more expensive to buy fact. new at least.. and on the gas mileage note you can get better gas mileage with a stick.. i find it easier to maintain my Manuel less things to worry about...and towing wise you can tow a load much better than an auto if you know how to drive well the reason the specs are low is because people burn out the clutch's and cant drive you know that a 4.0 auto and a 4.0 man has the same exact power.. so how could it tow a pound less... with the stick you have total control...

all in all i love my Manuel and i will never buy an auto... i feel that a stick is more fun to drive takes more skill and keeps me more alert and i pay more attention to driving... plus its easier to burn out and stuff :P but this is what my dad said and he made it to 65 then joined the auto club... eh
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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I have a manual but I wish I had an auto. The Ranger manual is a POS in my opinion along with the crappy slave cylinder design.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Have an auto, want a manual.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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manual ftw
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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I like my auto, I don't want to deal with the hassle of a manual. Makes it easier for my mom and girlfriend to drive my truck if they need to as well.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Originally Posted by 04blackedge
Makes it easier for my mom and girlfriend to drive my truck if they need to as well.
Haha, more the reason to get a manual. My mom prefers a manual though.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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i wouldnt trust either to drive my truck
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Originally Posted by Alex98
i wouldnt trust either to drive my truck
I let my mom drive mine, because then I get to drive her truck. But other than my parents NOBODY drives my truck.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Stick shift for me. Its a good excuse not to let people drive my truck, and 4 bangers are dogs with autos.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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I'll never own a vehicle w/ an automatic transmission if I can help it (the slave cylinder in the Rangers are pretty crummy though). Driving an automatic isn't an interactive driving experience at all. Extremely boring, and I don't trust an automatic as far as I could heave it. I will always buy manual transmission vehicles as long as they are available, which I'm starting to have doubts that they will. If I buy a new truck and Ford doesn't offer a manual transmission, i'll go elsewhere. It blows my mind when someone doesn't know how to drive a manual. That's ridiculous.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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I don't mind other people driving my truck, if they screw it up they'll fix it.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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As much as i have hated my manual trans the last few weeks i still would prefer manual over auto because manual's are so much easier to work on.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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If I don't want someone to drive my vehicle then I just don't let them.

I wouldn't buy another manual truck but I would buy a manual sports car.
 
  #18  
Old 12-03-2008
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i hated my truck as an auto but it was a good deal so i bought it now it is a manual trans and a fleetside bed completely dif and much better truck and more powerfull with a manual... i can control when i wanna shift... i can have more power or i can have better miles its my choice not a computers...
 
  #19  
Old 12-03-2008
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Manual FTW. You get better gas milage with a manual than auto. Where did you hear auto gets better milage? My dad wanted a manual trans because he thinks they tow better, Which I think is true as long as you know how to drive one. I do remember someone saying ford put the tow rating on the manuals lower so They wouldn't replacing burnt clutches on warranty, Or something similar to that. And as far as mantainance, I cant complain too much, I got 185k out of my slave cylinder before it went out.
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Every vehicle that I have called my own has been a manual. Almost ever since I have had my license I have drove a stick. Best manual and funniest I have ever droven was my 69 F100 (three on the tree). My Ranger is manual and I like it. Almost none of my friends can drive one so I feel good that I can. It seems like you can not break one ( key word seems). My dads 2000 F-150 is an auto and we pulled a camper with it. Bad idea. Now it does not shift right. If it was a manual, that would not be a problem. I am not saying that autos suck, I just prefer a manual. I like driving an auto every once in a while, they serve their purpose. It can be a ***** though when you are in a 30 mph head wind and you have to keep shifting between 4th and overdrive.
 
  #21  
Old 12-03-2008
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this is gonna end up like the 4wd vs 2wd or the 4.0 vs 3.0.... not gonna be pretty
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Originally Posted by DisturbedESV
this is gonna end up like the 4wd vs 2wd or the 4.0 vs 3.0.... not gonna be pretty
No because we all know 1wd is better
 
  #23  
Old 12-03-2008
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Originally Posted by cghstrojan08
No because we all know 1wd is better
Haha... you've been talking to Shane too much then
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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Originally Posted by cghstrojan08
No because we all know 1wd is better
3wd ftw!
 
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Old 12-03-2008
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3.0 FTW
true 4wd FTW
and
5-speed FTW

kthanxbye
 


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