No More Six Speeds???

[crafty]

Am i correct in assuming that you can no longer order a 6 speed manual trans with the Duramax? I tried the "build a truck" on the GM web site and as soon as I chose the Duramax option I could no longer get the choice of a manual transmission.
If that is the case, GM is going back 25 years to when they first brought out the diesel in trucks. You couldn't get a manual trans back then either! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Lawrence]

Yep. i wanted a manual tranny myself. I actually considered (shudder) a D*@ge for a moment, but after driving the 6-speed Allison, I was in love. (That is probably why they no longer offer the manual.);)

[dieseldummy]

Yeah, sadly enough GM has thier head firmly implanted in their rear on this one... Of course whey would they want to sell a ZF 6 and give ZF some money when they could sell all Allisons and keep profits in house. I plan on keeping my '01 for a long time to come, but if I were in the market for a new one it would be Dodge or Ford for me. I don't care what anyone says the 6 speed Allison is NOT a replacement for a manual tranmission!:mad:

[Mark Rinker]

Never towed with a manual behind a diesel. Whats the advantage?

[dieseldummy]

I prefer to lose a little speed on hills by maintaining a higher gear than downshifting to keep up speed. Every auto I've towed with (including the Allison) has been downshift "happy" so to speek. With a manual there is no question of who is in control.

[murphyslaw]

I Love My ZF-6 :D

[mark45678]

the new 2006 allison 6 speed is a great trans! It is by far better then any other year they have made to date. the new tap shift manual mode is for you guys that want to control wht gear your in. Every time I tow something heavy with my 06 truck I cant help but think wow , GM did there homework finaly.

[carco]

If I could afford it, my rollback and "new" used heavy duty tow truck would be automatics. Those clutches wear you out, are unsafe climbing in @ muddy or snowy scenes and side slipping a clutch pedal while in reverse to hookup, etc. Most aftermarket clutches develope high pedal pressure requirements, OEM clutches work well but are expensive. A quality reclutch will often buy a good trans overhaul. bob...................

[murphyslaw]

I have an '03 c6500 with the 7.8dmax and the zf-6 I am on the original clutch. have put over 50k on it and I do repo's. the truck gets used ALOT. I like it. my '00 c3500 selfloader is an auto, that truck isnt as "fun" to drive. and no one gets in my trucks before pounding there shoes off. I'm kinda a clean freak!! I fired a guy a while back cause he wouldt stomp his shoes before gettin in.

[crafty]

My 01 will be six years old next week and I still love the six speed as much now as the first night I drove it home. I don't plan on replacing the truck for a few more years yet but if GM hasn't got a manual trans at that time I just may have to look at another brand. In the 20 plus years that I've driven standards, I've never taken out a clutch. (the truck currently has over 73,000 miles on it) Like all the other posts that said this, I like being able to control when the truck shifts and what gear I drive in. Besides, having a standard shift keeps all those nasty friends that can only drive autos from borrowing your truck.!!!:D :D :D

[JohnC]

I think a lot of the decision is based on emissions, fuel mileage and torque handling capacity. The manuals have been derated for a while. Obviously, something's not up to the task. By controlling the shift points and defeuling during shifts they can get better performance and mileage and lower emissions all in one package.

Fun has nothing to do with it... :(

[TLS]

Warranty.

An automatic is much "softer" on EVERYTHING in a truck.

[STPETEBLUE]

I plan on keeping my '01 for a long time to come, but if I were in the market for a new one it would be Dodge or Ford for me.

I don't plan on replacing the truck for a few more years yet but if GM hasn't got a manual trans at that time I just may have to look at another brand.IMO, GM not offering a manual transmission is NO REASON to look at a Dodge or Ford!

I don't care what anyone says the 6 speed Allison is NOT a replacement for a manual tranmission!:mad: I agree there, and after driving a floor shift GMC (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garage.php?do=view&g=501) for 21 years, I do miss the feel of shifting gears. However, this Allison transmission is the most unbelievable automatic I've ever driven. And I only have the five speed without the tap shift. The 6 speed must be awesome.

[dieseldummy]

GM not offering what I want is a very good reason to buy another brand. When you go shoe shopping you don't buy what is available if it doesn't fit you and isn't what you want, why should vehicle shopping be any different?

[STPETEBLUE]

That is your choice.

I personally feel (this means it is my opinion) that the GM product, even without a manual transmission, is far superior than its competitor. If the Allison 1000 was a piece of junk, that would be another story. But it is not.

When you go shoe shopping you don't buy what is available if it doesn't fit you and isn't what you want, why should vehicle shopping be any different?DD, that is not even a good analogy. If I don't "fit" in the truck, I wouldn't buy it, either. A type of transmission has nothing to do with "fit".

Will the Allison automatic keep your truck from doing what you bought it to do?

Well, it doesn't really matter, if you would be happier in a manual shift Ford, or the foreign owned Dodge, or even Toyota :eek:, that is your choice and if that is what you choose to do, then good for you.

Just my http://www.efuse.com/What_s_New/two-cents-worth2.jpg.

[dieseldummy]

I'm glad you don't like my analogy... I guess that's where you and I differ with our opinion of "fit". For me the Alli didn't fit the bill so I searched for a ZF6 until I found one. It didn't cost me $4500 to have a transmission that holds more than 90 extra HP, I can utilize lowend power while towing and reduce the number of downshifts, and best of all how many Allison equiped trucks can produce 21+ MPG on winter fuel...

Since you mentioned the quality of the other brands that offer 6 speeds... have you ridden in a Ford or Dodge lately?? The competitors interiors are just as nice as my GM, they all use good quality drivetrain, and they all ride equally nice. I'm not all that impressed with my GM... 93K miles and the doors are starting to rattle, the factory radio crapped out, the platic molding on the tailgate and bumper is starting to shrink, and the list could go on for quite some time.

So who is to tell me that the inferior brands that offer choices are worse than the "great" GM that doesn't offer many choices anymore?? Surely that wouldn't be you STPETEBLUE?

[STPETEBLUE]

So who is to tell me that the inferior brands that offer choices are worse than the "great" GM that doesn't offer many choices anymore?? Surely that wouldn't be you STPETEBLUE?
I'm not telling you anything!

I'm expressing my opinion. You do not have to agree, and with each of your posts, I'm becoming more glad that you don't.
Since you are not seeing these very important words in EACH of my posts on this subject, I will quote them:

I personally feel (this means it is my opinion)
IMO, GM not offering a manual transmission is NO REASON to look at a Dodge or Ford!
IMO means "In my opinion".

Go and get your Ford or Dodge, you'll obviously be happier, and so will we. That, too, is MY OPINION (not subject to challenge)!