go here for more

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/02...uper-duty.html

 

already, damn

 

End of manual transmissions! Sad...

Ford is harsh...

 

I wonder why Ford thinks they can do a better job of making a diesel engine than a company that has been making diesels for over 100 years. It will be interesting to see just how good the 6.7l diesel is. I personally like having a Navistar under the hood.

 

Really early.. and losing the manual transmission? Why?? I see alot of Silverado loooks in the front end of that '11 model, thats my first impression.

 

Totally agree

 

Manual transmissions don't sell for jack. It isn't cost effective to keep them. They can't afford the luxury of the million options anymore.

 

I'd see that in a F150... or in non-commercial use vehicles.

It should be required that a manual transmission be offered, mainly due to the fact that certain body builders require it.

I know in some conversions that happen, such as tow vehicles and other applications they build around the manual transmission due to the fact it is all mechanically operated.

I don't understand these manufacturers... I really don't. Here they are crying poverty, they are given money by us tax payers, and then they can't afford to give us, the people, the options?

It's kind of ironic, but I was reading an article at my college's truck driving school (formerly known as SAGE truck driving), and even though there have been advances in technology, mainly in the transmissions, they are finding out that automatics in commercial vehicles are costing more to operate and even though manufacturers, such as Allison for example boast high MTBF specs on their transmissions, they only use that as an "estimate". It's pot luck if it will last, according to Allison. But Allison did mention, if more money and time was spend on good manual transmission, such as using servo controlled clutches, but still require manual labor, the transmission could be guaranteed to last X number of miles because of the tighter tolerances. They then went into some brief detail explaining the difference between both. In the end, they showed a few companies that switched to automatics, and the cost of maintenance on the automatic transmissions was purely outrageous.

I then asked them about it, and they said that carriers are shying away from it... it was a big hit in '05-'07, but carriers figured it out that it was costing them mondo dollars.

Sometimes people should stand back and look at what is going on...

 

manual trannys are great for us young guys who like them but as we get older we are less able to shift so i think they should keep them

 

why are they testing it so soon? is it cuz the engine is a ford engine?

 

Ford doesn't trust themselves.

But on a lighter side, the way it is probably made is cheap... like the newer gas engines that Ford is giving out.

Ever hear the valve tapping on the 5.4's? That's poor manufacturing, that's why I am not fond of DOHC engines going in trucks, but more over, Ford's engineering principles blow ugly chunks.

Ever drive an automatic? Notice how bad the shifts are in the Fords? Bad engineering.

Ford is good in some regard, but their engineers are just... blah.

If they hire some new engineers that actually know what they are doing, these trucks would be better and cost less.

 

Your head is buried so deep in your rear, along with the stick shift you sat on you seriously have no idea what you are talking about.

You think Ford needs to look around because YOU, 1 person decided so. Problem is, YOU aren't the entire population. Will you EVER get that?

Do you honestly think Ford didn't do research and do an extensive cost/benefit analysis to see that the manual would cost more than it would produce in sales? Really?

 

The true fact it isn't me.

Personally, I don't give a hoot.

The fact is, having a manual does not cost Ford any more money than offering a a 4x2 truck. Having an automatic that is poorly crafted makes Ford money in the long run by selling expensive parts that break.

Why don't they want to include it? Like any big-wigged business...

Once they know that you can't drive anything else, they got you by the hook and force you to drive what "they" want you to drive. "They" as in Ford, you know, those big-wig executives that waste our tax payer money on their first class, private jet flights.

Don't you see "we" are getting controlled in what we can and cannot buy?

I'm not trying to be absurd, but let me put this in a better sense.

Imagine going to a Ford dealer, or any for that matter (takes away from the dealer issues), and you walk up to a salesman and lay down a chunk of cash for a truck that you want. You want a nice F250 Lariat Super Cab 4x4 Diesel, loaded to the kilt. Your dream truck, basically. Now what if the salesman comes back to you and says, "Sorry, but you can't get you that. We can only get you a F250 Regular Cab Base XL 4x2 Work Truck, because that is what Ford wants you to drive."

Would you accept that?

I would say no... you'd probably complain just as much as I am.

So, it might not seem like an issue to you, but it sure is an issue to people that care about what they drive, the freedoms of the country, and most importantly, others in the country that deserve to get what they so desire without big business getting in the way of people's lives.

 

Thats called capitalism dude, if Ford cannot make a super strong truck that the public wants then someone else will and Ford will go out of buisness. Thats how it works. If you have to have a manual super duty SOOOO bad, put your own in, or start your own manual truck making factory and make a buck. Stop complaining, Ford is the leader (by a long shot) in the truck market for a reason.

 

It is apparent now more than EVER that you truly don't "get it."

It's called SUPPLY AND DEMAND. The DEMAND for manual transmissions is not great enough to justify the added cost of complicating the manufacturing process, adding more configurations to the manufacturing process, more configurations to need to be stocked, and needing to make more, and different parts.

This is not the only place where this is occurring. There are several new articles out discussing how all manufacturers are considering ways to cut back on options. It COSTS money to make additional options available. If the COST exceeds the GAIN, then you don't add the option.

SIMPLE ECONOMICS. This isn't some crazy conspiracy, or Ford trying to "control" people, it is ECONOMICS.