Auto or 6 Speed?

[dc89ssp]

I have an F250 6 speed right now that I am thinking of selling. I want a crew cab dually.

I am considering getting an automatic. Here is what I do with the truck:

I do tow some, 10k lbs gooseneck - it would be easier to drive with the auto
run around town and talk to people on the cell, Lotta city driving, stop and go.

I am old and tired. The auto just seems like an easy choice but the truck will have over 100k miles and I always worry about the tranny going and it being an expensive rebuild/install.

The 6 speed is fun, but I sometimes can't drive it due to the fact I have to take phone calls while in the truck and I know I will be shifting all the time.

Parking with the 6 speed is also harder because you have to be on and off the clutch to control speed. I'm thinking mostly of backing up with my enclosed 32' gooseneck.

I know I need to drive the 6 speed with the trailer more to get better at it. Shifting out of low into 1st just right without jerking everything takes some practice. I usually don't start in 1st with that kinda load behind it.

My 6 speed right now shifts perfect in all gears and other than an eventual clutch I fell like ti will last fine. It has 180k miles on it now.

What do you guys think? thanks in advance.

[zambonimaxx]

At the end of the day its preference and cost. I love my auto for the simplicity of it, just driving on base is stop-go-stop-go-stop at no more than 35 miles an hour. I would (however) love a 6 speed for the durability and more control while driving (down-shifting less braking etc) but I'm young and stupid haha. As long as you are not pushing mass power chips, and upgraded turbo, injectors etc. your stock tranny should be alright. I have 95k on mine right now...running like a champ shifts perfectly, but I do have a chip so I know that eventually I will be spending a large chunk of change, and I may just end up doing the ZF6 swap instead of a built tranny. If your doing a lot of city driving, and you are getting sick of it, don't be afraid of the Auto...if it would be that bad (like a dodge) they would have a rep from hell, but tons of people here have stock trannys and all is well. How much over 100k does this truck have, and what kind of mods/use does it have?

~Phil

P.S. if you do go the auto route a gauge to keep an eye on temps is a necessity (the one stock is like an idiot gauge mine does not budge while my autometer changes based on everything else). and a 6.0 tranny cooler is 24 fins compared to the 7.3's 9 fins or so. Definitive drop in tranny temps (so I have heard have yet to do that mod...Saving up for the money suck, err child

[dc89ssp]

Well all of the trucks I am looking at have over 100k miles. Some slightly over and some up to 190k miles.

I will have a chip but stock injectors turbo etc. These trucks are slow without a chip.