6 Speed or Auto? Hmmmmmmm......<br><br>It sounds like the 48RE might be as durable as the 6 spd, huh? If that's the case it just comes down to personal preference. Anyone care to consider the differences between the two?

 

Shure . . . one shifts for you and the other you have to shift yourself ;D<br><br>The Boss Hog<br>always willing to help<br>

 

Autoloaders have always been Dodges weakest link, especially when towing.<br><br>I would not want to take a chance to see if they really got the 48RE beefed up enough to tow with<br><br>Sure, warranty will cover you, but who is gonna tow your RV around while your baby is getting a new tranny in the shop?<br><br>And imagine that happening in the middle of Mexico or someplace?<br><br>Have not heard of any six shooters letting their owners down<br><br>Hunter

 

Boss<br><br>You are getting a little testy! <br><br>Got the no truck blues? :'( :'(<br><br>Hunter

 

blues? . . . BLUES? . . .no, I have the BLUES!!!<br><br>The Blue Hog<br><br>

 

Hang in there, Hog. Go trim the tree. Wash the dishes. Clean up the floor in the garage where the baby will reside. Go wrestle an alligator. Just stay busy. It will happen, honest. I know. Got my whole &quot;honey dudu&quot; list done in two days waiting. <br><br>Bob

 

Joel - performance issues aside, there's also the human angle to consider.<br><br>Personally, I enjoy shifting. Makes me feel more active in the driving process and gives me more of a sense of being &quot;one&quot; with the machine (a Zen in-the-moment sort of thing).<br><br>Contrast that stance with the one taken by my lovely Ninja Wife. She thinks shifting is too much work and generally takes away from the pleasure of driving. She likes to relax, sip on a soft drink, and not worry about what the machine is doing.<br><br>To each his own, eh? ;D<br><br>Best to y'all<br>Bill

 

It's easier to talk on the cell phone when you don't have to keep shifting .<br><br>One hand on the wheel<br>One hand on the shifter<br>One hand on the cell phone<br>One hand holding the cigarette (if you're so inclined)<br><br><br>phox

 

Geez, you HO guys are making me feel like I bought something awful like a Duramax or something. :'(<br><br>If I had it to do over again, I would still get the SO engine but I would put the 48re behind it. That way, if DC thinks it is beefy enough for the HO, the SO shouldn't be able to hurt it at all.<br><br>I think the SO is a good option for guys who don't tow huge loads, (though it can tow huge loads if asked to), and guys who are looking for excellent fuel economy and engine longevity. I am not sorry I bought the SO, just sorry I don't have the 48re behind it! But I figure the 47re will last me many miles, and if and when it does go out, I will upgrade to one of the stronger aftermarket trannies available.

 

Joel, the major differences between the two (besides the obvious Boss Hog ) is that one is a proven durable trans, and the other is not. The 48re may turn out to be the greatest 4 spd. auto in the industry, but we dont know that. IMHO if you dont mind rowing through the gears, then get the 6-speed. But, if you're not really hauling or towing anything extreme...the auto is PROBABLY fine...we'll find out eventually.<br><br> Cat Cracker.

 

I love my auto, I would wait to and let Dodge work out the bugs on the new 48E<br><br>KC

 

I would, without hesitation, get the six speed.

 

If you haven't read my earlier posts, I am getting the 48RE. I was thinking last night, if I had a big wad of cash sitting on the table and I could buy any truck I wanted, what would I get? For the life of me I could not think of anything I wanted more than a Cummins HO with an automatic transmission. I am so glad that my previously ordered truck did not arrive before the 48RE became available.

 

I have always had the auto in my trucks, and the only one I regretted was the E4 OH NO! tranny I had in my Furd dually crewcab. I loved the cab, the engine was underpowered for what I wanted to do (7.3 turbo) and after the third tranny, I finally sold it. My wife and I plan on extended periods of time on the road with the fiver after I retire, and I don't want to have to go with her every time she wants to go shopping, etc.<br>I did test drive a five speed CTD before I bought my current rig, and that helped me make up my mind. I loved doing the shifting when I was younger, but now I'm happy to let the truck handle that for me. I do, however, have the DTT tranny make-over, and that gives me a little more peace of mind.<br><br>DeWain

 

I've owned several makes of vehicles and tractors and I would have to say for durability, longevity and not having to worry about it - go with the 6-speed. This is the first manual vehicle I have purchased in several years and I love it. It is a wonderfully smooth transmission and you will get better fuel mileage out of it also while putting more power to the ground. You won't ever have to worry about automatic transmission fluid temperatures getting too high while towing and is one less cooler to put in front your truck. Less maint., cost and hassle. With all the tourque of the cummins you can skip a few gears when driving in town and won't have to downshift much at all. If you ever upgrade your engine you will also have to upgrade the transmission.