I am at the National Farm show in Louisville KY. Very interesting that both of the diesels at the Dodge both are 6 spds.

The dodge dealers in my area aren't afraid to stock a 6 speed either. Now, I had to order both my 04 and 05. If memory serves me, they only transmission avalible with the 600 cummins is the 6 speed.

Dealers in MT stock about half 6spds and half autos, which is strange considering that Ford and chevy stock almost all autos.

A few buddy's of mine was in Colo. hunting and in the free time they were riding around looking at new trucks. They told me that the local dodge dealer out there had like 15 or so trucks in and 14 were sticks.

The 600 Cummins was available with either tranny.

who cares

The Dodge six speed is available with any interior tirm. You can get a fully loaded truck with the six speed, or a nicely equiped SLT truck with leather and and 6-speed like my truck. GM that forces you to go with a lower tirm level in order to get the 6-speed. Also the Dodge doesn't derate the engine with the 6-speed. GM seems to have no interest in selling 6-speeds, they just want to force to to by the $2500 Allison tranny.:mad: When I was looking for a new truck, there was only four 6-speed trucks in Canada! and all of them were 8.1L, not one was a diesel!

I deceided that GM really didn't want to sell me a truck, so I ordered a Dodge and got a truck exactly they way I wanted a truck, instead of making a bunch of compermises with a GM truck.

GM has to start offering some flexablility in the their trim options. Not everyone wants a Crew Cab LT with an auto.

Carl

my guess that the dodge dealers order 6 speeds is because their auto tranny's have such a bad rap, that many consumers will only buy the 6 speed version

dodges manuals have problems too of my friends more have had problems with 6 than the auto i have a 02 chevy with power everything dual power seats everyting 6 speed and no carpet vinal floringonly thing i don't have is onstar and xm and those i won't use any way

the reason sells 6 speeds is because the manual dodge cummins is like special to some people they think it is indestrucktable and perfict ahhh i hate dodge.

Dodge sells a lot of 6spds but from what I've seen the ZF is a supirior trans compared to the NV. I agree that dodge's auto trannys just suck so no one wants one. They want the Cummins, but sadly it comes with a dodge wrapped around it.

The issue of GM being a pain with getting a stick is true. When they revamped the truck style inside and out in 2003, no longer was a stick available in the high line models slt or lt because the center console is one piece instead of two as in 2001 and 2002 models. in regards to the dodge tranny NV-5600 is about as tough as they come and built stronger then the ZF S6-650, its still a good trans just needs alittle help besides a clutch upgrade. there were some issues with the NV in 2000 and 2001 when the First HO cummins came out. the position of the Reverse is nice in the ZF with R and Low gear together then right to the 5 high gears. its a pain in my dodge to go from reverse all the way over to granny or 1st. Both are goods trans with almost the same ratios. A stick def makes the most outta the power you have.