I'm in the market for a 3rd generation Cummings, but I'm wondering how the automatic tranny's perform. I'm coming off a bad experience with a Powerstroke and an automatic. I won't be doing any real heavy hauling, just about once a month I'll be hauling a race car and that's about it. Also, most of my driving is highway, can you recommend a gear ratio. Thanks in advance.

 

Go drive one and see what you think. I prefer the 6speed

 

I like my 6-speed, just be prepared for higher RPMS.

 

Welcome to DTR first off. If you are going to pull heavy a 6-speed manual is the way to go. I have the 48re and it does a good job for the most part and I pull heavy. If I had to do it again I would get the 6-speed and the Jacobs exhaust brake. I have a automatic 48re with 4.10LS gears. Pulls great. If you get the automatic get the 4.10LS. The fuel mileage is 17MPG to 18MPG unloaded and 12 MPG loaded. You will get better fuel mileage when the TC is locked up in 4th than a 6-speed manual. Take off is not that good with an auto with a heavy load. That is what is lame. Use the search function on here to do your research.

Both the manual and auto are good units IMHO.

 

Go with the 6 speed!!!!!!

 

If you do some searching you will many hours of reading. You will need to try to read through the lines sometimes as well, because we all know opinions are like .

I love my 6 speed and currently use my truck as my daily driver (for now) and have no regrets.

Get the 6spd

 

I vote for the 6 speed also. Shifts really easy, wifes/girlfriends cannot stall the trucks. I drive in moderate traffic and DC traffic fairly often and still have no regrets of getting the 6 speed. Scotty

 

I had an 05 with the auto.
As you can see, I am no longer driving it. Enough said.

 

The six speeds are just more fun to drive also. But like they said be prepared for higher rpms and an automatic would probably take you at top speed.

 

I dropped my 01 auto to get a 6-speed! I too was NOT happy with my auto. The 6-speed is easy to drive around town IMO

but if you want to drag race buy an auto but be ready to upgrade the internals.

 

I'd pretty much have to agree with everyone on here. If I had done my research before I bought mine I would've got a 6-speed. If you get bit by the horsepower bug it's cheaper and easier to upgrade the clutch than the TC, VB, input, etc.

 

I too am a traffic jockey here in socal with a 6spd and its easy to drive, like mentioned before the girlfriend can even drive it without problems. I think it all has to do with YOUR personal taste, IMO the 48re auto tranny is more than adiquit (spelling??) as long as you keep the engine stock and don't tow heavy. I have driven a few of the auto tranny ctd's but I just get fustrated by how much they shift, it's like I have my little brother sitting next to me all the time ask "can I shift now?? can I shift now???.....how about now???" AAAHHHH....ok I'm done!!!!

 

muzzfactor,

If you want higher MPG then I think the auto with 3.73 is the way to go as it will handle what you said you will be towing. Also you will be at lower RPMs on the hwy when empty for better fuel mileage. That being said I do see some who like the six speed to shift all the time my self I spent too many years shifting 13 speed road rangers, so I went with the auto and have had no regets that I went with the auto trans.

redeyedracer,

I have no problems with my auto when it comes to it shifting so I'm some what surprised to hear this but then you may tow heavier weight then I do.

JMHO

 

I have the best of both worlds - a 6 speed and lower RPM's with the OD unit. I get about 20 mpg empty on the highway. That being said, if I lived in an area where I had to deal with stop and go traffic all the time, I would go with an automatic. I think I would wait for the 6 speed automatic coming out next month though...

 

I think I'd like to see how the new 6 spd auto will do behind the new 6.7s.

If I had to do it over again, I'm not really sure if I'd get the 48RE or the NV5600. I like the manual most of the time; but I mostly use this truck as a commuter car, and an auto would be nice sometimes, especially when driving in nutso rush hour traffic.

And by the way - it's Cummins without a G....