Automated Tranny Pros and Cons

The thing I've noticed is that those who are familiar with the autos are more prone to liking them, while those who aren't tend to not like them. And I think this is relevant. It's going to be an adjustment, plain and simple. Just as a 10 speed probably felt pretty awkward the first time you drove one, and there was technique you had to learn in driving it, so it's going to be more the same with autos.
The other part of it seems to be a lot of people feeling a need to compensate for something. I've seen 6x6 prime movers with Allison autos running in places and conditions you'd never even dream of in your road tractor, and have yet to hear any redundant remarks about estrogen or RVs from those drivers. I'm sure someone will have a quip about those drivers, but, before you respond with such, I'd love to see how long you last doing what they do. Your accomplishments on the Interstate don't mean #### there, and I guarantee you will NOT go up to them talking your "real driver" crap.
And yes, it's true that I'm not a fan of the autoshift - I lack the familiarity with them and haven't learned the technique to driving them, and I'm just plain set in my ways. All the same, I don't feel special for shifting - how many thousands of people before me have learned to do the exact same thing? If I became more familiar with the autoshift and got the technique down, would I come around? I imagine so, if I wanted to spend that much time as a highway driver. I think that part would be more offputting to me than the autoshift itself.
Funny thing... recently, I had to change a clutch on a Freightliner with less than 120,000 miles on it. And it wasn't warranty work. In layman's terms, the clutch failed because of the loose nut behind the wheel. The person assigned the truck swore up and down he was such a great driver, and, when the powers that be talked about putting him into one of the auto trucks, he balked, huffed, puffed, threw a tantrum, talked about quitting... I don't know if he came to shop looking for sympathy or what, but he didn't find it... soon as he started to regale me with his stories of how he was a REAL driver, and what a great driver he was, I asked him how he managed to #### up his clutch so early if that was the case. I never got an answer to that question.
I suppose we're all superstars in our own minds. Not necessarily so much in the reality of things.

 

Well said Sir

 

I wonder if that REAL driver worked where my brother-in-law did. He caught a ride with the fellow from Toronto to Bracebridge, the guy Never put it into low range, he just feathered the clutch until it got going fast enough.
I'm about to pickup a new truck next week with the Eaton Ultrashift Plus MXP 18 speed. I'll let ya know how I like it.

 

I'm gonna brag about this, but it wasn't on the highway. Pouring out one evening, the fuel pump on the Pete decided half way through the pour that, that was enough. Any way probably still 20K concrete in the drum, and where I was it took 2 ( two ) wreckers to pull it out, only one to tow it back to the yard. Everyone goin " how the F did you get that thing in there anyway." Said man that one isn't even a squeeze.
Very proud of using $1,000 worth of wreckers to get it towed out of the jobsite, to where one could grab it though.

 

Just to keep the apples to apples comparison. Your 13 is in what year truck / make / miles compared to the brand new Shaker auto?

 

Witchinghour is one of the Jedi masters here.

 

I had problems with both an Eaton Fuller auto (stuck in low range when warm and stranded me and 2 other drivers, before and after me).

Wiring harness to my Ishift corroded away and I lost 2 weeks of work, not at home either.

The only significant problem I've ever had with a car was the auto tranny in the only automatic car I've ever bought.

I don't even think anout shifting, so there's no fatigue involved. And I don't eat/drink/smoke in my BMW so I don't mind having one paw dedicated to shifting. When I rent a car put on the road. I find them sad, lame and boring to drive.

 

I will make a note of that...

 

@RedForeman and @'olhand are two others that come to mind.