Autos vs Manual transmissions

Maybe. I’ve seen people with more experience than you wreck a trans. I say again. Autos are for the unqualified. The only reason they exist is to lower the bar. Period.

 

The wealth of knowledge displayed here is gratifying. Not you specifically Mack, Im also referring to the others as well.

Im just glad I had a good auto in my last year OTR. You would think I have issues, but not now. Im over it.

Although I would love to tell Mack, KW and others what I think of them when it comes to trying to discover the feelings of drivers who drive the new equipment. They are constantly reinventing the wheel unnecessarily. If I had my way about it I toss the computer and go back to Old Iron 12 volt analog gauges.

 

Ohh, if only you knew what you were talking about, you could be formidable... >cough<

 

Drive whatever you want for whatever reasons you want. Maybe the company pays you well and gets you home. That’s great. If you need to tell yourself autos are better so you can sleep at night then do it. But if you can shift a truck then you know in your heart There’s no reason to have an auto OTR

 

Ha.

Its a full time job just cleaning up the messes. I have no desire to be formidable these days.

Things have changed and evolved almost past reason in this industry. I have become a sort of a luddite pushing back against the march of technology.

 

Go ahead and scroll back as far as you want. I've never said they were better, I've just said if someone else likes them, why stoop to insulting them as if we're on some gradeschool playground? I have no problem with a manual transmission, I just happen to prefer an auto shift now, once I figured out the nuances of using one. Go ahead and enjoy your manual, and I hope it treats you well. But get used to the idea of technology moving on. For better or worse, it's not gonna stop for any of us just because we don't like it.

 

I know it. And no this is not a recess yard in school.

Ive stated that the short time I had with the auto the way it was equipped was a good overall experience with certain crevats due to engineers not considering a 24/7 team truck that never shuts off. Causing the auto to brick itself when the buffer filled up. I always wondered what it used for memory or data storage. SSD? Flash drive or spinner hard drive?

Anyway... Technology will evolve to do fantastic things long after I am gone. I just choose to hold on to the old iron and that's something I feel very good with. If there were living history type steam tractor gatherings with old tractors made from chain drives that run around a field showing the people what life was once, I hope to see at some point more of the trucks dating into the 50's or even the early 60's in these kinds of events. I would be more useful in such a event.

At the auction house into the 2010's I was a crew boss teaching temps how to run a automatic or a manual depending what they did not know. Some came out of school with just autos. Others just manual. 5 minutes of fuel tank school had them pushing a button and driving off well enough or finding that 3rd gear in bobtail and driving off. We are only going to be sale barn and back not onto the big road.

With that said, I watched the Autos evolve into the newer trucks and features of them change so that I was constantly learning as well. The cars also were evolving to where they made a decision electronically if you will be allow for example to rev the engine. Since it's in a parking lot surrounded by cars very close, the engine could not be revved. Worse case scenario I had my crew push it out of the spot and into some clear space where it became possible to drive the #### thing to the barn. That made a impression. Along comes winter. A little bit of ice here and there add some slope, not much maybe a few inches over 100 feet if that. See the new modern technology wizards spin all 4 wheels with premium tires on that ice with the computer failures. The older cars and trucks did not spin out. Much.

Even in my personal vehicle I choose not to by anything newer than 2000 if at all possible All I want is a little fuel injection, a touch of accurate dashboard gauges and a manual transmission. I understand that new cars and trucks today do not make in manual anymore. That will progressively make it harder over time into my future to get a manual vehicle.

I once drove a 2016 Buick Lacrosse loaner car and that thing had a heads up display in my face on the windshield glass. With a TV screen in the console that talked to us constantly etc etc etc. We did not enjoy that experience. Turned it back in and grabbed a older used vehicle for our peace of mind and theirs.

That is my story anyhow. Technology is wonderful. It marches on and evolves. However I simply exercise a choice to take it to a certain ... level and let the rest go as literally too distraction, too limiting and not have any value.

I will keep that Sirus radio where you can listen to music from the east coast in live. Or the west coast music... those are nice.

 

I'm with you rank and X1heavy - I see more autos in the shop due 'codes' and 'de-rating'. Exactly what's going to happen to these trucks after the friggin warranty expires?? Oh forgot!! Just sell to another friggin idiot first and buy another new one?? GREAT BUSINESS MODEL!!

I equate 'brand new expensive equipment' with making 'jack' for wages!!

Am curious how many 'autos' have deep reduction gears? Spend a lot of time backing and off-road mudding - ever try climbing a high curb or rocking an auto out of a potential stuck situation? Aside from truck jumping gear jamming due too lazy to use and/or no clutch brake can't tell you how many people I see throttling an engine prior to full clutch engagement.

Oh, I see, 'auto people' don't seem to have these problems does Paccar's very noisy radiator fan actually help the truck go faster (lol like a propeller pulling you along)?? I swear the new engine fans have a 'dust sensor' which only serves to kick up more!!

The Writing of New Tech is on the wall I'll miss my C13 CAT when it's GONE!! Do ya think the industry is gonna miss us??? Judging from 'turnover rate' I suspect 'NOT' but oh well!!

MONDAY the 18th is just around the weekend corner!! ENJOY YOUR NEW LEASH dogs!!!

 

I had a thought this morning, all this auto, manual and computers. Makes my head hurt.

What happens when electric trucks come out and there is no transmission at all? Just a motor on each wheel.