i prefer a manual, with one exception: snowplowing. not that id ever want a plow on a small truck. seems like manual transmissions are getting more and more rare these days, wether its a epa emmisions thing or consumer demand, there just arent as many available as there used to be. funny how at one time the were refered to as a "standard" transmission, because it was "standard equipment", not really the case anymore, in many cases a manual aint available at all. ahile i could understand that with a lincoln/caddilac, id think a 1/2 ton pickup should still come with some sort of manual gearbox. "three on the tree" has been extinct for years now, basic and light duty they were, but if something went wrong with them, it was a easy thing to swap one out. i personally prefered the creeper-1st 4 speeds and the manual i had in a '92 g.m. truck, the NV4500, a creeper 1st/5th overdrive 5-speed manual transmission. you could start the heaviest of loads with ease, yet still get reasonable fuel milage when running empty.
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