[Ramjet1804]

Company I work for is looking to get me a new work truck. When asked what I wanted, I stated a new 2010 Frontier SE v6 King Cab. Knowing there are a bunch of folks on the forum with them, what can I tell them to expect in the way of mpg. Should I request a manual or auto (make no diff to me, my 98 is 5 speed)? This truck will be loaded down with comuunications gear and will be driven more in the city than on the hiway. The last truck I had was a 2001 Ford Ranger and ended up putting 160,000 on it, though not without alot of trips to the shop.
All replies greatly app.

 

[dubie2003]

The manual is going to get probably 1-2 better mpg in the city over the auto. This is as long as you are not holding out the gears too much and revving the motor.

If you are in the city, I would choose the auto so you don't have to worry about shifting but if you have long roads that you won't have to constantly downshift, then the manual would be nice.

Also, if you are worried about transmission life the manual will win over an auto hands down just becasue the auto is built with wearable parts as the manual only has gears. You do have to worry about clutches thou but those are cheaper then an auto trans.

Another vote for the auto is that if you ever have to share your truck with someone they may not know how to drive the manual as well as you and thus a lot of gear grinding and clutch smoking.

Side Note: Are you sure your company will pay for the v6 when the I4 is also available in that cab configuration?

 

[devious1]

As most are saying the V6 starts out at about 15 to 16 MPG but it slowly goes up. I am now getting as much as 24 MPG on city/highway mix. Dubie pretty much laid it down for you on the trans and I completely agree. The manual is pretty much better all the way around except for comfort on city driving.

What do you do? Sounds like a good company! I am stuck driving a POS Chevy HHR.

 

[Ramjet1804]

I aggree about an auto around town, but shifting doesn't bother me. If I could get a new Pro 4x I would want the 6 speed but can't justify getting rid of the 98. LOL! The "Big Boss" wants us to find something that gets 30mpg. Yea right. I work for a CLEC-Combined Local Exchange Carrier aka Telephone Company. We are the other guys in the local AT&T area. We do dial tone, internet, CATV, VOIP, VOHFC,phone systems, etc. Keeps us techs running pretty much all over Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. Reality says to me we will probably get a Fronty or Tacoma. Although they bought 4 of the base Tacomas and they aren't holding up too well for the CATV guys, with the utility box and all of the equipment they are pretty much loaded to the max.

 

[devious1]

Tell him 30 MPG pretty much leaves him with a Honda Civic.