Tony, your original post made it seem like you were weighing the 2wd vs 4wd. If you don't need 4wd and can go 2wd you will save MPG over auto vs manual. I need to get manual hubs but most trucks now adays have hubs locked all the time with a lot of extra drivetrain rolling and therefore wasting fuel.
This is a lot of the answer for auto vs manual tranny too. Look at us, as a society auto makers think we are too lazy to get out and lock hubs, or perhaps too stupid to unlock them. Probably much the same train of thought went into the surge of autos out there.
That being said I bought a Cummins that had a Dodge wrapped around it. Every vehicle I own has a manual tranny. When I ordered the truck I told them I wanted a manual tranny and a manual T case. I can replace a clutch, but I know a new/rebuilt auto is going to cost thousands of $$$ vs a clutch. I also have a pacbrake and I love the ability to hold whatever gear I want, but I know a lot of autos can hold gears too.
