In the early 2000s, manual transmissions were still relatively common in heavy-duty pickups like the Ram 2500, Ford F-Series Super Duty, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 / GMC Sierra 2500 lines. In this era, they were commonly sought as a way to lower both the up-front and ongoing costs of HD pickup ownership. Manual transmissions were relatively simple and easy to care for, cheap to build, and often easier on fuel than power-sucking automatics of the day. Of course, they also served a small but passionate group of drivers who just plain like to shift their own gears.As the decade progressed, some major market forces began to change the HD pickup marketplace forever. The manual-equipped HD truck would quickly become a thing of the past, though one specific model, the Ram 2500, would be the industry's sole holdout. Even after both GM and Ford ditched their three-pedal HD configurations, Ram would go on to offer theirs for a whopping seven more years. Below, we'll recap how it all went down, and what you'll pay for the most modern three-pedal HD pickup on the used market today– if you can find one. The Ram 2500 Took The Three-Pedal HD Pickup Truck To Its Grave Stellantis Since the early 2000s, a heavy-duty ZF-6 six-speed manual gearbox was available on both GM's 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8, and the 8.1-liter big-block gas V8 in HD pickup applications. These are some of the biggest American engines ever built. Fuel economy needed to improve, costs needed to be cut, and product lines needed to be simplified, so this manual offering was the modern HD pickup segment's first to disappear. From 2008 onwards, all GM heavy-duty pickups became automatic only.Ford had launched the Super Duty line with manual transmissions back in 1999, using a ZF six-speed unit that could serve both gas and diesel engines. By 2011, the latest Super Duty would bring a new diesel engine and heavy-duty six-speed automatic to the market, and all future Ford Super Duty trucks would be automatic only. To recap, that's GM leaving the manual HD marketplace for 2008, and Ford exiting the scene for 2011.Stellantis The Ram 2500 HD would live on as the only three-pedal HD pickup truck for another seven years, with the 2018 model year marking the final availability of the G56 gearbox. This heavy-duty six-speed stick was sourced from Mercedes-Benz and had been married to the Cummins straight six since 2005, though Cummins-powered HD Dodges had been available with three pedals right back to their initial launch in 1989. In this way, the market's first true HD diesel pickup with three pedals was also its last.What drove the ultimate extinction? Emissions regulations were tightening as new technologies pushed diesel engines to new performance and efficiency levels. Achieving these often relied on the latest automatic transmissions for support. Modern automatic gearboxes commonly started to surpass manuals for efficiency and performance in this era as well, reducing the appeal of a manual even further.Stellantis A battle for torque output supremacy was also beginning to rage, requiring automatic transmissions to become stronger and more durable than ever. In the early 2000s, HD diesels were making about 500 lb-ft of torque. By the late 2000s, the figure pushed towards the 800 mark. Modern diesel HD engines with the latest automatic gearboxes can make 1,000 lb-ft or more. The manual transmission, and in particular, its clutch, couldn't keep up. The manual transmission was also tricky to integrate with an incoming wave of modern safety features like adaptive cruise, emergency braking, and trailer sway control.Shoppers were becoming less and less interested in manuals, and the latest manual gearboxes weren't updated or renewed for service. The business case for offering a manual transmission was collapsing as the entire auto industry was shifting to next-generation automatics.The shopper was changing, too. As more and more customers spend more and more money on their HD trucks for use as luxurious tow rigs and high-tech mobile offices, the manual transmission becomes less and less economically justifiable. Many users of heavy-duty pickups now needed a place to work on their laptops from the jobsite, and the manual transmission's shift lever was in prime real estate for a mobile worktop. Pros and Cons of a Manual HD Truck StellantisThere are various reasons customers find manual-equipped HD pickup trucks appealing, and various reasons they don't. On one hand, the manual transmission removes a layer of complexity and computerization from the vehicle's driveline, making it easier to service and rebuild. If you're running a fleet of dozens or hundreds of trucks for mining, forestry, or oil field use, this can have major implications on long-term costs. Generally speaking, it costs a few hundred bucks to change a clutch, and a few thousand to rebuild an automatic transmission. 2018 Ram 2500 Manual Transmission Availability By Trim Grade Tradesman (Reg/Crew Cab): Optional SLT (Reg/Crew/Mega Cab): Optional Big Horn / Lone Star (Crew/Mega Cab): Optional Laramie (Crew/Mega Cab): Optional Power Wagon: Not Available Laramie Longhorn (Crew/Mega Cab): Not Available Limited (Crew/Mega Cab): Not Available Before the dawn of modern automatic transmissions with big processing power, the manual transmission was the weapon of choice for a driver who wanted maximum control over gear selection to manage heat, boost levels, performance on grades, and wear and tear on the vehicle's braking system during severe use. There's also the all-important three-pedal identity: some drivers love manual HD trucks because they're so rare, or because they prefer a more engaging drive using both hands and both feet. The Cummins-Manual Combination In Detail StellantisIt's important to understand that the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel inline six was available in up to three versions at once, while the G56 gearbox was on offer. The first version was the one teamed up with the six-speed manual, delivering 350 horsepower at 2,800 rpm and 660 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,500 rpm. According to the engineers, the G56 features a wear-compensating clutch for a lifetime 'like-new' feel and bite, and a dual-trunion shift tower which accommodates a compact shift pattern.StellantisStellantis Higher performing versions of the Cummins straight six were available as well, with performance defined by the selected transmission. The engine needed to be down-rated in the interests of clutch and gearbox life for the manual six-speed transmission, though the regular automatic transmission came with an engine configuration good for 370 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, a special Aisin Heavy-Duty six-speed automatic was required for the engine's maximum output configuration, with 930 lb-ft of torque. Here's What You'll Pay Today StellantisAccording to data from the used marketplace, shoppers can set a budget of about $30,000 for the cheapest used copies of a Ram 2500 HD of the 2013 to 2018 vintage with manual six-speed and straight-six Cummins turbodiesel power. For that sort of money, you're likely looking at a Tradesman trim grade with 110,000 miles or more on its odometer. StellantisYou'll find six-figure odometer readings on most used models up to nearly $50,000, with some Tradesman models sneaking into the high forties with a sub-six-figure odometer reading. The lowest-mileage units we could find at this writing with a listed price were a $54,500 Tradesman from 2017 with 63,000 miles, and a $45,000 Big Horn from 2013, with 90,000 miles.Sources: Stellantis