What's up with parking in 1st?

[bdanisi]

This really has nothing to do with our car in specific but why do people park in 1st with a mt? Is it like if my parking brake malfunctions then I'll be a bit better off? Sry for randomness but I'm just wondering where this school of thought comes from. To each there own

[Purdue FR-S]

Had a camaro with a broken parking brake, so left it in first whenever I parked it.

In fact, not doing so is sort of foreign to me :P

[russv]

If the parking brake does fail you have a backup. Try just leaving it in first and see what happens...once. The keep sing the handbrake and first.

[KSC]

The question is, why wouldn't you? There's no reason not to have the added security if a handbrake fails. I turn my front wheels toward the curb, if parking on an incline, as well...just in case.

[whaap]

If I'm on relatively level ground I don't use the e-brake. I will park in first or reverse depending on which direction I will want to be leaving. The compression of the engine will not permit the car to move. If I'm on not-level ground I might use both a gear and e-brake.

[KSC]

I went three years without an e-brake due to a frozen back caliper and never once misplaced my car, due to leaving it in gear!
As whaap pointed out, if on level ground, epecially when it's cold out, I'll leave the ebrake off just to avoid any chances of a frozen cable.

[Killerbee]

Well, same question why to put your automatic in Park? Would the handbrake not be sufficent and just put the automatic in Neutral?

1st gear does prevent the car from rolling on a normal surface (not like down/uphill or something) like the parking brake itself does, so you are securing your car in two ways, like with the Park setting in the Auto Gearbox. If you use 1st or Reverse Gear thats your choice, both will work fine, however cant see any reason why not to put in a gear and the handbrake to secure the car.

[bdanisi]

i guess ill take my chances with the car rolling away then put added stress on the transmission. Like i said to each their own but are new cars designed to use 1st as a parking gear?

[Killerbee]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

i guess ill take my chances with the car rolling away then put added stress on the transmission. Like i said to each their own but are new cars designed to use 1st as a parking gear?

sorry, but you had me laughting there for a minute.

Park the car (foot on the brake and clutch, 1st gear or reverse, whatever) , pull the e-brake, stop engine, take the foot of the brake and clutch. Since the car is already secured with the e-brake, why should that now put added stress on the transmission? It would only if your car begins to roll because your e-brake does not work, and I'd rather take that chance than my car rolling into god knows what because I did not secure it properly.

My guess is you're new to manual transmission, so yes, cars can handle 1st/reverse gear parking since... ever.

[bcj]

In a static situation, leaving it in gear will put far less stress on the drivetrain than it will ever get in normal use. Silly argument.
Yes. Any IC vehicle with manual gearing is designed to work perfectly well being left in gear to prevent runaway situations.
Rationalizing reasons not to is the interesting scenario.

[wbradley]

I believe any driving school would instruct their new students driving namual to leave the car in gear and actvate the e-brake when parking. If you are concerned for wear on the transmission, what about all the other parts that are used for their designed intention?

[Noob4Life]

Ive been driving a manual for years and have never put any of them in gear while out and about. I did once and forgot about it and almost rear ended a parked car in front of me because I let off the clutch lol, I usually put it in gear in my driveway tho.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

[Imrac]

Leaving the car in first and with the handbrake is way too much stress on the vehicle. I make sure I have 4 sets of chocks with me at all times. I pull the handbrake, get out, place all 8 chocks around the car (Because I don't want to stress just one or two wheels with chocks). Then I release the handbrake so the cable doesn't stretch.

[whaap]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

but are new cars designed to use 1st as a parking gear?

It's not "new" cars. It's been since cars had transmissions that informed owners would use 1st or reverse to park their cars. My being raised in a four season state (Michigan) that last thing you wanted, especially in the winter time, was for your e-brake to freeze-up in the on position.

It's also a habit formed from over 60 years or riding motorcycles. They don't have e-brakes and pretty much all motorcyclist have seen bikes "roll off" their side stands because they were parked in neutral.

p.s. There is no stress on any thing.