What's up with parking in 1st?

[KSC]

Originally Posted by 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.

Might as well hire a tank to park behind you everywhere you go, too. Can't be too cautious!

To address the "stress" issue (for others making this claim), you might as well not drive your car, either. You'll put more stress on a transmission running to get a single cup of coffee at 7-11 then you will parking in gear for the life of the car.

[mkiisupra]

Originally Posted by 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

This question make me assume that you may be new to MT's. If that is, I would simply restate you question with respect to AT's.

Did you park your AT in neutral and set the e-brake? Nope, you used a 'gear' that is fixed (P) and hopefully pulled the e-brake.

Use the e-brake and put the MT in gear when parking, then lookup 'parked car popped out of gear on a hill' on Google, to understand why both should be used, especially on inclines.

Eric G

[f0rge]

sometimes i even park it in 2nd!!! (cue dramatic music)

[strat61caster]

17 comments in and nobody mentions that the manual says not to leave the car in gear unless parked on an incline, interesting...

But I agree with everyone here, it doesn't hurt and can only help so I do it all the time out of habit.

[bdanisi]

I'm new to mt. Should be obvious I wasn't trying to start an argument about one way or the other just curious. Thanks to those who felt like teaching me and for those who wanted to troll thanks and enjoy your plus 1s

[whaap]

We all form our driving habits for different reasons. Perhaps because we were taught by a father who could do no wrong or what ever. None are necessarily bad. True that some are better than others. But, if you've thought about all the various reasons to do something or not to do something and decide what works best for you, that's all that matters.

[Khyron686]

Originally Posted by bdanisi

I'm new to mt. Should be obvious I wasn't trying to start an argument about one way or the other just curious. Thanks to those who felt like teaching me and for those who wanted to troll thanks and enjoy your plus 1s

I've personally seen 4 different cars roll away (1 mine) due to cable stretch or slack. 1 car actually bumped mine in a parking lot (it was rolling very very slow though).

I ask you this - if I parked somewhere with just the e-brake and my car rolled away and hurt or killed one of your loved ones (perhaps it rolled into the street and was hit) how do you think your lawyers would take to the fact that the car was not in gear and rolled away?

It's also the reason why modern manual cars do NOT start without the clutch depressed - the car is expected to be in gear. It does NO damage.

Clutch in, start car, move gear to neutral, slowly let off clutch in case you missed, then get out clean snow fumble for ipods, whatever.

[idreamofdrifting]

Originally Posted by Khyron686

I've personally seen 4 different cars roll away (1 mine) due to cable stretch or slack. 1 car actually bumped mine in a parking lot (it was rolling very very slow though).

I ask you this - if I parked somewhere with just the e-brake and my car rolled away and hurt or killed one of your loved ones (perhaps it rolled into the street and was hit) how do you think your lawyers would take to the fact that the car was not in gear and rolled away?

It's also the reason why modern manual cars do NOT start without the clutch depressed - the car is expected to be in gear. It does NO damage.

Clutch in, start car, move gear to neutral, slowly let off clutch in case you missed, then get out clean snow fumble for ipods, whatever.

+1

[MTCRX]

What stress is parking in gear putting on the car? These are the gears that drive the car from the engine power and torque! Not parking in first gear is waiting for disaster, one day your car will roll into something and you will have more damage. I would never depend on the parking brake alone. Of course I live in hilly terrain so I am probably more attuned to the potential for trouble. Has anyone read the manual on parking suggestions? IF the e-brake isn't secure it wont take much to cause the car to roll. Good luck with this plan, but please, don't park near me.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by MTCRX

What stress is parking in gear putting on the car? These are the gears that drive the car from the engine power and torque! Not parking in first gear is waiting for disaster, one day your car will roll into something and you will have more damage. I would never depend on the parking brake alone. Of course I live in hilly terrain so I am probably more attuned to the potential for trouble. Has anyone read the manual on parking suggestions? IF the e-brake isn't secure it wont take much to cause the car to roll. Good luck with this plan, but please, don't park near me.

Manual says to leave the car in neutral and use the handbrake unless you are parked on an incline, then put the car in gear and turn the wheels toward the curb. I don't have it handy but it's in the first hundred pages or so.

[Kunzite]

Originally Posted by 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.

Do it every time and you'll stop forgetting.

[Rayme]

Originally Posted by 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

You didn't have your e-brake on? It should have stalled right away lol.

[boredom.is.me]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Manual says to leave the car in neutral and use the handbrake unless you are parked on an incline, then put the car in gear and turn the wheels toward the curb. I don't have it handy but it's in the first hundred pages or so.

The manual also has some pretty stupid conflicting stuff in it. I wouldn't consider the manual useful when it comes to common sense matters.

See here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...ht=read+manual

[Mandy]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Manual says to leave the car in neutral and use the handbrake unless you are parked on an incline, then put the car in gear and turn the wheels toward the curb. I don't have it handy but it's in the first hundred pages or so.

That does concern me a little.

Personally if I'm on a level surface I leave it in neutral with the e-brake up. If I'm uphill I leave it in 1st, wheel away from the curb, pull the e-brake. If I'm downhill, I leave it in R, wheel towards the curb, pull the e-brake.

That's how I was taught it driver's ed. I don't think it's necessary if you're on level surface, but if you're afraid your e-brake is worn out, then I can see the use of it.

I was driving my GF's Accord one day, parked it in her driveway, pulled the e-brake up (her driveway has the slightest incline), took my foot off the brake, and I felt it roll back. Tried reapplying the e-brake; did it again. So I put it in 1st this time.

I only do it if I feel it's necessary. My FR-S is less than a month old, so I'm not going to sweat it for now. Although I'm guilty of driving in reverse with the e-brake up before, which surely isn't helping me.