What's up with parking in 1st?

[wbradley]

Originally Posted by Black Tire

Personally, on a flat surface, I put my car up on jack stands so it doesn't roll away. I also remove the wheels and tires and put them in the car so they won't get stolen. On a hill, I take out my 3-foot steel stake, pound it through the asphalt with my sledge hammer, and attach it with a chain to a tow hook so the car does't roll downhill just in case everything else breaks.

That's the real reason they designed the twins to take 4 wheels/tires in the trunk and back seat.

I go a step further in that I remove the ECU (behind the glove box) every time I leave the car unattended for a while to counter any attempted theft. Pulling the engine just got way too bulky and time consuming with having to haul a winch setup behind the car everywhere I go. Plus all the questions I used to get while riding up the elevator with the engine on a dolly...

[roddy]

Another thing to note... The recommendation of 1st or reverse is because they are the lowest gears. If you are on an incline, the car will roll easier in the higher gears than in the lower ones. I don't trust parking brakes alone...I've seen them fail. I use the brake and 1st gear.

[Imrac]

Originally Posted by 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.

Good call sir! Although it doesn't really say not to park in gear, but states if on a hill, park in gear.

Oh and.. "Block the wheels as needed"

[BlaineWasHere]

I live mine in reverse. I don't know about the FR-S manual gear box but many have a stright cut reverse gear which is much more robust that your forward drive gears. Plus I figure if your going to let your car rest on a gear might as well be the one you use the lest.

At any rate there's absolutely no reason not to leave your car in some gear.

[russv]

Originally Posted by wbradley

That's the real reason they designed the twins to take 4 wheels/tires in the trunk and back seat.

I go a step further in that I remove the ECU (behind the glove box) every time I leave the car unattended for a while to counter any attempted theft. Pulling the engine just got way too bulky and time consuming with having to haul a winch setup behind the car everywhere I go. Plus all the questions I used to get while riding up the elevator with the engine on a dolly...

I go even a step further. If I know I have to park on the street....I take the wife's car.

[LeeMaster]

If a thief tries to steal your car, leaving it in 1st gear will make a very loud squeaky sound that will wake the neighbors up. If you leave it in neutral, then well...your tires will just keep rolling freely.

[bdub85]

In every manual car I've owned (which have been a lot), I leave it in gear when I park. I thought that was standard practice? It's never broke anything in any of my cars.

[Kunzite]

It is standard practice (at least around here, where most cars by far are manual); and, as we can see, there's nothing in the manuals that says not to do it.
People not used with it must be extra careful (when releasing the clutch), but it won't break anything; it just adds safety.

[TKinWhiteOut]

I checked the manual too. I wonder if the booklet doesn't tell you because they think you should know? I have no idea.

I was always taught to put the car in 1st gear when parking and to think of it like 1st gear is Park.

Automatics have Park and an emergency brake. You wouldn't drive your automatic and park without setting the gear into to Park and just using the emergency break.

My motto, 1st gear is park for manual drive.

What I was surprised about in the booklet is it teaches you how to start off from a steep hill when driving manual. That was something I learned and never knew they would put it in the booklet.

[jdmasfcuk]

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.

[Endless Mike]

Originally Posted by bdub85

In every manual car I've owned (which have been a lot), I leave it in gear when I park. I thought that was standard practice? It's never broke anything in any of my cars.

It is standard practice, or should be, at any rate. Saabs won't even let you remove the key without being in R (which is kind of dumb, since the gear you want to be in kind of depends on the direction the car is facing on a hill).

Incidentally, automatics should always use the parking brake, as well, since a brake is far better at keeping a car from moving than the parking pawl in the transmission, not mention easier to repair.

[Evil Jesus]

Originally Posted by 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.

Where does it say that?

[airjonny]

I'm learning to drive stick this summer. So should I always leave it in gear last on hills? Or is there no particular order?

[Imrac]

Originally Posted by airjonny

I'm learning to drive stick this summer. So should I always leave it in gear last on hills? Or is there no particular order?

Leave it in gear (1st or reverse) when ever you want, but the manual recommends at least on hills. Just be sure to get into a habit of making sure the car is in neutral before releasing the clutch after starting the vehicle.