Morning everyone ,hope someone could sort a little debate we had at work last night.After driving for over 20 years or more:eek: i have always parked the car with the hand brake engaged and left in gear (2nd gear for some reason ).....One of the lads i work with 19 has just passed his test this week...asked if i could move his car and on doing so left it in gear ..At break time he was showing one of the other lads his new seat Ibiza when he decided to start the engine .The car shot forward and i was called all sorts of names!!!

It seems that the younger generation are tort to leave the car in neutral when parked because leaving it in gear can cause damage to the clutch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IS THIS TRUE

I've always left my previous manual cars in first gear when parked.

..Now I have an auto so this isn't a problem anymore although I still put the handbrake on if i'm parked on a incline.

Surely they are also taught not to start it without first checking it is in neutral.

I may be an old fart but I was 20 years ago.

Always leave mine in first gear, and also use the handbrake on steep slopes.

you wont damage the clutch if you leave the car in gear, i passed my test about 5 years ago and i was taught to not leave the car in gear except on a hill/slope

I passed 7 years ago... I always leave it in gear. I always put it back into neutral and dip the clutch when I start the car too...

I rarely do, but it won't do any harm. Also, if someone else parked it and you don't check then you're a bloody idiot.

I leave mine in gear, handbrake off unless on a hill. A neighbour of mine once left his TVR on his drive with just the handbrake on, the discs cooled and lost their grip so the car rolled down his drive across the road and then buried itself in our other neighbours house.

, if someone else parked it and you don't check then you're a bloody idiot.

:iagree:

what would have happened if it was parked up against a wall or close to another car:D

Leave it in neutral most of the time, unless parked on a slope.

Always start the car with clutch in.

I always leave mine in gear, 2nd for some reason!

Apart from the time I pick up my brand new (Driven out of the showroom) Passat (a few years ago), got home and parked up outside my home (on a hill), only to see it roll down the hill into a lamp post 1/2 hour later!

Whenever I go to North America, I have found that a car will not start unless you have your foot on the brake, even if the auto box is in park?

Always left in gear, I was also taught to check that the car was in neutral by moving the stick side to side before starting the engine.

The only time its left in neutral is when its in my garage, then the handbrake is also left off, as I need to push the car the last few inches once I get out.

Have always left the car in gear myself, I remember years ago a good friend of mine parked his brand new renault 19 16v outside his house at he top of a very steep hill on just the handbrake, about 10 mins later there was a knock at he door, the car had rolled all the way down the hill and around a corner bouncing of kerbs and low walls, finally parking itself against a telegraph pole.

first gear + handbrake, irrespective of where I've parked. Always start the car with the clutch dipped too. For some reason, when I start the car too, I will often move the gearstick into neutral from 1st, and then back into 1st. Why I don't know - guess it's some kind of instinctive test I do without really thinking about it?

never leave it in gear. was told not to when I learnt to drive, about 10 years ago

always start it with clutch in too, was told if not, that it "strains the engine":confused:

I always do as I'm told!

10 years ago now :'( when i learned to drive and was taught by an IAM bloke I was told always leave it in a suitable gear when parking.

On hills then always turn the steering wheel in the appripriate direction, such that if it does start rolling it will turn and the car will immediately hit the kerb and stop.

I'd love to know how leaving it in gear can damage a clutch?

It seems that the younger generation are tort to leave the car in neutral when parked because leaving it in gear can cause damage to the clutch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IS THIS TRUE

No is the simple answer Always leave mine in gear no matter what ... if you ever owned Alfas of a certain vintage you would to unless you wanted your car to go walkabout (the Sud handbrake appeared to be purely for show)

Always leave my car parked in gear, and started with the clutch dipped, in neutral - I think, Dont see how doing this will damage the clutch at all. I think this sort of stuff is spouted by someone who hasnt seen a clutch and doesnt understand the principles of houw they work.

A clutch when the peddle is not being pressed naturally rests under pressure on the flywheel that does not in anyway change whether its in gear or not

the wheel and clutch are in exactly the same place under the same pressure.

The only way this situation changes is IF the handbrake does fail, eg cool down and slip off cable snap etc etc. Then there is the additional pressure of the cars weight through the gearbox, this is of course negligible compared to the pressure the clutch is under when driving the cars weight at a steady 30mph! An I would rather that be the case than the alternative whent he handbrake fails and the car wanders down the road.

Its happened a few times that Ive came back to the car foot goes on the clutch and theres that slight creep forwards that tells me all would not have been ok if it wasnt for that.

Any car with a handbrake that operates on discs is a risk of moving when they cool down. eg BX, Xantia, Octy to name just three I have seen.

On the plus point leaving it in neutral makes it easier for somebody to cut the handbrake cable and just move the car without having to get inside to take it out of gear. Anyway cynic mode off.

Leaving it in gear obviously didn't bother Saab as there cars have a reverse gearbox lock (not to sure about the newer one's though...), you can only get the keys from the ignition when reverse gear is selected!

Always leave my car in gear with the handbrake on , and like a lot of people start the car with the clutch depressed.

never leave it in gear. was told not to when I learnt to drive, about 10 years ago

always start it with clutch in too, was told if not, that it "strains the engine":confused:

I always do as I'm told!

Starting with the clutch in reduces the strain on the starter motor as you are not turning the gearbox internals as well like you do if the car is just in neutral when you try and start it.

Try this next time you start your car after being parked up overnight, start it up in neutral with the clutch in like you do now then listen to the engine when you lift the clutch up, if its anything like my car you can hear the extra load of the gearbox on the engine when the clutch engages. Now, imagine that load on your starter motor in addition to the task of starting the engine.

Personally I leave the car in 1st gear when I park up, up until recently I also put my foot on the brake when engaging first gear, although this was more to do with driving an automatic for 18 months and getting into the habit of pressing the brake when engaging drive. I wouldn't mind except I haven't driven an automatic for around 5 years now!

I always leave it in 1st as it's hilly around here and I'm paranoid about the handbrake snapping. I too dip the clutch when I start the engine - less load on the starter motor too I believe.

here is a little wisdom for everybody

your handbrake will only fail when its on!!!

you should always leave it in gear aswell

Ta everyone glad to see what i have being doing for so many years is correct