Question about parking your MT automobile/car/vehicle
New Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 24
From: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
First and reverse have the lowest gear ratios, meaning the compression of the engine has the most mechanical advantage over the force of gravity pulling the car down the slope. In fifth, the advantage is the other way around, meaning the engine can do less to keep the car from moving. The engine can still be turned over, even if the ignition is off. its just easier in higher gears.
Regarding wearing out the clutch: I heard every time you disengage the clutch and hold it down while the engine is running, you slightly wear the clutch. I never wait at a stop light with the clutch down. I'm guessing turning off your car with the clutch down will wear it out, but I'm sure it's negligible. Now, riding the clutch while drag racing will definitely wear it out faster. Try that next time and smell the aroma of burning clutch.
New Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2
From: Butler, NJ
Question about parking your MT automobile/car/vehicle
Likewise. Previous 3 cars were MT Saabs. Ignition switch on the floor locked the tranny in reverse -- couldn't get the key out otherwise. My last Saab was 11 years old with 267,000 miles and no tranny work. I'd say leave it in gear and don't worry.
Leaving it in gear to park won't damage your transmission. In fact, it will probably save your car from slipping into another car/tree/post/etc/ in case the parking brake fails.
On a previous manual transmission car I owned, I had a turbo timer installed. So I would leave it in neutral when I turned off the car so that the turbo timer can keep the engine running. But anytime I need to park on a hill, I either take it very easy before parking, or wait a minute before shutting off the engine, and park with the car in gear (1st or R depending on the slope).
My wife (g/f at the time) who learned to drive manual on that car, once parked the car on a steep uphill without putting it in 1st (she had not seen me park the car on a hill yet, didn't know to put the car in gear). She applied the e-brake, walked out to feed the meter, and someone who just happened to be working on the roof on the adjacent building screamed at her that the car was rolling. It was a good thing it was a side street and she did remember to also turn the wheel when parking on a hill, so it didn't roll down into the major street below. So lucky for everyone.
On a previous manual transmission car I owned, I had a turbo timer installed. So I would leave it in neutral when I turned off the car so that the turbo timer can keep the engine running. But anytime I need to park on a hill, I either take it very easy before parking, or wait a minute before shutting off the engine, and park with the car in gear (1st or R depending on the slope).
My wife (g/f at the time) who learned to drive manual on that car, once parked the car on a steep uphill without putting it in 1st (she had not seen me park the car on a hill yet, didn't know to put the car in gear). She applied the e-brake, walked out to feed the meter, and someone who just happened to be working on the roof on the adjacent building screamed at her that the car was rolling. It was a good thing it was a side street and she did remember to also turn the wheel when parking on a hill, so it didn't roll down into the major street below. So lucky for everyone.
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