What do you do with the transmission when you park? In gear or not?

[jariten]

I'm one of those folks who got bit by leaving it in neutral with the e-brake on in my last car. Was parked on a VERY slight grade (if you had asked me ahead of time I would have said it was flat). Set the brake and left it in neutral like I had for every other manual I'd owned for 10+ years. Went into store. Some time 15-20 minutes later the cable snapped and the car rolled backwards through the parking lot, over a sidewalk, and into a major thoroughfare where it was hit by a bus. I was extremely lucky that there were no pedestrians on the sidewalk to get squashed and that the bus driver was aware enough to notice that the car in the parking lot was unmanned. He swerved and only caught the plastic portion of the back bumper. The car was only 6 years old too...so it wasn't like the cable was ancient or rusted out or anything...It had just slightly slipped out of the guides at some point and had worn through.

So yeah, I always leave it in gear and use the brake now.

 

[RyGuyFIST83]

I'm one of those folks who got bit by leaving it in neutral with the e-brake on in my last car. Was parked on a VERY slight grade (if you had asked me ahead of time I would have said it was flat). Set the brake and left it in neutral like I had for every other manual I'd owned for 10+ years. Went into store. Some time 15-20 minutes later the cable snapped and the car rolled backwards through the parking lot, over a sidewalk, and into a major thoroughfare where it was hit by a bus. I was extremely lucky that there were no pedestrians on the sidewalk to get squashed and that the bus driver was aware enough to notice that the car in the parking lot was unmanned. He swerved and only caught the plastic portion of the back bumper. The car was only 6 years old too...so it wasn't like the cable was ancient or rusted out or anything...It had just slightly slipped out of the guides at some point and had worn through.

So yeah, I always leave it in gear and use the brake now.

what kind of damages did the car have,how did your insurance play that one out ?

-ry

 

[jariten]

what kind of damages did the car have,how did your insurance play that one out ?

-ry

Got cited for 'improperly securing a motor vehicle'. It was somewhere ~1500 in damage to my car and comprehensive or collision covered it (I don't remember which one)...I was out the 500$ deductible. The metro transit authority never issued a bill for the bus repairs so my insurance company got lucky there.

 

[NorthernProducer]

On level ground, I set the eBrake and leave in neutral. On a hill with a curb, I do the same except I turn the wheels so the car with allow the curb to stop it. On a hill without a curb, I set the eBrake and move the tranny into 1st. Now for the Model A Fords I had, I set the eBrake, turned the wheel into the curb and placed a wheel chock under one of the wheels! I guess there has been some progress over the years!

 

[Ronbo]

I generally keep first gear engaged when parked.

 

[Shmi]

I put it in first and set the parking brake. When I remember to, that is. In fact once i forgot to set both and it almost cost me $$:

My last car was an E46 M3 - I had just picked it up from a body shop after hitting a microwave that was lying in the road (an entirely other story), and had been in an automatic rental for weeks. So we went for food and I forgot to set the parking brake. Oops. We went to the restaurant but it was closed so we turned around and went back to the parking garage. And thank GOD the restaurant was closed. Why? Because as I rounded the corner, I found my car rolling backwards, picking up speed, towards another car. Stupid me had forgotten to set the parking brake or leave it in gear! It had sat perfectly still until someone drove through the garage over one of the expansion joints, causing the floor of the garage to flex, and set my car in motion. Luckily i was able to run, hop in and stomp on the brake pedal. I missed hitting a car by maybe two feet. I don't think I've ever run so fast in my life.

So yeah.. now it's first gear and hand brake

 

[westcoaST]

I grew up on a street that was a steep uphill/downhill incline, depending on which direction I parked. I always pointed my wheels toward the curb, set the parking brake, and put the car into first gear. My first car was a 1969 Dodge Super Bee with the emergency brake pedal. To go up the hill, I released the ebrake, put the car in first, let off the foot brake, allowed the car to roll a little backwards, and then gas and clutch. When I got my Fiat 124SS, it had a hand brake, so this was alot easier. Pull up on the handbrake and hold with button pushed, trans in first, clutch depressed, give it gas, release clutch and hand brake and go. I got hit by a drunk neighbor while parked, facing downhill, car in 1st, parking brake set, wheels turned toward curb. The force cracked a tooth on the ring gear, which resulted in fatigue failure several weeks later. Ended up having to sue my own automobile insurance to pay for the rear end repair. But I still leave my car in gear when parked. My sister had a Karmen Ghia, she didn't put her car in gear, it rolled down the hill twice. Lucky no one got hurt!.

 

[justgotFiSTed]

I always do it the same way, whether manual or auto. I do it like this because when, in an automatic, it's the tranny holding the car even on a slight hill, the weight on the tranny means I feel a nasty "thunk" when moving from park to drive, and it takes more effort at the shifter...It's unpleasant, so why not give the tranny a break? Plus, automatics run on black magic and voodoo and can't be trusted.

So:

1) pull into my spot while keeping brake pedal depressed
2) apply parking/"emergency" brake
3) move shifter to neutral, release clutch (if applicable)
4) release brake pedal. Car is now resting on parking brake
5) move shifter to 1st/Park
6) get out of vehicle and raise hell. Or get ice cream. Whatever.

 

[stuntdoogie]

I use both all the time.

 

[Kurcha]

Always in neutral and parking brake applied.
Just and old habbit I have.

 

[Teezlr]

Why would you not leave it in gear?

 

[D1JL]

I would tell you but that is a completely different category of website.



Dave

 

[JPGC]

I put mine in 1st with the parking brake applied after turning the car off.

 

[koozy]

I've always leave it in neutral since driving stick dating back to 1986, unless I'm parking on a decline or incline and want the extra security to keep the car from rolling in the event the parking brakes slip. I have no intentions on changing this, as the arguments otherwise are weak.

But a main concern for not leaving it in gear is in the event the car get's towed for whatever reason and I'm not there to get the car out of gear. I would hate to have them drag back when the car is in a forward gear.

 

[MoltenFiST]

Always set the e-brake, shut off the engine, and then put it in gear. Just a habit I don't even realize I'm doing anymore.

 

[originalrocket]

Park in reverse. Almost never set the parking brake unless I'm on a hill. I fear rear rotor warp due to uneven cooling.

Also I drive my car maybe once every 2 weeks for 8 months out of the year. And numerous times I've had the rear pads rust "seize" on the rear rotor of my previous car. Makes a metal snapping sound when I finally move the car after sitting outside for a while. I'm very happy to learn this car has a low power mode it switches to when you do not start the car within 3 days. Should help save the battery!

I ride a motorcycle when its 40F+ and not raining.

 

[_RED_]

I park in neutral with the E-brake set. I'm in FL so it's a pretty flat ground here. But if there is a hill, I'll put it in gear.

 

[Cruz'nFiST]

I've owned 3 different stick shift cars in my life and I've always set the parking brake, shut off the car, and then put it into first. Never had any issues doing that, plus I live on a small hill, so it only makes sense.

 

[FerdFiesty]

Interesting thread idea. On my other car, I used to just leave it in neutral with the parking brake. Eventually I got into the habit of putting it in 2nd gear after turning off the car. My fiancee has a Focus ST, and I always thought it was odd how she would put it 1st gear and then turn off the car. With my Fiesta I am now in the habit of putting it in 1st gear with the parking brake, but only after turning the car off.

 

[Phreak]

I've owned too many cars with e-brakes that don't work/hold to not put it in gear when parked

Turn the car off while in 1st gear, sometimes while still moving into a stall
Set E-brake
Remove foot from brake
Release clutch after engine is totally spun down