Neutral VS Reverse

[exman123]

All,

My wife thinks I'm crazy. I probably am.... When I come out of the garage or the driveway, I put our vehicles in N instead of R and let force of nature take them down. It is not steep driveway, but when you put the vehicle in R you go down at the same rate. Is there any advantage in putting the vehicle in N vs R..Less wr and tr on the tranny? In my mind there may be, but I may be bias. I want to put an end to this debate between my wife and I.

Give me some feedback!

 

[eljefino]

Stick or auto?

 

[exman123]

Auto

 

[Zaedock]

Well, in reverse, your reverse lights go on and let everyone around you know you're backing. Beyond that, IMO, there's no difference in wear.

 

[dparm]

Big safety risk. The point of reverse lights (and turn signals) is to let other drivers and pedestrians know what you're doing. Millions of vehicles have lasted millions of miles after backing out of their driveways and parking spaces on a daily basis.

I don't understand why you would just coast down the driveway as if that decision will never impact others. It's not a matter of wear-and-tear, it's a safety risk.

 

[eljefino]

Plausibly your transmission won't get lubricated in certain spots over-using neutral. Though it's worse if the engine isn't running. Not likely in practice to cause issues over 100 feet.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Well, in reverse, your reverse lights go on and let everyone around you know you're backing.
Unless it's a GM vehicle. Late model GMs light up the reverse lights to indicate... well it's like a dachshund barking because... I mean, you know how bears do that thing they do in the woods? Yeah, it's like that.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Unless it's a GM vehicle. Late model GMs light up the reverse lights to indicate... well it's like a dachshund barking because... I mean, you know how bears do that thing they do in the woods? Yeah, it's like that.


Care to explain? I have no idea what you're babbling about.

 

[hardcore302]

When you use the key fob unlock button, the headlights and reverse lights go on. I assume they designed that so it would illuminate the area around the car at night so people feel safer walking to the car. But it tends to confuse people.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: hardcore302
When you use the key fob unlock button, the headlights and reverse lights go on. I assume they designed that so it would illuminate the area around the car at night so people feel safer walking to the car. But it tends to confuse people.


yep see that all the time.. I go to walk behind one.. stop so they can back out... then realize shes still walking out from the store and its the stupid unlock button lighting up the reverse lights.

 

[michaelluscher]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: hardcore302
When you use the key fob unlock button, the headlights and reverse lights go on. I assume they designed that so it would illuminate the area around the car at night so people feel safer walking to the car. But it tends to confuse people.


yep see that all the time.. I go to walk behind one.. stop so they can back out... then realize shes still walking out from the store and its the stupid unlock button lighting up the reverse lights.


I can't stand that.....

Where's the FMVSS & NHTSA when you need them!
I've nearly been run over by that a few times

 

[exman123]

Thanks for all of the responses. Just wasn't sure if there was more wr and tr to the tranny going to R instead of N. From the posts thus far, it doesn't seem like there is. Is a gear a gear? I understand the safety aspect for sure. I have 3 kids and safety is always on my mind. Just wanting my trannies to last as long as I can.

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Well, in reverse, your reverse lights go on and let everyone around you know you're backing.
Unless it's a GM vehicle. Late model GMs light up the reverse lights to indicate... well it's like a dachshund barking because... I mean, you know how bears do that thing they do in the woods? Yeah, it's like that.


My point was that the reverse lights do not illuminate while moving in neutral.

 

[hattaresguy]

I miss my old Mercedes without a shift interlock safety. It was nice you just put it in N and rolled down hill. I'd do it before starting the motor sometimes.

 

[KD0AXS]

Here in MN it's actually illegal to coast down a hill in neutral.

Originally Posted By: MN Statutes

169.39 COASTING.
(a) The driver of any motor vehicle when traveling upon a downgrade shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.

 

[Merkava_4]

I use neutral to back out of the driveway. I figure why use reverse when gravity works just fine?

 

[getnpsi]

I do it all the time. The point is the people you are looking for left and right and behind before proceeding...riding their 50cc scooters IN THE SIDEWALK ILLEGALLY AT 30MPH will not see you backing up, and this could be trouble.

But no harm to your engine or drivetrain doing this, no.

 

[Brybo86]

is this a question of legality? or a question of wear on the tranny? please people. less wear and tear is what we are looking for.

I do the same thing. just like I put the car in neutral to let the car settle before putting it in park, that way I don't let it sit with too much weight on the tranny.

does it make any difference? I doubt it is measurable but I sleep good at night... ?

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: Brybo86
I do the same thing. just like I put the car in neutral to let the car settle before putting it in park, that way I don't let it sit with too much weight on the tranny.


The parking pawl locks the transmission output shaft, so once you shut down, the weight of the vehicle is on the transmission anyway.

 

[Kuato]

Fluid is being pumped around the transmission. When you feel the slight bump as it goes into gear, that is the valve body working to change the path of the fluid. When going into neutral, this change/shift is reduced or eliminated, so a short coast in neutral IMO will cause less wear than shifting into Reverse.

Oh, and the scooter rider on the sidewalk won't be noticing whether or not the backup lights are on or not!