What gear do you park your MT car in

[wirelessF]

For me, I always have to remember to put my F250 in gear. I park on a driveway with a slight incline. I don't know what nut head designed the parking brake lever but when I tried looking for the OBDII port I basically shoved my head under the dash, knees on the ground trying to find the thing (OBDII port was black

) I disengaged the parking brake with my right side of my head and the truck rocked for a while. Luckily the truck was in gear or I'd get one major slap in the head.

I think I should throw some tire chocks under the tires, just in case.

 

[Scott_Tucker]

Why would anybody leave the car in neutral while it is parked? There doesn't seem to be any advantage to it unless you don't have an interlock switch and you forget to depress the clutch.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
Why would anybody leave the car in neutral while it is parked? There doesn't seem to be any advantage to it unless you don't have an interlock switch and you forget to depress the clutch.


Reminds me of a friend's Toyota pickup a few years ago. One night at a bar, his girlfriend got a hold of his keys and slipped them to me; I later sneaked out to the parking lot and moved the truck to the far side of the lot. Hilarous laughter ensued when we all left a couple hours later and my friend went ballistic because he thought his truck had been stolen! Then I was the one who looked like a jerk when he hopped in and tried to start it and it lurched forward and almost hit another car - I had left it in First and my friend just cranked the key like always; he normally left it in neutral.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Paul B.
My Saab must be in reverse or you can't remove the key. You have to warn anyone unfamilair with it or they will break something trying to remove the key.

X2, Grand Am must be in reverse or no key removal

 

[Mr Nice]

neutral and I just pull the parking brake

 

[calvinnnnnnnnn]

Neutral ALWAYS.
i only put in gear(1st) if i'm on a very steep hill. Don't want to risk damaging/ruining my transmission if someone bumps it in gear.

 

[01rangerxl]

I always parked my old Ranger in 1st with the parking brake on.

 

[GMFan]

2nd gear on flat ground or facing uphill, reverse if parked facing downhill. I always use parking break.

I really don't know why I use 2nd gear....kind of a habit I guess. That's what my dad always did so I guess that's where I picked it up.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
Why would anybody leave the car in neutral while it is parked? There doesn't seem to be any advantage to it unless you don't have an interlock switch and you forget to depress the clutch.


If your car gets hit or tapped while parked, you can not cause trans or engine[maybe drivetrain] damage this way. It is a concern.

 

[Vizzy]

If there is no incline ...neutral

If there IS an incline...1 st.

Always use the e brake...ALWAYS. If you don't your asking for trouble!

 

[marcre]

I'm almost always in neutral with the e brake on. If there's an incline, I put it in first as well as the brake.

 

[sparkplug]

On flat surfaces neutral and e-brake, in the drive way just neutral, on and incline 6th and e-brake.

 

[HTSS_TR]

First or Reverse and hand-brake depending on which way I am heading.

 

[cos]

First with the e-brake on.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
Why would anybody leave the car in neutral while it is parked? There doesn't seem to be any advantage to it unless you don't have an interlock switch and you forget to depress the clutch.


If your car gets hit or tapped while parked, you can not cause trans or engine[maybe drivetrain] damage this way. It is a concern.


Wouldn't really say that's the case with a manual. Auto with a parking pawl, then for sure.

 

[zulu]

2nd, but only because I like the way the shift boot sits and looks when it's in 2nd gear.

 

[ATS-V]

I always used 2nd for flat ground with no hand brake. Remember hand brakes can freeze in the winter, seen it many times.

 

[javacontour]

First, second or reverse. That's usually the gear it's in when I park so I just leave it, and set the e-brake if it's not freezing.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: 97 GTP
Remember hand brakes can freeze in the winter, seen it many times.
I have never seen it happen nor had it happen to me. And that includes going into a touchless car wash in Chicago in -25°C weather and parking only a few km down the road. My considerably biased opinion is that if you don't use it consistently, every single time, it could freeze up on you. But if you do use it every single time you park, it almost certainly won't freeze up. The only people I have heard anecdotally say the parking brake froze up on someone they knew was because it wasn't used frequently.

I always use mine and mine always works.

The parking brake is also part of the rear brake self adjusting mechanism in many cars, mine included.

 

[Zedhed]

1st gear