# do you leave your car in gear when parked ????



## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

so,who does and who doesnt ? what are the benefits of doing it and are there any negatives ??


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## John757 (Jun 11, 2009)

I always leave it in gear with the handbrake on. Just extra security... I never leave it so it's grinding against the gears though, always the handbrake.


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

i always put it in gear.. handbrake on.. switch of car. then depress the clutch.

leave in 1st on an uphill slope and reverse on a downhill.
dunno if it makes a difference in rolling back/forward.

but my last car(vectra) had a disclaimer on the drivers sun visor saying to do this.. probably after the pre facelift version was on watchdog as the handbrake snapped on a fair few of them..

i always turn the wheels toward the curb where available aswell.. as its less likely to have enough motion in the 6" movement to mount the curb as roll into the middle of the road.


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Nope have never left mine in gear.


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## jcp (Oct 2, 2010)

Yip , always leave it in reverse gear , i do it in the trucks aswell


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## John74 (Mar 12, 2007)

Always leave my car parked in gear , a few years back i came home from work to find my mums car slowly rolling down the road as she had not put the handbrake on fully and left it out of gear. Thankfully it was rolling slow enough for me to jump out of my car and stop it before it rolled into another car.


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## phillipnoke (Apr 1, 2011)

Yes always leave it in gear 1st if on the flat and reverse on an hill


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## NarN (Jun 24, 2011)

Always. When it's freezing hard I don't use my handbreak (when on a flat surface).


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

automatic, so I can't...

:thumb:


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## atl (Mar 26, 2011)

After having a year old 08 plate Vectra SRI roll off my drive across a road and into a neighbours house while the handbrake was on...i always put my car in gear if im on a slight hill now!


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

The Cueball said:


> automatic, so I can't...
> 
> :thumb:


pffft.real men drive manuals :wave::lol:


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

DSG on mine so i cant (then again in park it cant roll) but on the wifes i do and IMO you would be mad not to.


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## woodybeefcake (Oct 12, 2008)

One of my drivers leaves his van in gear and it drives me mental! It's always in reverse and if I go to move it, it jerks when I turn the ignition.

I only ever do it if I'm on a hill. I learnt that lesson the hard way when my car rolled down a hill and caused quite a lot of damage to someone elses a few years ago. The brake pads were hot and when they cooled the metal condensed, and thus loosened their grip!

Was a non too fun day I'll tell ya!


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Always have... parents did, learned from they I guess. Supposedly extra insurance if your handbrake fails/isn't on properly - I can buy into that.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

silverback said:


> pffft.real men drive manuals :wave::lol:


Don't need to tell me that! :lol:

I hate autos......

:wall:


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## Stevoraith (Mar 15, 2008)

DMH-01 said:


> Nope have never left mine in gear.


You've got a BMW and you don't leave you're car in gear!!?:doublesho

Do you often find your car in a different place to where you left it?

BMW handbrakes are the least effective thing ever fitted to any car. Fact.



CraigQQ said:


> leave in 1st on an uphill slope and reverse on a downhill.
> dunno if it makes a difference in rolling back/forward.


This seems a logical thing to do and many people do it this way but in reality it makes little difference.
What stops the car moving is the wheels trying to turn the engine over (pistons compressing the air in the cylinders). Doesn't matter which gear it's in, the engine will still struggle to turn over.
I still tend to do it anyway though.

In my opinion you'd be daft not to leave the car in gear. Seeing an Exige roll across the paddock at knockhill and miss the front of my car by inches before embedding itself in a pick-up truck was a great illustration of why you should do it.

It seems car manufacturers agree too as lots of new cars won't let you start the ignition unless you depress the clutch.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Stevoraith said:


> BMW handbrakes are the least effective thing ever fitted to any car. Fact.


I've never had any issues with the 3 BM's I have had...

:tumbleweed:

:thumb:


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

yep always leave all my cars in gear when parked ....especially on the A6 as that has one of these wierd electronic handbrakes and I don't trust it one little bit!!!


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

only on a hill.

+1 for BMW handbrakes. - BMW 1 - Someones garage (and classic Alfa inside garage) 0


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## nicks500 (May 12, 2011)

always leave the car in gear, and start the car with the clutch depressed and with my old classic I used to not put the handbrake on when I put her to bed over xmas as I had it seize up when it was on for two months


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## RD55 DUN (Dec 30, 2008)

Always park with the handbrake on and the car into 3rd gear (always been habit)


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

Always leave it in gear, even on the flat, and was told to do the gear lever wiggle as the first part of the start up sequence by my Dad (start up sequence makes it sound like Nasa launching a shuttle, rather than an old Mini 1000, but the advice was sound and has stuck).
Plenty of hills to park on round here, so the belt and braces approach just makes sense.


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

Mines always goes into 2nd, as said you just can't trust handbrakes!

A neighbour of my in-laws a few years ago left his baby daughter in the car, on the driveway while he went in to get something. The handbrake failed, the car rolled out into the road and straight into a lamp post the other side. If that hadn't of been there it would've been into someone's house!


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## rameshsingh13 (Nov 19, 2006)

Neutral for me - I trust my handbrake LOL !


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## Titus A Duxass (Apr 6, 2011)

In gear, wheels pointing toward the kerb and handbrake on.

The highway code states that both handbrake and gears are to be used when parked.


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## EcosseGP (Jul 5, 2011)

Yeah I'm like CraigQQ except in winter or icy cold nights when I don't apply the handbrake as the ice can make it stick on .. Just leave it on gear when I'm off on holiday too saves the hassle of anything seizing when I get back .. Not gad any hassle so far so I'll keep doing it ..


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

I never leave mine in gear unless there is a need to. I always check with the wiggle like Mick though anyway.


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Stevoraith said:


> You've got a BMW and you don't leave you're car in gear!!?:doublesho
> 
> Do you often find your car in a different place to where you left it?
> 
> BMW handbrakes are the least effective thing ever fitted to any car. Fact.


Yeah all the time, I'm still trying to find it now


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## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

Stevoraith said:


> It seems car manufacturers agree too as lots of new cars won't let you start the ignition unless you depress the clutch.


That's not the reason... By depressing the clutch the inrush current and torque on the starter are reduced.


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## dew1911 (Jun 9, 2009)

Only if parking on a steep hill, on level ground I tend not to bother.

As a side note of other people doing it in the works van, I also start with the clutch depressed.


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

I've never bothered leaving it in gear, my parent do though, I really need to get in the habbit of holding the clutch to start a car though, i've jumped in a few now and it's been in gear and jumped.


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

Depends on the hill, some I park on are incredibly steep and if the handbrake did fail, the car could probably reach 30mph before it hits the first car/house. 

Common sense and all that.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

Always in gear yes, and like a few have said already, just got taught this by my Dad.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

I only leave it in gear when parked on a slope.


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## C13URD (Jul 8, 2011)

Always leave my car in gear always have done....


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

After having a handbrake snap without warning i always leave it in gear.


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## son of eevil (Jul 13, 2011)

Always in gear (1st).

Although one of the hills I park on if the handbrake fails the gearing won't stop it (I've tested).

Unless I'm in the truck it's always left in neutral, if a handbrake fails in the truck and it starts rolling in gear they can start themselves...


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Always leave it in gear, don't use the handbrake. The other one we just leave in Park, again no handbrake.


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

Not read all the thread but I always leave mine in gear and when in the garage it's in gear with the hand brake off, started doing that with my first MK2 Golf due to sticky calipers and the habbit as oppose to the rear brakes has stuck !


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Stevoraith said:


> In my opinion you'd be daft not to leave the car in gear. Seeing an Exige roll across the paddock at knockhill and miss the front of my car by inches before embedding itself in a pick-up truck was a great illustration of why you should do it.


They had an exige, which they took to a track day and didn't leave it in gear?

All the gear, no idea.


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## mart. (Jul 7, 2008)

I have too, it's a saab. Can't remove the key unless it's in reverse and then it's locked into reverse.


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

never leave my cars in gear, the handbrake is good enough. If i leave my car on a massive slope then i would but to be honest there isnt any around me... does my head in when people leave a car in gear on a flat surface as well


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

big ben said:


> never leave my cars in gear, the handbrake is good enough. If i leave my car on a massive slope then i would but to be honest there isnt any around me... does my head in when people leave a car in gear on a flat surface as well


Urr, if the handbrake fails what happens then? I've seen at least 2 cars rolled into because either they'd failed to put the handbrake on properly, or it had failed.


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

RisingPower said:


> Urr, if the handbrake fails what happens then? I've seen at least 2 cars rolled into because either they'd failed to put the handbrake on properly, or it had failed.


most likely it wasnt on correctly, and if it failed then its either completely fooked or you were on a steep slope with lots of pressure on it

my dads car rolled down a huge hill and luckily missed a car and hit a lamp post before. Anyway, im agreeing a nasty slope its a good idea, but on flat ground whats the point?


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

big ben said:


> most likely it wasnt on correctly, and if it failed then its either completely fooked or you were on a steep slope with lots of pressure on it
> 
> my dads car rolled down a huge hill and luckily missed a car and hit a lamp post before. Anyway, im agreeing a nasty slope its a good idea, but on flat ground whats the point?


If someone bumps into it, it'll still stop it from going anywhere.

It's really not much consolation if it does fail and causes a nice bit of damage, when you could just have left it in gear and it go nowhere.

You also would be mad to just stick the handbrake on straight after a spirited drive.


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

if someone bumped into it at least it might take some of the force out of it if it moved :lol:

and depends what brakes you have etc as well. I always let my car run for 5-10 mins after a spirited drive anyway on fan speed3 to cool it all down. 

Some people are just paranoid if you ask me!


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

big ben said:


> if someone bumped into it at least it might take some of the force out of it if it moved :lol:
> 
> and depends what brakes you have etc as well. I always let my car run for 5-10 mins after a spirited drive anyway on fan speed3 to cool it all down.
> 
> Some people are just paranoid if you ask me!


Not paranoid when I've seen cars being rolled into just because people chose not to leave it in gear.

I'd rather not be responsible for an insurance claim/all the hassle it brings.

That and the handbrake on the 350z isn't brilliant.


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

i can see your point, especially if you dont trust your handbrake :lol:


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

I rarely use the handbrake on the flat, only on a steep hill, but the handbrake is **** anyway! Start with the clutch depressed too.


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

Force of habit, always have and always will leave my car in gear, I also start any car I get in with the clutch in through habit.

It's a habit I've never broken even after this little tinker drove itself out of my garage









Parked in gear in the garage, went into the kitchen after I'd popped upstairs and saw the garage door open and no car, I rushed out to see it pushing against the neighbours house, the starter motor relay had shorted and the starter was turning over, which in turn dragged the car out of the garage.


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

Always leave the car in gear, Always put the clutch down before starting any car, Ive always been taught its good way to start a car with the clutch pedal down


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## Yoghurtman (Dec 9, 2008)

shane_ctr said:


> Always leave the car in gear, Always put the clutch down before starting any car, Ive always been taught its good way to start a car with the clutch pedal down


Me to, always have. I've seen 3 cars roll downhill in our works car park, one guys did it twice!


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## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

Where I seem to end up the ground is flat so I just leave the car in gear and don't use the hand-brake.


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## JasonH20URF (Mar 30, 2011)

My drive is flat... so hardly use the handbrake eighther


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## DevilsAdvocate1 (Feb 21, 2009)

I've never left any of my cars in gear, just a habit I couldn't get into doing!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Yup, always in gear for me.


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

Nope, but if its on a steep hill i do, never had a handbrake fail i dont let my vehicles get that mechanically bad it doesnt work.


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## adlem (Jul 6, 2008)

Only on a hill, I've only just got into the habit of doing it after nearly 4 years.

When I learnt to drive I was taught to always park with the wheels straght ahead and leave it in neutral with the handbrake on...


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

Grizzle said:


> Nope, but if its on a steep hill i do, never had a handbrake fail i dont let my vehicles get that mechanically bad it doesnt work.


Not really a case of poor maintinance if the brakes are hot then cool etc...or the cable breaks?


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## agent gibbs (Jul 23, 2010)

I have to leave my car in gear (reverse), otherwise i can't get the ignition key out, and you can't get it out of gear until you've put the key in.

Its part of the car's design - Saab 9-5

Gibbs


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