Does everyone with a MT park in 1st gear or nuetral?? I'm new to MT and have heard its better to park in gear. Fact of Fiction?

 

With a manual transmission, you should park it in gear, preferably in 1st or reverse. This way, if the parking brake should fail, the car won't roll. You use 1st or reverse because they have the highest gear ratio - i.e. they will try to turn the engine the fastest if the car were to move, which presents the most physical resistance.

 

It is better to leave it in first because there is less chance of the car rolling away on you.

*Edit*
You beat me to it w2aew.

 

Use the gear opposite to whatever incline you're on, no matter how slight. So, if you're facing downhill, put it in reverse. And if you're facing uphill, put it in first. And always, always make sure your parking brake is on.

 

Well since my car is parked 99% of the time in my garage... I leave it in neutral

 

yeah, i always leave it in gear.

 

Make sure to put it in gear. I know a guy who didn't get his parking brake all the way up and his car rolled in his garage into the wall or something.

 

I guess none of you have owned rotaries before...parking the car on a hill and relying only on the tranny being in gear to hold the car, that won't cut it. I learned it the hard way. I had a 1st gen that I swapped rear ends, and I didn't have the e-brake cables for it. So it had no e-brake. I parked it in a steep driveway. As soon as I let go of the brake, assumming it would hold, the car starts rolling backward, bucking as the engine tries to resist. But it couldn't. The rotary can be turned by hand...reach a drive belt and tug..the motor will spin no prob. Having the car in gear is enough to hold it on level ground, and maybe a slight incline. But that being said I always leave mine in gear and with e-brake on, regardless. It's just habit to leave in gear, even though it doesn't do much in our cars.

 

Oh, I posted too quick. Sorry. I saw you guys mentioned always park with the ebrake on too. Anyway, don't rely only on engine braking.

 

That's what you're supposed to do, but personally I always put it in the gear that I'm going to use immediately next time. i.e. If I park in the garage, I put it in reverse since I will be backing out the next morning. If I'm in a parking lot and pull all the way thru so that I can just drive forward to leave, then I put it in first. It's not perfect, but its better than nothing IMO, and I'm lazy, so it works for me