General: De-clutch when starting the engine?

[Bernard333]

I hate using the clutch at all as its been on the way out for about the past three years so the less I use it the longer its going to last .

[DWM]

I'm the same as everyone else it seems - someone once explained to me that it took a bit of the load off the battery so I've always done it. And yes I also wait after I've turned the key the till I've heard (what I assume is) the fuel pump whine. (I reckon on at least some newer cars the latter is unnecessary. I'm pretty sure my 02 Polo's fuel pump would prime when you opened the door to get in.)

[minesa240x3]

I've had my fair share of old bangers too over the years and some just wouldn't spin over with the clutch pedal up.So now I always press the clutch in.I saw a 3ton dumper nearly kill someone once,The person who parked it left it in gear(as usual) and a digger driver came in and pushed it out of his way! to fuel up.It started it up being a diesel and carreed off straight toward a mate eventually hitting a wall and sat there jumping about until I jumped on it and hit the clutch.
A very bad habit leaving a car in gear.As a young lad my parents used to have to leave cars in gear as well as aiming the front tyre into the kerb or they would roll away.
Regards Brian.

[stephend]

Originally Posted by minesa240x3

A very bad habit leaving a car in gear.As a young lad my parents used to have to leave cars in gear as well as aiming the front tyre into the kerb or they would roll away.

I wouldn't say it's a bad habit ... though yes, it's important to check it's in neutral before starting the engine (but we all do that, don't we...?). I always park in gear on a hill, and also in snow, I tend to park in gear with the handbrake off, because I read somewhere that the handbrake can freeze on, leaving you stuck.

[gjd]

Hello

You had to do all these things in my Mini, because the handbrake was pathetic and the starter motor/battery combo a bit feeble. If the car was left in neutral but with the handbrake on, you could still push the car along. Despite this, it passed its MOT! If the engine didn't fire first time, you were going to need jump-leads (a scary thing, when the battery was opposite the petrol tank in the boot!).

I suppose that as car components improved in quality, the need for this (apparently archaic) practice vanished!

[UKTech]

Always leave mine in gear, helps when your neighbour wants to nudge you because they can't get into the parking space, also when parking on the road in town for the same reason, the hand brake cable doesn't freeze on either.
I always leave the steering wheel straight so if nudged hard it doesn't kill or hurt a passer-by pushing their baby on the pavement.
This also gets you into the habit of dipping your clutch to start the car. I'm a golden oldie now and it hasn't done me any harm to date.

[popuptoaster]

This is how my neighbour likes to park, thats her Focus by the way.

I would park the truck in 4x4 low range and leave it in first, nothing focus sized was gonna shift it.


I stopped using the heaters on the truck in the morning so it vibrated the truck while it was starting up and rubbed the nudge bar on the front of her car.

[The Hooded Claw]

TBH I really SHOULD Depress the clutch in the S80 (c70 & 960 are auto) & I had a BMW co car (325i) that as Pop up says wouldn't start until you DID press the clutch

Now-a-days I don't even GET IN the car to start it ... just open the door & turn the key ... LAZY BASTID aren't I !!!??? LOL!!!

[Axionknight]

I have my foot on the clutch as I leave the car in gear.

Popuptoaster, is your neighbour totally stupid, or something?

[catflem]

I always depress the clutch, and park my car in gear. But I check that its out of gear when starting.

I used to live on a hill, and have seen the results of a handbrake cable snapping when a neighbours Transit rolled into a tree. I've also witnessed a work colleagues car roll backwards across a car park into another car when the handbrake wasn't applied properly.