Do you hold the clutch down when you start your car?
Poll: Do you hold the clutch down when you start your car?
Total Members Polled: 641
Discussion
Here's an easy one that everyone with a manual car can answer.
Just recently, I've parked different cars on quite steep hills and left them in gear to help avoid them from going anywhere. Each time someone else had started them and had that embarrassing lurch when they've turned the key without pushing the clutch down. One of them was a tyre place near me and the other was a friend with a hire car on holiday. I always put the clutch down before starting the car and thought everyone else did too.
Just recently, I've parked different cars on quite steep hills and left them in gear to help avoid them from going anywhere. Each time someone else had started them and had that embarrassing lurch when they've turned the key without pushing the clutch down. One of them was a tyre place near me and the other was a friend with a hire car on holiday. I always put the clutch down before starting the car and thought everyone else did too.
There are a number of cars these days which won't let you start them unless the clutch is depressed.
As for me, in manual cars, yes I depress the clutch. Always have. I can remember my dad telling me to do it when he taught me to drive. Less stress on everything when starting I recall him saying.
As for me, in manual cars, yes I depress the clutch. Always have. I can remember my dad telling me to do it when he taught me to drive. Less stress on everything when starting I recall him saying.
Deano_BMW said:
yeah. always have done. That said i always leave cars in gear too. I also put the clutch in when turning the engine off.
+1 - I also leave the car in gear when parked, tis the safest way to leave it, especially on an incline. I normally put the car in neutral before starting it though, despite the fact I've got the clutch pressed. I come from eastern europe where this is habit. Cold cold winters mean only the foolish use their handbrakes in the winter, even on inclines, and so it is almost 'the way' to leave the car in gear and press the clutch when starting the car.
All BMW and MINI products now require you to press the clutch down to start the car using the 'start' button. Actually, even remember having this on my dads 02 plate Laguna.
The only flaw in this is what about the 'car cuts out on a railway crossing' scenario... cranking the car in gear to move it out of trouble if the engine is dead/out of fuel no longer applies
All BMW and MINI products now require you to press the clutch down to start the car using the 'start' button. Actually, even remember having this on my dads 02 plate Laguna.
The only flaw in this is what about the 'car cuts out on a railway crossing' scenario... cranking the car in gear to move it out of trouble if the engine is dead/out of fuel no longer applies
SubaruSteve said:
As for me, in manual cars, yes I depress the clutch. Always have. I can remember my dad telling me to do it when he taught me to drive. Less stress on everything when starting I recall him saying.
Exactly the same reason I do it. Although to add to that we had a steep drive and always left the car parked in first so had no choice!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff