[QUOTE]Originally posted by Young_R

 

Oh, well then I guess that one is solved!

 

I think the most important thing is the gear ratio. The shorter the gear, the harder it will be for the wheels to turn the engine (i.e., the "braking force" of the engine has a higher mechanical advantage). The taller the gear, the less mechanical advantage the engine has, so the easier it is for the wheels to overcome the braking force of the engine.

Forwards or backwards... it doesn't matter. What matters is the gear ratio. Unfortunately, I don't know the actual numbers for 1st vs Reverse, so I can't actually say which one would be best.

 

I do

For all yrs...

1st - 3.133
Reverse - 2.8

 

i prefer leaving it in 2nd gear. does the job of locking the wheels, but the car won't jump forward if turned on by someone else, like it would if it was in 1st.

 

I am usually in first when I pull to a stop wherever that may be. I have the clutch pushed in when I stop anyway, so I just hold it and pull the handbreak. Then kill the car with the key, and release the clutch.

Note: if you turn the car off, and let go of the clutch too fast you might actually stall the car before it stops on it's own. I did this a few times on my first manual tranny car. I would cut the engine AS I was pulling into the spot and just roll forward. I would have the car parked, in gear, set the brake, be out of the car, lock the driver's door (no keyless entry) and be standing next to the car before my passengers would even realize we had come to a complete stop. Doesn't work so well when you have to put the top up.

Even on a level surface I try to leave the car in reverse if I have backed into a spot or first if I pulled in head-first. The logic is that if someone is trying to steal your car with a flat bed it would be much harder because the transmission would want to turn the other way. Of course, in a convertable this is MUCH less of an issue, but it's a pretty decent habit to be in IMHO.

 

I'm in the habit of parking in gear if I'm parked at an incline. I'd hate to ever come back to my car and find it leaning against a building or another car.

 

my car rolled down the street one time...haha ...it stopped directly on the streets taking up both lanes...i learned to use it alot now...also try to remember to hold the button of the handbreak and then pull it...not holding the button is like grinding your gears....

 

Why does holding the button of the handbrake matter?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Lunacy