Auto box usage

[Hellequin]

Never owned an auto before. Was wondering, when sitting in traffic is it better to change to neutral or parking rather than sitting in drive?

 

[mr.tourette]

not necessary really unless you want to lift your foot off the brake..dont think using either technique will do any harm

 

[Lazza]

I've been wondering that myself. I have a DCT which is basically an automatically controlled manual clutch with 2 clutches. Does the same advice apply to these?

 

[brillomaster]

well, I prefer to not sit with my foot on the brake for extended periods of time, so at lights I'd normally knock forward to neutral and use the handbrake.

 

[mcbutler]

Its a toss up between wear caused by the action within the box of going into neutral and the wear of holding it in drive. Personally I think you are worrying about nothing.
Just leave it and enjoy driving it. If the box goes then worry, it'll probably cost more than the value of your car to fix it.....

 

[firebobby]

I just use the hand brake, it holds the car when sat in drive.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

For full auto leave in Drive with the handbrake applied. For DCT or an auto box based on a manual change into Neutral.

 

[Maniac]

DCT disengages clutches after a second at standstill. No need to take any action, safe to leave in drive.

Normal auto also safe to leave in drive as lock up clutch disengages and runs on torque converter only. Changing to neutral etc makes no to minuscule difference to anything.

 

[Jasper ham]

I leave mine in drive at standstill most of the time, the only time I knock it into neutral is if I have been driving harder and I don't want to sit with the brake pads heated up sitting on the discs in one spot for a long time as that can warp the discs.

 

[Hellequin]

thanks for the info, I only thought about it while I was parked in the outside lane of the M25 the other day

 

[djstan]

I don't like being blinded by bright red brake lights from the car in front when I'm stuck in traffic, and I'm sure the person behind me is the same, so I always pop it into N so I can take my foot off the brake and save their retinas (If only the person in front of me did the same)

 

[mcbeee]

Keep it in gear, when you take your foot off the brake, the numnuts behind you who isn’t paying attention is more than likely to step on the gas.....some of them will actually hit you. Not worth the risk.
The only time most people pop it in N is when braking on ice or packed slippery snow, it is quite helpful in that scenario.

 

[Busterboo]

Have driven autos of one form or other for 20+ years: 2 Buicks, 2 Jaguars, a Porsche and the 35is. Foot on brake when stopped in traffic.

Use 'hand'-brake only for parking.

Use DCT 'actively', switching between Normal, Sport, Sport kickdown, Sport M, Sport/S, Sport/S kickdown, Sport/S-M. Love it.

The only aspect of the DCT I don't like is its occasional slow pick-up from zero in Normal.

 

[Andyturbo2000]

I know on my old Audi s tronic, they advised against putting it in neutral. They are built to be held on the brake.

 

[Hellequin]

yeah, I have been using the DCT actively more and more, it really is good