Park on full lock?

Head_The_Ball

vansboy wrote: »

All the references to starting and lights, no mention of depressing the clutch while firing ignition...this is always good practice, to relieve effort required on start up....

I have always done that.

Last year we bought a BMW Series 1 with keyless ignition.

The car will not start unless the clutch is depressed; a sensible feature in my opinion.

Joe_Horner

vansboy wrote: »

All the references to starting and lights, no mention of depressing the clutch while firing ignition...this is always good practice, to relieve effort required on start up.

Generally, but not always true.

A few cars over the years specifically stated the opposite of this because the increase load on the (unlubricated until the engine starts) crank thrust bearings was (a) bad for the bearings and (b) actually gave more resistance than just spinning the gearbox input shaft.

Strider590

If your reversing into a parking space, leaving it on full lock is a good way to deter people from swinging their car into the side of yours as they enter/exit the space next to you.

Sure at speed they'd damage your track rods (still cheap to repair), but at low speed hitting your wheel would be preferable to them taking a chunk out of your wing.
Also when parallel parking, leaving the wheel on almost full lock will make passing cars think your car is occupied and leaving the space, meaning they'll (hopefully) not pass closely enough to smash your wing mirror.

Ectophile

If I'm parked by the side of the road on a hill, I always turn the steering so that the wheels will hit the kerb if it starts to roll. In a car park, I tend to leave it however it is when I've finished maneuvering, but this is unlikely to be full lock. On my driveway, I also turn the steering so that if the car starts to roll, it will veer off uphill onto my lawn, rather than shooting across the road.

I don't turn the lights on before starting. I sometimes even turn the heater fan off as well just to help the battery. I also hit the clutch before starting, which is a good idea since I always leave the car in gear when parked.

NBLondon

Ectophile wrote: »

On my driveway, I also turn the steering so that if the car starts to roll, it will veer off uphill onto my lawn, rather than shooting across the road.

Where do you live that cars will roll uphill if the handbrake fails ???

almillar

Maybe back in those days () it was important to do...but I've driven in plenty of cold conditions and never had an issue.

Back in what days? It's still completely relevant, we've still got (better, more reliable) batteries doing very hard work for a very short time. How long do you think a battery lasts these days? You do still need to replace them, they do lose life, and you can be left stranded. What benefit do you gain from switching the lights on first?! I've had a flat battery in a Celica after 2 weeks (summer) holiday - simply due to the drain from the alarm (a 2002, 5 year old Gen 7 at the time - they have tiny batteries). Is that the good old days?
My wife has a 2007 3.2 V6 TT that I have heard turning over more slowly in the winter mornings. That battery got changed before the next winter, because it could have let her down.

It isn't a major thing as almost every car will start easily with the headlights on. It is just good practice.

Yes - thanks. We've provided a good reason to start first, lights second. What on earth is the counter-argument?!

reeac

Counter argument? I don't know but it's probably related to that for clicking your seatbelt after you've driven off rather than before.

Ectophile

NBLondon wrote: »

Where do you live that cars will roll uphill if the handbrake fails ???

It's a bit complicated to explain.

I live on the side of a hill. The road outside is a hill, and my driveway also slopes down to the road. Because of the lie of the land, one side of the driveway is higher than the other, and the lawn is slightly uphill of the drive.

So if I parked with the wheels straight and the handbrake failed, the car would shoot down the drive and across the road.

If I park with the wheels turned to point to the right, it would start rolling downhill, but then veer uphill again onto the lawn, or possibly the pavement.

bigjl

vansboy wrote: »

All the references to starting and lights, no mention of depressing the clutch while firing ignition...this is always good practice, to relieve effort required on start up.

And parking as straight as pos, for me, except on a steep hill, when full lock, without touching tyre/kerb

VB

This is also required if you have a DMF equipped vehicle.

As mentioned by somebody else some cars actually won't start without the clutch depressed.

I did read an article were LuK actually explained why this was needed, but I can't remember specifics as it was years ago.

xHannahx

The advise used to be turning the lights on first to get the power running through the circuits on a cold morning.

This is very out of date advise and should not be done on modern cars as can cause premature failing of bulbs- especially xenon bulbs.

It is now known to have the reverse effect of what they believed in the 60/70s.