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Automatic transmission - settle a bet!

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  whaap 
#1 ·
Ok guys my mate says in my mini on a steep hill pointing to the bottom waiting in traffic lights I should just apply the handbrake while leaving the car in drive. I say put it in park and apply the handbrake then back in to drive to move off. Who's right? There's beer at stake on this on this one!! :D:D
 
#2 ·
I would say your mate is right but i think you will get mixed views
1. The reason it is automatic is so you dont have to keep changing gear.
2. Park is for when you park.
But then again i dont suppose there are any rules, putting it in park is probably safer if you dont trust yor handbrake
 
#6 ·
IMO I think you are both wrong. If I thought there would be a significant delay I would put the handbrake on and into neutral. Otherwise just foot on the brake, leave the handbrake off and leave in drive. The latter is a lazy way to do it but auto's are built assuming the majority of drivers will be lazy so you will do no harm.
 
#8 · (Edited)
When the vehicle is at a stop the auto transmission effectively drops into neutral although there may be a slight pull that can be over come by application of the foot brake. If the car's handbrake it applied then the box can be dropped into neutral.
The parking mode is just for that, parking. Other wise each time you were at a standstill you would un-necessarily be moving through a gear box doing more than an manual drive train, which defeats the object of having it.
Sorry if this means a loss of beer although I suppose I've not agreed with either of you ;-) and sorry if you don't think it's correct but it's what my driving instructor told me. He also encouraged left foot breaking though, which although not the norm, is some thing I've tried to achieve and it theoretically makes parking the vehicle safer.
Also adds some fun, but I advise being off roads before attempting it at higher speeds
Sorry if my first post sounds rather pompous.
I'm actually getting my 5door mini soon and looking for advice on bonnet stripes on which I shall post separately.
Thanks for all on here whoms advice I've read, and has been very helpful. :smile:
 
#9 ·
I would not trust my automatic if I left it in drive and just set the hand brake. Assuming the brake assemblies are well warmed up I'd worry about slippage as the temperature cooled. I've read a number of postings on Mini forums about people who have left their manual transmissions in neutral with their parking brake set only to come back at a later time and find their car has rolled causing damage to the car and other properties. My foot would be on the brake pedal.
 
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