BSO

Question for manual transmission owners.

Do any of you select neutral and let the clutch out when you are stopped in traffic?

It's my belief (whether true or not) that selecting neutral and letting the clutch completely out when stopped will save wear and tear on the gearbox and the clutch. This is opposed to keeping the clutch engaged and the gearbox in first.

I do this whenever stopped. The gearbox and clutch are very easy to use smoothly and no issues in engaging a gear and going when necessary.

What do you think?

Fred R. C4S

Always shift to neutral and am ready to engage first if the need arises. Why wear your throwout bearing more than necessary? Been driving manuals for over 50 years.

stout

Been driving manuals in daily cars for 31 years. Was taught to never keep the clutch in while waiting for a light in order to preserve the throwout bearing, and thus viewed that as "the right way" for a long time.

Thing is, I have only had to replace one clutch in 15-20 cars, in a car that had 85,000 miles before I purchased it. I only did the throwout bearing "while we were in there," rather than because it was making noise, so I have started to wonder if throwout bearings have become longer-life items than they were in yesteryear (the era of my father). For the last 20~ years, I only let the clutch out if I am going to be sitting for a while—and even then not always. I like to be ready to move to prevent other types of damage should I need to go sooner than a light turns green. Clutches are cheap by comparison. YMMV, but I've never had a throwout bearing go bad.

Would be very curious to hear from others—and particularly mechanics.

JW911

I understand the premise of always in neutral when stopped. And I do that for a long light. But for anything else, I always leave my left foot down. Have done this on many cars over the years across many thousands of miles. I have never had a throwout bearing problem.

BSO

Good to have confirmation on my practice, also been driving over 50 years and always in neutral when stopped, on all manual vehicles.

We’ve got to enjoy the sticks while we have them, they’re optioned less and less, the oncoming hybrids and full electric cars will likely all but kill them.

Fred R. C4S

You ought to “drive” an old direct drive D9 dozer. It took about 90% of my body weight just to depress the clutch on that thing. That’ll teach you stay in neutral until you want to move.

WEM 911 C4S

There is a lot of opinions on this and lot depends on the type of car you drive and their vintage. For example, I have a Triumph TR6 and due to the design of the thrust washers, it is recommended that the car be started in neutral with your foot off the clutch, which prevents unnecessary where on the washers. The same is true for stopping at a light where you’ll be waiting for maybe a minute or longer. With my 911 I keep the clutch depressed if the stop is short(ish) otherwise I put it in neutral.

john iacobucci

Every time I stop it goes into neutral and clutch out. I also go through second on the way to first gear.

SeymourButts

I always go to neutral when coming to a stop, but I do have a question about how I do it. When coming to a stop I'll downshift to 2nd, let up on the clutch when slowing down and then I'll slip it into neutral without depressing the clutch before coming to a complete stop. I've never heard anything for or against that method..

mdkrp

I have read that it's best not to keep the gear and clutch engaged while stopped at a light. so I always put car into neutral and wait until I need to engage.
As an aside I have been practicing double clutching when shifting and this is an interesting technique. For the most part, I like it.

SSFox

I have it in neutral and release the clutch. I do not use engine braking (except for fun, or aggressive driving). I use brake braking. Whatever gear I’m in, I coast in gear until I have four car lengths of space, depress brake and clutch, and shift to neutral. I have never ever been able to escape an incident even in an automatic. The last one, I was backed into. I had one hand on the horn and was in reverse but had not been able to move when I was hit.

CaptainOblivious

I was taught left foot on the dead pedal at all times unless engaging/changing gears, period. Don't know how much it helps or not but I've never replaced a clutch in 40 years, 25+ manual cars and over 2m miles.

malahhaor

Simply think about it ... when stepping on the clutch these is allot of pressure created at multiple points between your foot and the clutch itself, the less time you have all of those components under pressure, the better. especially when adding engine rotation on top of it like in the case of the throwout bearing
Thus keeping off the clutch and in neutral is the better option when possible.

JJL11762

I always shift into neutral. Less wear and tear on the mechanicals and my left leg (The traffic light cycles are VERY long where I live). Been doing this for over 45 years.