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electronic hand brake vs. Leaving Manual in gear when parked.

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14K views 40 replies 26 participants last post by  Jim 'n' SC  
#1 ·
The electronic handbrake is not ideal. Those of you who have the manual 6 speed, do you use the hand brake or just leave the car in gear old school style?
 
#3 ·
If my car is in the garage I just leave it in gear. If I am parked away from the house I use the electronic handbrake and I leave it in gear.

I resisted electronic handbrakes for a long time but they are coming so I might as well get used to them.

Rob, I worked on a golf course when I was in graduate school. We had an old truck that had the starter button on the floor. You would turn on the ignition and step on the starter button to start it. Now that's really old. :crazy:
 
#4 · (Edited)
Both my Volvo S60 and my 981 have electronic brakes, and I always use them on both cars. With an automatic I really don't care, but I really miss a manual hand brake with the 6 speed.

I do engage the brake whenever the car is parked.

And ... thanks for not calling it a break.
 
#6 ·
I always park in gear and also use the e-brake except when in the garage.

The fact that there's no tactile confirmation that the brake is set is what's less than ideal. Even though I know which way on-off is engaged it forces me look for the light/confirmation that the brake is active. I was never thought this was a problem before but now after being off the road for 85 consecutive days and counting I feel it is.
 
#7 ·
To me 'old school' is a manual parking brake. Up to now, I mostly use the manual parking brake and tranny in N when in flat ground (parking brake then 1st on inclinies, once car is not moving as to not load the tranny ). With the CS, I'll leave it in gear in the garage and level places to avoid wearing out the stupid electric parking brake over time. And after reading several cases where people were left stranded because their electric parking brakes didn't disengage, I'll probably avoid using it on trips, and choose my parking spots on level ground. Not happy about that option, but as somebody said, all cars are turning to them, just like electric power steering, etc.
 
#9 ·
I would think that the first company that manufactures a manual replacement for the E-brake could do quite well. What do you think Numeric, Wevo...etc.?
 
#13 ·
I had a manual Porsche 911, 2000 vintage I think it was, and often simply used first gear as my parking brake until one day I watched my car roll out backwards into the street from a not too steep parking space in front of a restaurant. The engine and transmission friction was simply not enough to keep it parked. I use parking brake now on my 2014 PDK CB on steep inclines. I personally like the electric brake.
 
#15 ·
I keep it in gear with the parking brake on.

I had a scare within the first week of parking in the garage. I forgot to put it in gear and wasn't using the brake when I parked at the time. I opened up the garage door (I don't have any other entry point into this old garage) to find my car had rolled all the way back and was almost touching the garage door. I could have damaged the bumper if the car had backed all the way and touched the garage door and then i opened the garage door. Wheeww!
 
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#40 · (Edited)
Not much drama; you need to improve your technique. :hilarious: True Story: My parking assistant once hit the button to close the fully open overhead garage door while my X3 was in the garage with the tailgate up. A territorial dispute ensued between the tailgate and garage door. The tailgate lost and went to the body shop.
I didn't say anything to the parking assistant; as I've done much better myself. True Story #2: Several years ago, I did the same thing as you; got outta the car without putting it gear or setting the hand brake. The driveway sloped downhill to the street. The car rolled across the street and into the neighbor's yard, passed the car in their driveway with about a foot of clearance, and finally came to a stop a couple feet away from their house. Unbelievably, my car didn't hit a thing. As it was 5am in the morning and the ground was frozen, my neighbor never noticed it.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I'm not old school per se, but use first gear 99.9% of the time. I hate the e-brake. It's implementation in 981 is the worst I've ever seen. And the some. I don't live in San Francisco. So I just use 1st gear unless car is on some serious incline.
 
#20 ·
In the garage it's either first gear or reverse depending on whether I park head in or back in.

When I am at a friendly area where I can park with top down, such as Starbuck's, I use gear and parking brake as a safety precaution since the parking brake cannot be disengage without a key.

On the track/autocros then absolutely no parking brake, just gear only.
 
#22 ·
How would you do that with a manual transmission?

Also, I'm not sure what you mean about the parking brake being automated. The only automatic function it has is to release when it senses movement when the car is in gear, which is a function common on e-brake cars. I don't like the electronic brake, but I recognize it as technological progress in that it eliminates the linkage and its wear, while also saving interior space. The fact that it doesn't work as well as a hand brake seems to be beside the point. But, then again, I still prefer dials to touch screens.
 
#26 ·
I’m on your page, Bluzpwr, and cannot for the life of me see all the bother about the e-brake. As old as any dog on this site, I learned the new trick in a matter of days. It’s now as much second nature for me to follow the same drill in this car as in my “normal” cars: set the parking brake, then put the car in first or reverse to hold the car if the brake should fail. My father, a mechanical engineer, taught me that sequence eons ago on the assumption that there was no reason either to put unnecessary strain on the driveline or to give up extra insurance.
 
#27 ·
"Strain on the drivetrain" part always making me laugh. Drivetrain is designed to handle 325HP. A kid can hold a car that is on more or less flat ground. What strain?
 
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#29 ·
I hated the e-brake for about a day but now kind of appreciate it for what it is. But I still wish I had a manual hand brake and would prefer same.
 
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#30 ·
T-design, I stand corrected. Old myths die hard. Agree with caveats from qhb and would add that, like many of you, I do not leave the auxiliary brake on in the garage, where a car might sit for long periods. It only took one locked drum to break me of that habit. (Yes, Stan, "break.")
 
#34 ·
I always use it. Just a habit, but I think a good habit to be in. I make my Daughter always use hers as well and my Wife too for that matter even with automatics. I grew up using them and just think it is a smart extra step that you should be in the habit of using so you never have to worry. My car is a manual as well, but I still use regardless of where it is parked. I do wish they still had the manual parking brake though like in my previous gen 911. When I drive it now I am always arching over my knee looking for it. Manual brakes are easier to use and I would imagine have less possibility of anything going wrong with it. Plus they give you a little handle to hold on to when needed during some aggressive driving.
 
#37 ·
It acts as emergency break (according to the manual). I have not tried it, but I think T-Design did (mentioned in a different thread).