I'm just wondering if people stick their cars into neutral when stopped? As the RRS is the first automatic car I've owned, it seemed logical to put it into N when stopped to take the pressure off the drive system.

I took my car into a LR dealership to investigate a knocking issue (wishbones) and when the senior tech took it for a spin, he did the same - slipping it into N whenever we were stopped at traffic lights.

I know most people that drive autos tend to just leave it in D. What do you do...poll question above.

Could you also answer in a reply on here if you've had any diff, gearbox or torque converter problems since you've owned the car?

Thanks

we had this discussion on freel2
http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic7902.html?highlight=

I've always thought that the torque converter is designed so there's not really any strain on the system when stationary and that constant swapping from D to N would have more of a detrimental effect. This was told to me by a BMW technician but I have no idea if that is based on fact!
Anyway, I always leave it in drive.

I failed my first driving test solely for not putting the manual car into neutral and applying handbrake while stopped at traffic lights. I had waited in 1st gear with clutch and foot brake pressed which was apparently a serious enough error to fail me (zero minor mistakes on my fail sheet after a 40 minute test). The reason given to me was if someone hit my car from behind I could lift my feet off the clutch/brake in shock and hit the car in front.

Since then it's become a habit whether driving a manual or an auto - I always put into neutral and engage parking brake.

Would be interesting to see what the implications could be for doing/not doing that with the RRS as I've been thinking of getting rid of this habit given the EPB issues reported here.

Sometimes I leave it in drive with the footbrake and sometimes I put it in neutral and use the EPB. It rather depends how long I think I'm going to be stationary.

You don't really want to have it in neutral with the footbrake applied as this energises the gearbox lockout solenoid (the solenoid allows you to move from N to D (or R) when the brake is applied and prevents you doing so if the brake isn't applied). There are suggestions hereabouts that doing so can lead to premature failure of the solenoid which will leave you unable to move the gearbox selector.

Sitting with the vehicle in D and brake applied will increase overall fuel consumption. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Force of habit to pop it into Park. FF 4.4 V8 Soooo looking forward to this bad boy
Ex 2006 RRS SC - garbage
Ex 2016 135i M Sport - dream car
Ex 2003 RS6 Avant - piece of cr*p
Ex 2014 320d X Drive, M Sport Touring - ok I guess
Ex 2007 RRS TDV8 - bloody loved it
EX 2007 FL2 XS - not so bad

fkarim wrote:

I failed my first driving test solely for not putting the manual car into neutral and applying handbrake while stopped at traffic lights. I had waited in 1st gear with clutch and foot brake pressed which was apparently a serious enough error to fail me (zero minor mistakes on my fail sheet after a 40 minute test). The reason given to me was if someone hit my car from behind I could lift my feet off the clutch/brake in shock and hit the car in front.

In terms of mechanical sympathy you're best to leave it in Drive unless you expect to be stationary for more than a couple of minutes.

If you use neutral every time you stop you're simply operating the hydraulic bands in the gearbox more than necessary.

However if you expect to be stopped for a while putting it in neutral helps keep the gearbox temperature down.

npinks wrote:

Maybe they have changed the rules since i did my test, as the stop start technology requires you to be out of gear and foot off the clutch for it to work

Of course, if your sport is fitted with Transmission Idle Control then you can leave it in Drive 2016 RRS 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography Dynamic in Montalcino Red and Stealth Kit

I thought it was only OAPs that used the handbrake and went in to neutral Every!! time they pull up

I stick the RRS in Sport Mode and Adaptive Dynamic Mode and it doesn't leave that setting until I turn the car off. Current car: Porsche 911 Carrera S PDK (997.2) Past Car: (MY12) Range Rover Sport HSE SDV6 - Orkney Grey with Almond interior
Bike:Ducati Monster 1100 EVO

One of the reasons for not leaving it in drive and standing on the brake pedal is that you end up dazzling the person behind with very bright brake lights, especially at night.

The correct thing to do is stop, apply the EPB and then put it in neutral. But then the correct thing to do is seldom what is done these days...  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

i only ever put in neutral at traffic lights if the car is still cold, as i can feel the engine labouring slightly, so i let it rev free to help with the warm up 07,TDV8,Black, Black Heated leather all round, Rear Entertainment with Headpones & Remote, TV, DVD, Pure Dab Digital Radio, Sidesteps, Adaptive Headlights, sunroof, now working fuel burning heater )))

npinks wrote:

I'm sure I was taught that the car should always be in gear and if stopped then apply the handbrake too, never have a car out of gear with out the handbrake on

Maybe they have changed the rules since i did my test, as the stop start technology requires you to be out of gear and foot off the clutch for it to work

From memory, i was taught that if you came to a junction that was a STOP sign then you had to STOP apply the handbrake then select 1st gear ready for pulling out of the junction as soon as it was safe to do so. If it was a give way junction then there was no need to apply the handbrake and you could use clutch control ready for pulling out when safe to do so providing you wasn't going to be sat at the junction all day
Back to the OP question, as said above it all depends how long i'm going to be sat at the lights, i usually apply the EPB then pop it into N and take my foot off the brake, especially at night so not to dazzle the person behind me as also mentioned before (considerate driver me) But when i pull away when the lights have changed i always put my foot on the brake to release the EPB i know you don't have to but i always do. It just doesn't feel right pulling away with the EPB on, i know its designed for that purpose but thats how i do it.