BMW Says The Days Of Manuals And DCTs Are Numbered

[AutobahnSHO]

In theory you'll actually cause more wear by doing that. When you sit in D at a standstill there is no wear on brakes or drive shaft as the engine just spins against the torque converter. When you shift to/from N you actually engage clutches, and in theory that causes a minute amount of wear. In reality though, neither method will cause more wear than the other, but it's simply less hassle to just leave the car in D.

makes good sense- only time I've heard of shifting to N is in snow/ ice while trying to stop, which helps control a bit. 

[Tave]

In theory you'll actually cause more wear by doing that. When you sit in D at a standstill there is no wear on brakes or drive shaft as the engine just spins against the torque converter. When you shift to/from N you actually engage clutches, and in theory that causes a minute amount of wear. In reality though, neither method will cause more wear than the other, but it's simply less hassle to just leave the car in D.

Also, if he slips up on his timing and loads the engine before shifting back into D, it has the potential for more serious damage.

[Laconian]

Torque converter crawl phobia!

[Xer0]

I had an Uber driver who would constantly put his car in "N" at every stoplight.  I bet he thought he was getting better gas mileage or preserving the transmission or something, but all it did was cause that annoying engagement jerk every time he would put it back in "D".  And this was in Chicago, where you aren't going longer than a block without a red light.

[r0tor]

In theory you can probably get a miniscule fuel efficiency gain by shifting into neutral.  Leaving it in drive and letting the trans spin against the torque converter does put a tiny bit more load on the engine then the trans in neutral. 

This is actually an advantage of a DCT with fuel mileage - you can engage the clutch while coasting and while stopped to reduce engine load

[Cookie Monster]

I shift to neutral sometimes in an automatic car just so I don't have to hold the brakes at a stop light.

I'm so lazy.

[cawimmer430]

Doing what you are doing--dropping the car into D from N while driving--is the best way to wear it out quickly. It's pretty much the only way you as the driver can damage an auto other than excessive torque-brake launching.

Holding a stationary car at rest causes no additional wear and tear on your brakes.

By trying to fix an imaginary problem you're risking serious damage to the tranmission.

Thank you. I will condition myself to keep it in "D" from now on. It really is was an imaginary problem!

You aren't really preserving anything by doing that. Get one of those autostart/autostop vehicles.

Call me old fashioned, but I really don't like the feeling of Start-Stop. I've ridden in some cars and I found it really annoying when the engine would stop and start. The last time I rode in one such car was with Colin in a 2017 Range Rover diesel. He turned it off because he also found it annoying! 

Plus, wouldn't Start-Stop be something that really wears and tears on the mechanical components?

In theory you'll actually cause more wear by doing that. When you sit in D at a standstill there is no wear on brakes or drive shaft as the engine just spins against the torque converter. When you shift to/from N you actually engage clutches, and in theory that causes a minute amount of wear. In reality though, neither method will cause more wear than the other, but it's simply less hassle to just leave the car in D.

Great info and advice. 

[93JC]

I had an Uber driver who would constantly put his car in "N" at every stoplight.  I bet he thought he was getting better gas mileage or preserving the transmission or something, but all it did was cause that annoying engagement jerk every time he would put it back in "D".  And this was in Chicago, where you aren't going longer than a block without a red light.

I had a cab in Vegas who'd put in in PARK every time he came to a stop in bumper-to-bumper traffic! Crawl forward, stop, put in Park, wait for eight seconds, put in Drive, move a car length, stop, put in Park, wait five seconds, put in Drive, move 10 ft, stop, put in Park...

[Laconian]

I shift to neutral sometimes in an automatic car just so I don't have to hold the brakes at a stop light.

I'm so lazy.

I'm paranoid about smartphone drones behind me seeing the brakelights turning off as a cue to accelerate into my rear bumper.

[giant_mtb]

I shift to neutral sometimes in an automatic car just so I don't have to hold the brakes at a stop light.

I'm so lazy.

I do it fairly often in the drive-thru if it's a long line. 

[giant_mtb]

I'm paranoid about smartphone drones behind me seeing the brakelights turning off as a cue to accelerate into my rear bumper.

If doing it in traffic, I just keep a light toe on the brake pedal so the lights stay on.

[AutobahnSHO]

I'm paranoid about smartphone drones behind me seeing the brakelights turning off as a cue to accelerate into my rear bumper.

4 realz!

[AutobahnSHO]

I had a cab in Vegas who'd put in in PARK every time he came to a stop in bumper-to-bumper traffic! Crawl forward, stop, put in Park, wait for eight seconds, put in Drive, move a car length, stop, put in Park, wait five seconds, put in Drive, move 10 ft, stop, put in Park...

weird and obnoxious!

[r0tor]

I do it fairly often in the drive-thru if it's a long line. 

Same here

[CaminoRacer]

Torque converter crawl phobia!

Get a higher stall converter and you won't have that problem. My dad's Camaro has a 2600-2800 rpm converter and doesn't budge until you push the gas.

[GoCougs]

Great info and advice. 

Slushiet ATs are the last weak link of the modern automobile. Other than keeping the maintenance up (which is usually zero as these days most ATs have lifetime lubrication - the G37 for example doesn't even have a transmission dipstick or fill tube) there's nothing that can be done to extend its life.

[cawimmer430]

Slushiet ATs are the last weak link of the modern automobile. Other than keeping the maintenance up (which is usually zero as these days most ATs have lifetime lubrication - the G37 for example doesn't even have a transmission dipstick or fill tube) there's nothing that can be done to extend its life.

I have a ZF 6-speed automatic in the BMW. Have not heard any major reliability complaints about it on the BMW 1-Series Forums. 50% of my driving is on highways and I do like to speed. I'd like to think that transmission was made for all that stress! 

[Raza]

I've had a variety of 7spd+ autos as rentals lately and good gracious they've been absolutely miserable in terms of smoothness and anticipation. Laughable really.

I have no doubt that a few companies have programmed the ZF8spd to be as silky as advertised, but I'm wondering if that's going to prove the exception rather than the rule. It seems like the average auto has taken a quantum leap backwards in areas that were traditional strong suits.

Automatics are the worst.

[Raza]

I'm paranoid about smartphone drones behind me seeing the brakelights turning off as a cue to accelerate into my rear bumper.

I usually sit at lights/trains/whatever in neutral with my foot off the brake. Whenever I see a car approaching, I put the brake on until they stop.

[Cookie Monster]

I usually sit at lights/trains/whatever in neutral with my foot off the brake. Whenever I see a car approaching, I put the brake on until they stop.

Yep, exactly.

[FoMoJo]

I usually sit at lights/trains/whatever in neutral with my foot off the brake. Whenever I see a car approaching, I put the brake on until they stop.

Do you have your foot off the clutch pedal as well or keep it depressed?

[Cookie Monster]

Do you have your foot off the clutch as well or keep it depressed?

Why would you keep the clutch in if you're in neutral?

[giant_mtb]

I usually sit at lights/trains/whatever in neutral with my foot off the brake. Whenever I see a car approaching, I put the brake on until they stop.

That, too.

[Raza]

Do you have your foot off the clutch pedal as well or keep it depressed?

Depends on when I got to the light and whether or not I know how long of a light it is.

[Xer0]

I usually sit at lights/trains/whatever in neutral with my foot off the brake. Whenever I see a car approaching, I put the brake on until they stop.

Dito.  Although, I've been noticing that a lot of MT drivers around me will still keep the brake pressed standing on even ground.  I'm not sure why.  One of my favorite things about a manual is that I don't have to constantly be on the brake.

[Raza]

Dito.  Although, I've been noticing that a lot of MT drivers around me will still keep the brake pressed standing on even ground.  I'm not sure why.  One of my favorite things about a manual is that I don't have to constantly be on the brake.

It's such a simple and strange pleasure, but I'm with you. Every time I'm in an automatic car, I forget to hold the car on the brake at least once.

[SJ_GTI]

Dito.  Although, I've been noticing that a lot of MT drivers around me will still keep the brake pressed standing on even ground.  I'm not sure why.  One of my favorite things about a manual is that I don't have to constantly be on the brake.

I feel like ground that flat is pretty rare (and I live in South Jersey, which is basically a giant sandbar with a thin layer of topsoil). Even in my garage if I don't have the brake or emergency brake the car will slowly start to roll forward. Most roads have at least some incline to them IME.

[giant_mtb]

Plenty of it around here, despite general hilliness.  That's what happens when basically your entire county was at one point covered in mines, where flat land is created on purpose for roads, railroads, and facilities...which eventually become towns and streets.

[Xer0]

Around here (Chicago FWIW) there are very few roads that I have to actually hold the brakes on.  I can't tell you the last time I did.  I still engage the parking brake when I park the car though cause I'm paranoid, but truthfully, I probably don't need to.

[r0tor]

I keep the brake applied while stopped... I was once rammed into by a Mexican at a stop light and almost succeeded in pushing me into the car in front of me