I've never tried the handbrake technique. The backwards roll on hill starts always seems to be a lot, but really, most of the time you've likely rolled less than 6-12 inches.

:iagree: -- and for getting out of parallel-parked spots (someone at a meter parked right behind you) practicing a hill-start beforehand is definitely a good confidence booster.

I don't mind wasting the gas to coast in neutral. I do it all the time, but generally when I do, I'm ready to react, foot hovering on clutch and brake.

In no way, shape or form is putting the car in neutral wasting gas. Infact, if you're cruising at a "higher speed" (IE 80mph) and go into neutral, the car reads you're getting a higher MPG simply because the engine is not cranking/producing RPM's.

coasting in neutral fuel is sent to the engine to keep it running.

coasting in gear while the engine is mechanically turned by the drivetrain, fuel is cut.

therefore you save fuel if you DONT put into neutral while coasting...

Makes sense to me, although I don't coast long enough for that fuel loss to matter. Maybe 50-100 ft at most.

+1... I try to stay off the clutch as much as possible too. Only use it to shift it into gear or to pop the stick back into neutral.

Dumb question, while in gear, is it bad if you dont clutch in to pop the stick back into neutral?

Source?

ive always wanted to try this...my friends who drive M/T's say its possible and shouldnt harm your car, but you know everyone thinks they know everything about cars :confused:

From the Car Talk guys about holding the clutch in while stopped:

"Dear Tom and Ray:

A friend of mine at work and I have a disagreement regarding using the clutch on a standard-shift car. He says that keeping the clutch pressed in will wear out the throw-out bearing, and I say it won't. For example, he says that when on a hill, the smart driver will put the car in neutral and let the clutch out, keeping one foot on the brake, to save wear and tear on the throw-out bearing. I say keeping the clutch depressed won't cause wear and tear. Who's right? -- Red

RAY: He is.
...

TOM: The second most common type of clutch failure is when the throw-out bearing (also called the release bearing) fails. That's the bearing that pushes the clutch plates apart when you push in the clutch pedal to change gears.

RAY: Used correctly, the throw-out bearing will last much longer than the clutch disc. But if you sit at red lights with your foot on the clutch pedal all the time, you can wear out the throw-out bearing before you wear out your clutch disc. And because that's an entirely preventable condition, we call that clutch murder in the second degree.

TOM: The problem is, if either the disc OR the bearing fails, you then have to replace the whole clutch. To reach either of those parts, you have to remove the entire transmission. And once you've paid for all that labor, you'd be crazy to do half the clutch. On most cars these days, a clutch job is at least a thousand bucks.
"

Car Talk

Well known fact. No source needed.

I didn't hear the rest of this conversation, but it sounds like they are talking about resting your foot on the clutch pedal rather than holding the clutch pedal down all the way. I could see how the first option could cause a problem, but still don't understand how the second one could.

They meant pressed all the way in. I'll paste the rest of it.

Cool, thanks. Can someone explain why this is the case (mechanically)?

I did this once by accident :driving:
..the car still works. Not sure if it did any damage. Anyone?