my brake doesnt even work. the only thing keeping my car from rolling down my steep driveway is the gear.

 

Don't think that. I'm right above you in PA, I used to have an eclipse that the e-brake froze daily. I was always an idiot and forgot to not engage it, and every morning it would be frozen...took several miles of driving to get it unthawed. Needless to say, I went through a new set of rear brakes real quick two winters ago. It is especially worse if you're driving in snow and use it, the snow that is clumped up underneath the car freezes to the e-brake cable

 

I almost never use the parking brake. I just leave it in 1st.

 

The truth is because i'm not used to it. I've had a couple of incidents where i start my car and lunge forth. Not very fun. Quick question... does the e-brake engage the left rear, right rear, or both at the same time?

 

i leave mine in neutral. my eclipse had a turbo timer so i had to leave it in nuetral. i bought this car and started leaving it in gear but almost hit my dads pos like 2 inches in front of me. i also had it jump on me a couple time becauase i forgot. so i just choose to leave it in nuetral now.

 

Anyone in here start the car in gear or does everyone start in neutral?

 

I park my car in 1st or reverse. I use my parking brake as back up on any grade. I turn my wheels into the curb on downhills and away on uphills with the car in gear with parking brake on. If I find my Z in freezing weather I make sure I park on a level street without the e-brake engaged and block the wheel if I have to park on a grade.

 

Since you have to push in the clutch to start the car, the position of the shifter doesn't matter to me.

 

I dont ever turn my wheels, I dont want my LE37's getting lips scratched against the curb if the car does roll. I too always leave it in gear, and in my other car a Probe, I never use the ebrake cuz they stick all the time in those cars, even in the summer.

 

so when you guys turn off your car, your foot is on the clutch(so it doesnt stall) and in 1st gear?

 

Always in 1st, unless you have a remote starter.....I want one of those for cold mornings especially when you're running late for work. That can save you up to 2 minutes of warm up time.

 

+1 This is exactly what should be done. The stress should be put on the e-brake *only* if possible, not on the tranny. As people above have stated, leaving the car in gear is just in case the e-brake fails.

 

The stress induced by leaving it in gear even on a hill is nothing compaired to driving even on level roads. What do you think is happening when 287 or 300 hp is being applied?

By pushing the clutch in to start the car the transmission is disengaged so it shouldn't matter what gear it's in.

 

You can shift your car all day/night long once your car is off. It's been a while since i played with it but I think you don't even have to use your clutch when the car is off.

 

well i might get chewed out for this but... I DONT LEAVE MINE IN GEAR! ok let me explain, i live in south Fla, not many hills, and cant leave it in gear with the remote start, would launch foward and that definately wouldnt look cool huh? LOL

 

Yeow! What a bunch of 350 Zcars!

Never mind the emergency brake, how can we participate in this gathering of Z cars?! I assume you have a good time swapping stories.