car pet peeves, why do ppl do this with their automatics?

Lifer

Banned
Feb 17, 2003
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so many automatic drivers will throw their car from reverse to drive while the car is still moving backwards or vice versa (drive to reverse, car still moving forward), i.e. when parallel parking, backing out of driveway, K-turn.

do they not know the damage theyre doing to their tranny?
let the car come to a complete stop before shifting damnit!
you're not driving a damn stick shift and it's not saving you any time!
:|
 

I always come to a complete stop...I cringe whenever I see people do that to their cars.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
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Isn't it true that it doesn't damage it unless it actually "catches" (you'd feel it). On my old-a$$ Accord, what I usually do is go from Drive to Reverse without the brakes as I pull into my driveway (to turn around), but make sure the wheels aren't still moving forward. It's very smooth even though there's no complete braking.
 

Regs

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
16,665
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I would have to shift thru neutral before I hit the drive gears. And yes, I make sure my car is stopped before doing so.
 

jfall

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 2000
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

Lol thanks for letting me know that, i'm fairly new to driving a standard and I do this all the time.. didn't know it was bad for the car :eek:
 

Argo

Lifer
Apr 8, 2000
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While we're on the subject of car pet peeves. I hate when people never ever wash their car or take care of it. And then when they sit in my car they say "wow, your car is so clean". Well, doh, that's because I actually wash it. It doesn't magically get clean overnight.

I'm surprised at how many people don't realize that cars require constant care. It's not one of those "buy it and forget" investments. You need to wash it, keep your tires inflated, change oil, touch paint stone chips, properly warm up the engine in the winter.
 

Aharami

Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
21,205
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

is that really bad for ur car or are you being sarcastic again?! i ask cuz i do that sometimes.....
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
Originally posted by: jfall
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

Lol thanks for letting me know that, i'm fairly new to driving a standard and I do this all the time.. didn't know it was bad for the car :eek:

Handbrake instead? (new to driving too)
 

Argo

Lifer
Apr 8, 2000
10,045
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Originally posted by: Aharami
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

is that really bad for ur car or are you being sarcastic again?! i ask cuz i do that sometimes.....

It just wears your clutch faster than it normally would.
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
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i used to do it to my cars all the time.. if you are not moving fast it does not matter. my dad is an A mechanic and has worked on cars for 35 years and he does it to his car... *MIRACULOUSLY* the trannies never have problems :Q
 

LAUST

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
8,957
1
81
Originally posted by: CraigRT
i used to do it to my cars all the time.. if you are not moving fast it does not matter. my dad is an A mechanic and has worked on cars for 35 years and he does it to his car... *MIRACULOUSLY* the trannies never have problems :Q
Yep it's really no big deal at all.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
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Why is it a big deal?

So you heat the fluid in the torque converter up a bit while its slipping, reversing your momentum?

Not really any different than taking off from a light with a heavy foot.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
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Originally posted by: Argo
While we're on the subject of car pet peeves. I hate when people never ever wash their car or take care of it. And then when they sit in my car they say "wow, your car is so clean". Well, doh, that's because I actually wash it. It doesn't magically get clean overnight.

I'm surprised at how many people don't realize that cars require constant care. It's not one of those "buy it and forget" investments. You need to wash it, keep your tires inflated, change oil, touch paint stone chips, properly warm up the engine in the winter.
On the same proverbial token, it annoys me to no end when you see $50k-$60k SUVs on the road with brake dust ALL OVER their front rims. Hello ?! You spent how much on that nice truck and you won't even wash it. Those blackened front rims look completely out of place.
 

tnitsuj

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
5,446
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It doesn't really hurt unless you are rocking the car in a snowbank or something. You aren't going to seriously overheat it unless you do it multiple times in a row.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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Originally posted by: Aharami
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

is that really bad for ur car or are you being sarcastic again?! i ask cuz i do that sometimes.....
Man I'm seriously surprised that you guys don't know that hill-holding/riding your clutch is bad for it. A clutch is a wear item on a car. Like brakes the more you use it the faster it will wear out and a replacement can cost $500-800 with labor. As I mentioned in another thread the clutch engaging your transmission to your engine is like two large plates that come together. They are travelling at different speeds and as the force between them increases they eventually go at the same speed. Until they are going at the same speed they are rubbing against each other with a hell of a lot of force and it wears the two plates out. Holding your car up on a hill in this manner I would guess for 15 seconds, for instance, is probably equal in wear to the clutch of a good 5 start-from-a-stops, so naturally it's going to kill the clutch much quicker than normal.
 

trmiv

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
14,670
18
81
Funny, my dad has been a mechanic for almost 40 years, and does this in his automatics and has never had any tranmission problems.
 

kt

Diamond Member
Apr 1, 2000
6,027
1,342
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Originally posted by: Argo
Originally posted by: Aharami
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

is that really bad for ur car or are you being sarcastic again?! i ask cuz i do that sometimes.....

It just wears your clutch faster than it normally would.

Really??
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
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Originally posted by: Lonyo
Originally posted by: jfall
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Same reason people hill-hold with the clutch in their manual. They don't know any better. I continually feel pity for the stupid among us :)

Lol thanks for letting me know that, i'm fairly new to driving a standard and I do this all the time.. didn't know it was bad for the car :eek:

Handbrake instead? (new to driving too)
I just use my regular brakes and then a quick yank on the handbrake to keep the car from rolling back if I'm on a steep hill. Takes some practice, but is easier on the clutch.