Maybe this will become totally obvious to me once I have my MINI (she's at the VDC right now!) - but what is an "ebrake"? I did a quick search for titles with "ebrake" in them and only got hits pertaining to replacement handles and boots.

The day I test drove an MCS, I didn't notice anything unusual. (But who pays much attention to such things. Okay, it's released - let's motor!)

Thanks in advance!

 

Is this your first car? Or you first manual car?

E-Brake stands for Emergency Brake.

Some people would call it the Parking Brake.

 

the eeeehehehehe break!

 

Aka the E-tee-hee brake!

Clover

 

Mmmmmm..... How about:

Ernie Brake (If your name is Ernie)

Electronic Brake (It DOES light up a bulb on the dash)

Ecstasy Brake ('Cause this car is just that fun)

Erasor Brake (Remember hiding the piece of chalk in the erasor? That was fun)

Erotic Brake (Well...)

Excellent Brake (Always works for me)

Dogspeed.

 

It's the handbrake.

This is how to use it:http://www.modernracer.com/tips/handbraketurn.html

:smile:

 

Feeling pretty dumb. Yes, I knew it was the handbrake - I was wondering what the "e" was all about. "E-mergency"? How boring!

I thought that maybe with the electronic throttle and body computer and ECU and optional trip/mileage computer there might be something "e-lectronic" going on with the handbrake.

Why doesn't everyone just call it the "handbrake"? Or "emergency brake"? Is it now "ebrake" because of all the lazy typists on the Internet? r u 2 lazy 2 type "hand"

 

Also embarrassed to admit that "erotic brake" conjured up some very prurient images!

 

Since it's real purpose....as we all know....is to do handbrake turns, why don't we call it the "wheeeeeeeee!-brake." Or since we have "o-my-god" handles.........why not an OMG brake? That'll confuse some people!!!!

 

Its the '"E"ager to be yanked up while you slam the wheel to the left'-Brake.

 

No, it's "erotic break", as in pulling over into a dark deserted parking lot to make out.

 

Phew! Thanks for the clarification!

But since you brought it up, how does one make out in a MINI? Seems to me more like it would be an "anti-erotic brake."

Oh - just thought of another one. An "urgency" brake!

 

haha very funny...maybe an 'extreme' brake is in order
who uses the e-brake in an e-mergency now anyways?

-Paul

 

I call it the side brake.

Not sure why they call it e-brake....cause if you pull that thing during an
emergency manuver, chances are you'll be doing some 360's into a tree and
go down yonder...

I happen to use the side brake while my car's parked in my garage.

 

Nowadays, I'm not so sure. But I *blew* out a brake line in my VW bus once ("blew out" as in brake fluid all over the underside of the car, the wheel, and the road!) and it was very nice to have an emergency brake. Certainly lived up to its name!

 

It's called a Hand Brake in the UK. Anyone guess why?

 

Whatever you call it, I hope everyone knows ALL of the uses to which this little gadget can be applied. Here's some of my favorites;


1) when being tailgated, ease your foot off the accelerator and gently apply the hand brake to slow down without your brake lights alerting the driver behind. The shock he gets from the decreased distance is usually enough to make him drop back somewhat. Beware of people applying makup or dialing on cell phones when trying this

2) use the hand brake to loose some speed when you accidently rush past a parked police car looking for a speeding ticket to write. The change on speed without brake lights confuses them.

3) Ever been boxed into a tight parrallel parking space on a snowy day? Try this next time; turn the front wheels to point out if you were going forwards. Apply the handbrake HARD then try to ease up on the clutch to get the front wheels spinning in the snow without the car moving forwards. The front of the car will 'walk' sideways until you are out of the parking space. At this point, let off the handbrake to allow forwards motion. Your passengers and onlookers will be amazed.

4) Hill starts. If you're at a traffic light or the like on a very steep hill and someone comes up behind you so close you are afraid of rolling back into them when starting off, apply the hand brake first then as you start to set off, wait for the back of the car to dip down before you let the handbrake off. You will not roll back even 1/2". (In England this manouver is a requirement on all driving tests).

5) The handbrake turn. Already covered above. To perfect this 180 degree manouver, practice in snow in a deserted parking lot or the like.

Anybody have uses I forgot?

 

OMG brake is FOUR syllables. E-brake is TWO.

 

Probably slower than just motoring through a turn,but before you get to a corner, do a 90 degree turn much like the 180 turn,get pointed in the new direction and keep going,fun to drift out the back end.
I only do this on snow

 

"when being tailgated, ease your foot off the accelerator and gently apply the hand brake to slow down without your brake lights alerting the driver behind. The shock he gets from the decreased distance is usually enough to make him drop back somewhat."

EGADS! Now that's what I call living dangerously! Lost any rear bumpers to this maneuver?

I've gotten into the habit of tapping the brake pedal a few times to let tailgaters know I'm sick of them. Occassionally they'll even take the hint and drop back for awhile. I don't get the satisfaction of watching them go into shock, however...

 

I saw a t-shirt somewhere that had a diagram of how to, ahem, "do the nasty" in a MINI. I won't explain it in a G-rated forum!

BTW, LombardStreet, go to the Owner's Lounge and download the "unofficial owner's manual" pdf file, it's a scream!

 

Igh, Always after me lucky ebrake lassie!

 

If you touch the 4 way flasher when someone is on your butt,it will tend to back them off abit,and you don,t have to let off the throttle