I have a habit of moving the shifter around left and right when I'm just sitting at a light. I basically just move it left and right relatively quickly like shaking it almost. I was just wondering if this is causing any wear on any parts that I should be worried about.

 

I really, REALLY doubt it is causing any unnecessary wear. I do that every once in a while just make sure I'm in neutral.

 

Yah I do it also .

 

You oughta see my Hubby do it in his Porsche 356. He rattles it back and forth to be SURE he's in neutral, and he's been doing it for 40 years without problems.

 

Now, leaving the clutch pressed in at a light might be considered a bad habit.... if only for the throwout bearing's sake.

 

^ I almost murdered my friend for doing that

 

I admit to having the "wiggle" habit too. Have had it for decades. Only while stopped, prior to putting it in 1st gear. I guess it just seems to give a little satisfying feedback on the side-to-side neutral throw range.

 

I do this all the time. My brother, who doesn't drive a manual, asked me what it does one time. I also like to row through all the gears sometimes, just to make sure they are still there.

 

It's irrational, but I do that too

 

I wouldn't call it a bad habit.
Always have done it because it's kinda embarassing when starting the car and it's in gear. Also helps me get oriented with the shift pattern limits.

 

Everybody does it. If you don't, it must be an automatic.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I was just worried it was bad for the car in some way. Figured moving parts = friction = wear

 

same reason i do it

keeping the clutch pressed during the light would be bad, imo

 

I have been driving stick for 22 years and have always put the car in first gear and hold one foot on the clutch and one foot on the brake, as i wait for the light to turn green.
Are you telling me I should be putting my car in neutral at every stop light?
Have I been driving stick wrong my entire life ?

fyi I have never burned out a clutch.

 

Well, sitting with the clutch depressed does put more stress on the clutch-actuation mechanism (cable-operated or hydraulic), as well as the throwout bearing, but it really depends on the particular car whether or not that's going to shorten the life of the clutch assembly over the normal lifetime of the clutch.

I usually shift into neutral and let the pedal out if I think I'm going to be stopped for more than a few seconds, though.

 

Then again, how long do you keep a car? I sold my 325i at 190,000 miles, with the original clutch. Hubby taught me to put it in neutral. He always told me a throw out bearing was a $10 part (yeah, I know--the good old days), but to get to it was hundreds.

 

When I was being taught to drive , (in England), the instructor always made me put the car in neutral at lights. Only when the light were about to change did I depress the clutch and engage first gear.

 

 

great.....driving wrong for 2.5 years....time to unlearn the habbit lol

 

One point in time I had a little 73 Honda Civic, that once you put it in gear and then drove off the stick shift would bounce all over the place. The car would stay in the gear you put it in or just shifted to.

I would use it as an excuse to touch the girls knee in the passenger seat, it worked almost every time.....

 

Degenerate!

 

...lay off the caffeine for a day or so...lol

 

The consensus is nobody shakes it in an up and down motion at least.

 

I'll admit, my attention span isn't the greatest; but that's also one of the reasons I wanted manual. I had trouble keeping awake with an automatic.

 

Beats going to the gym.

Seriously, the best reason I have for this is: what happens if you get hit from behind by a drunk? You could have your feet get knocked off the pedals and the car would go out into the intersection. I know, kinda lame, but my dad told me that, after going through some sort of police training.