That remote start post got me thinking

"Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire" (arch-duke-maxyenko)
12/17/2013 at 23:15 • Filed to: None

How many of you have a neutral safety switch?

My E36 doesn't, my Pinto did, but it won't when I finish it.

DISCUSSION (40)

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:16

>automatic

brb crying

GTCL > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:18

I used to put them on other people's cars, but not my own. I would however on any future cars for safety, especially on a manual transmission.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/17/2013 at 23:19

HA HA!

DasWauto > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:20

The Mazda3 does. I want to say my e30 doesn't and I think your e36 not having one would support that.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:21

It's not my fault all the manual IS300s at the time were beat to hell and 400 miles away

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > DasWauto
12/17/2013 at 23:22

My brother's new focus does, and I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start in neutral. Salesman told me to put the clutch in, this confuses me greatly, why must the clutch be in when you are already in neutral?

Ian Duer (320b) > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:23

As far I knew the neutral safety switch didn't come to BMWs till 1996. My E36 was a 94 and definitely didn't have one.

Reigntastic > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:23

My MR2 doesn't, just the clutch.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Ian Duer (320b)
12/17/2013 at 23:24

Mine's a 96

Ian Duer (320b) > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:26

Hmm and none still that year? Wonder what the actual cutoff year was then?

JGrabowMSt > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:27

Neon does. As far as the future cars go, as many as possible will. Even if I have to put it in myself.

getchapopcorn > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:28

I think the point is that a person who starts a car without the clutch in despite the car being in 'neutral' may one day just forget to make sure and BAM, your garage now has heat thanks to the hole in your house.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Ian Duer (320b)
12/17/2013 at 23:28

Depends on the model.

DasWauto > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:31

I put my car in gear (2nd or 3rd usually) when I park it. I get in, step on the clutch and start the car. Then I select the gear I want (1st or reverse), release the e-brake and take off. It's a habit I've gotten into so I'm happy my car won't start without the clutch depressed.

thebigbossyboss > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:31

The car engine (at least in older cars, who the fuck knows these days) doesn't generally "know" what gear it is in, so it will just turn on whenever whereever.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > getchapopcorn
12/17/2013 at 23:32

Well, fuck'em they deserve it.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:32

Dakota has a clutch safety switch. Corvair says fuck safety, I can drive with the starter motor alone.

Ian Duer (320b) > getchapopcorn
12/17/2013 at 23:32

This is how I found out my e36 didn't have a clutch safety switch. I never realized I'd been in the habit of staring it in neutral without depressing the clutch till I tried to start it in first one day and it lurched forward.

thebigbossyboss > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:33

My Cavalier does. Amazing considering it's a base model. The Cavalier was so cheaply made, that ABS was standard up until 2002 and then became optional for 2003-2005.

In other wordsGM recognized "People buy these cars because they are cheap...that's it" and took out whatever options they could.

thebigbossyboss > DasWauto
12/17/2013 at 23:35

That's not a bad idea, I always leave it in first, but picking a higher gear may be good that way if it jumps it'll just stall before we get far.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > DasWauto
12/17/2013 at 23:35

I get in put foot on brake and keep it there until I drive off, release the parking brake, push in clutch, put car in neutral and give it a wiggle to make sure, release clutch, start it up and let it run until the idle drops to where it should be, then put it into gear and drive off.

DasWauto > thebigbossyboss
12/17/2013 at 23:36

Yup, leaving the e-brake on when you start the car helps that too.

thebigbossyboss > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:39

I disagree with this post wholeheartedly. And I even hate most safety equipment. Average joe schmoe is going to make that mistake (starting the car with it in gear) and crashing into something, exaclty once before he goes and buys an autotragic.

I bought my first stick car not really knowing how to drive stick. I taught myself, a hell of a way to learn would have been to have it start and slam into something. I just think neutral safety switches aren't at all intrusive (you should always start the car with the clutch in anyways), and can prevent people from making stupid mistakes without adding weight or complexion to the car. It's a worthy trade off in my opinion.. Unless your on a track there is no reason to start with the clutch out, and even if you were on a track I am not sure why you would.

DasWauto > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/17/2013 at 23:39

I should mention that I do let it warm up with winter having moved in. Get in car, step on clutch, start, put it in neutral (shake) and release clutch. Then I get out and clean the windows, lights and remove snow while it warms up.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > DasWauto
12/17/2013 at 23:41

Even when it's hot out, my car takes a bit to get comfortable.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > thebigbossyboss
12/17/2013 at 23:42

Why should you start with the clutch in, even when your in neutral?

Ferrero1911 > DasWauto
12/17/2013 at 23:44

This is exactly the sequence I use. I'm glad I learned in a car that needs the clutch in to start, because now it is such a habit that I'll be safe if I drive an older car. Like a Lada in Europe next summer...

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/18/2013 at 08:19

My STI does.

Sethersm > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/18/2013 at 08:54

My 71 volkswagen didn't. Actually came in handy that time the clutch stopped releasing. I was able to pop it into neutral as I came to a stop, then once stopped turn off the engine, put it in first and when time to go, turn the key while giving it some gas and away I went rev-matching my way through the gears.

thebigbossyboss > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/18/2013 at 09:11

Because, having stupid accidents is stupid.

Sure, you know your car, you know what the shifter looks like in neutral. You would never start it in gear. Now you loan your lovely car to your friend, who can drive stick but DD's an auto and is a little rusty. He, not being the manual transmission expert that you are, starts it without even looking at the gear box. Too bad you parked on a hill, right when it starts it jumps, panicking, your friend stabs the brakes, but not before he slammed into whatever is behind him.

TwoFortified > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/18/2013 at 15:57

Nope, and no clutch interlock either. My idea of safety is something along the lines of "Pay the fuck attention to what you are doing".

Turn the key and it starts.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > thebigbossyboss
12/18/2013 at 16:08

If I loan my car to a friend, they better know exactly what they're doing. It's pretty easy to tell when a car is in neutral.

Ian Duer (320b) > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/18/2013 at 20:44

Tested this morning. The Saab 900 still didn't have a clutch safety switch as of 1997.

thebigbossyboss > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/19/2013 at 10:59

Sure. So, what is the main advantage of not having a clutch safety switch?? Weight savings? Cost savings?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > thebigbossyboss
12/19/2013 at 11:06

For my Pinto, it's about not wanting to buy one and splice it into what ever wiring harness I'm going to make for it. Another advantage is bump starting. The car must be in gear for that.

thebigbossyboss > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/19/2013 at 11:08

Well, I understand not wanting to install one if it didn't come with one. THAT, I get.

What is bump starting? Where you roll the car downhill?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > thebigbossyboss
12/19/2013 at 11:40

That or have someone push you until you get going and can turnover the motor if you have a dead battery.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/19/2013 at 11:44

The Neutral Safety Switch is the bane of my existence.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a NSS for a 1968 Mercury Montego at a fair price?!!?!?!?!?!

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
12/19/2013 at 11:46

Just don't use one, problem solved!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/19/2013 at 11:53

I'm trying to keep the wiring stock if possible, and right now that means that I can't start it with a key, I have to jump the starter power under the hood with a screw driver, good thing I'm in Montego Hibernation mode.

1 guy was telling me 50 bucks, then found out it was the column mount one and said oh THAT one, yea that one's 175. Why so much? Oh that ones rare.

YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE.