Bada Bing

I have no problem finding a comfortable postion for the center armrest when I am shifting, but that tends to be with the front of the armrest being near its lowest position. When I park the car and pull the e-brake, it hits the armrest and messes up my armrest setting. Do other have the same issue and can anything be done about it? It makes me wish the B7 had the push button e-brake like the new B6 Passat. Audi has obviously put a lot of thought into the interior layout and design. I can't believe this is something they couldn't have known about.

bhvrdr

Same dam way on my B5 and my B6. I keep my armrest tilted up and out of the way at all times. cheers! Mike

RichAA

Pretty ridiculous, I agree

stanj

Unless I am parked on a steep hill, 1st gear is all the car ever sees. Takes care of the problem. But yes, you would think that after years of people complaining they would have figured it out... I guess the new power brakes like in A6 / A8 that are operated via a button won't interfer with the arm rest =)

SoCalB7

The handbrake is located beneath the armrest, so the armrest is moved upward each time that the emergency brake is used.

I agree that the design is a bit ridiculous, but not a big deal -- simply put the armrest down its the lowest position each time that you drive. In any case, I much prefer having a hand-operated e-brake to a pedal or other type, as a handbrake is much easier to use if the brakes fail and you actually need the brake for the purpose for which it was intended.

SoCalB7

If the transmission slips, you should have something to keep the car from rolling. Even a slight, seemingly negligible grade can cause the car to roll.

stanj

Never apply the parking brake, unless really desperate. It can freeze to the rotors / drums, and then you are stuck until they thaw.

I had the car roll on me only once, and it was a steep incline. It was quite a sight, watching the car slowly hopping down the hill, 1/5 engine revolution at a time (was the 2.3L 5 cyl engine). As long as the car doesn't slip out of gear completely, you are safe in 1st, unless you are parking somewhere in San Francisco.

cpurick

With the engine off, the transmission provides a much more reliable, effective hold.

If I was in San Francisco I still wouldn't use the handbrake, though I'd be careful to set the steering so the car would chock itself against the curb if it did roll.

Just Gizmo

Even when I had my Tiptronic, I always used the parking brake. I never let the car "roll" onto the transmission..always grabbed it with the parking brake first.

Now w/ the manual, I engage the brake first, then the gear. Weight of the car is always on the brake.

stanj

I am talking manual tranny (see the part of "1st gear" - can't really do that with an auto tranny, do you). Keeping the car hanging in 1st gear is much less stressful than actually driving (imaginge taking off, even gently, in the same slope).

Auto trannies can get locked up if you use P alone on a steep hill. With an auto car on a super steep hill, I press the brake, shift to N, pull the parking brake, release the foot brake, and put it into P. Again, once stuck on a steep Swiss hill is all you need =)