This question came up on a radio program, Click and Clack, Tom and Ray--on
NPR.  They said that on older cars keeping the clutch pedal depressed when
stopped did wear the clutch out, but that newer cars have been redesigned to
avoid this problem.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Forshee <steeling@CREATIVE.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 6:50 AM
Subject: Proper Clutch use

>I have an ongoing debate with my wife regarding the proper way to drive our
>Vanagon.  I am in the habit of waiting at a traffic light or stopsign with
>the Van in first gear, with the clutch fully engaged.  My wife says that
>that is hard on the clutch and that I should take it out of gear and put it
>in neutral.  I've owned a number of standard shift vehicles in the past and
>don't recall any problems resulting from my (allegedly) bad habit... so I
>put it to the listee group - is there any downside to waiting at a traffic
>light or stopsign in first gear with the clutch all the way engaged?  I'd
>love for the list to help settle this debate.  Thanks.   -Dean.
>