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Even I was wondering...so asked my friends in the automotive design field - most of them said that even when transmission is in neutral, it's not disengaged from engine/flywheel. In fact the transmission is fully engaged and power is transmitted from engine/flywheel via clutch to the transmission - it's just that while in neutral, the drive shaft is disconnected.
So there is some load on the engine/starter motor even while in neutral. There is no (or least) load when clutch is fully diengaged.

What say?

Luckily I read the Skoda manual the very day I got the car and hence doing this from day one - the battery and starter motor may last longer...???

Where automatics are concerned starting it will be mostly in P mode only and if one understands his A/T well he will alway s put into P (parking ) mode while parking along with the handbrake (parking brake) > so starting with foot on brake pedal will not help much my 2 cent s !!

Clutching when starting is mentioned in the Fiesta manual also. So have been doing so from day 2 of ownership. I guess it helps reduce the load on the starter motor like anandpadhye mentioned.

Most AT cars can be started only at P.

The AT cielo could be started in P & N, while the AT laura starts only in P.

There are quite a few vehicles where we need to press the clutch to start just as a safety aspect to ensure that one has not placed the car in gear while starting. It's confusing for first time drivers, but many in anycase have the habbit of pressing the clutch while starting in MT cars.

Before I left for Mughal Road Rally in June I had got two major items attended on the GV. And it did burn a major hole in the pocket too. But on the whole considering the use and distance travelled this is okay.

The clutch had become "hard" in the sense that when I wanted to change in to first gear it would be difficult. I had to hunt through another gear before I could engage first gear. Although once engaged there was no problem of creeping or clutch control. In principal I did not agree with diagnosis of the service advisor that the pressure plate is worn and needs replacement. But give the fact that I was going to do lots of rough terrain driving with need for 4x4 Low ranges also I thought better to get the clutch disc and pressure plate changed.

The second item(s) were the front suspension arms. The reason for changing these was a peculiar "khat" noise when the vehicle passed over a hump or undulating surface. The last time this was done was before 70K when i also changed tyres. During this period I officiated in two desert storm (2009 & 2010) and also covered distance of almost same amount doing road recce's. Plenty of off road and 4x4 low actions.

The bill shown below:

Spare prices seem pretty much in line with that of my Tucson.

And the lesson learnt here (and from last 5 years of my NHC and Tucson driving), if you are a very good driiver and do not ride the clutch or "half-clutch", you will conserve the clutch plate but the pressure plate will give up anyways and there is no solution to that problem. And the bad part is - it's "slow poisoning" and it's too late when you realize that you left leg is working much harder than may be a couple of years ago...sometimes I wonder whether actually riding the clutch would be better...that way the clutch will start slippng and would let you know it's time to change...much better than your knee telling you that it's time to change:)

Well, the manuals of both my cars (Fiesta 1.6 & Safari Dicor) specifically mention that the clutch is to be depressed while starting & the accelerator is not supposed to be.

A clutch lasting 125000kms! Now thats what I call built to last. My first clutch was replaced under warranty around 20K, not due to pressure plate or Clutch plate, but due to some problem in the hydraulic system which led to clutch getting very hard.
The new clutch has done 30K more, and is doing fine. I would be happy if it does 50000kms more!

@tsk1979: Is it due to excessive slip due to high torque churned out by Safari? Check what is replacement interval specified in the manual? Surprisingly the GV manual does not specify clutch replacement interval. All it says is replace transmission oil and check clutch adjustment. Need to confirm this with workshop.

On a side note I had got the fuel tank of GV opened and got the fuel filter cleaned. The new gen vehicles come with fuel filter on the suction side of fuel pump which itself is immersed in to the tank. I would not have liked to get fuel starvation problems repeating again during the rally.

There is no interval specified, but workshops have told me that clutches usually last around 70000kms in Delhi traffic atmost. I hope I will beat that number for this clutch.

Repeated stop and start is hard on clutch. If you are doing lots of highway runs, you can get long clutch life.

Hi,

Though off topic, to go with the flow:

My Safari left me at 76000 with its OEM clutch. The 1996 Sumo that I sold at 55000 is going strong at 160000 and my friend who bought it from me in 1999 is sure that he has not changed the clutch! He had engine work about 10000kms back, though.

Well, he usually has a good memory!

Yesterday the odo slid past 140000 mark.

In the last three weeks lots of off road driving (mainly for 4 Guna 4 event) took place. The Yoko's have withstood (ab)use well. However some small rattles are now making their way in to quite cabin. I guess a complete check of rubber bushing at next service is in order.

The 4 Guna 4 (see thread in the 4x4 Excursion segment) experience made me realise how much more fun the GV will be if it can be retro fitted with LSD kit. Alternatively a winch incorporated within the front bumper itself.

The car continues to run without any issue and gives confidence of take me any where any time.

Forget these! Even Ferrari recommends starting the car with the clutch pedal depressed, even if the car is in neutral.

This is from the 360 Spider's manual BTW.