Parallel Parking with the rear camera

[naval]

I have a brand-new '09 MT R8. I'm living in San Francisco and trying very hard to use this car as a daily-driver (gulp!). That means potholes, pedestrians, parking lots, garages, alleys, and yes, parallel parking!

I've parallel parked it a number of times but always by manually dropping the right mirror to see the curb. Any advice from the pros on how to use the rear camera "Mode 2" for parallel parking? The manual is very confusing. I've used it once or twice but not with much confidence.

I understand that the arcs are guides on when to start steering, but I have a number of things that I'm fuzzy on, such as:

- Where should the blue square sides be? Touching the curb? On the street? Does it not matter as long as you turn as soon as the arc touches the curb?

- Are the arcs fixed and assume full-lock steering or does their curvature move with the steering?

- Do you reverse the direction of your turn when the arc touches the curb or slightly before?

- Are the front parking sensors sensitive enough to the sides that they will warn you if you are going to swipe the vehicle parked in front of you as you complete the parallel park?

etc. etc.

Note that the Q7 uses the same system...

Hopefully between all of us we can put together the uber guide to parking the R8 :-)

Naval

[swansailor]

That would be very helpful (the Uber guide) because I still haven't figured it out after one year!

[naval]

I did find this video demonstrating the system in use on the Q7. It's a good start. Keep adding tips to this thread as you have them...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...70270734682939

[spooky]

wow using the R8 as a DD. have fun and just becareful in SF. when i'm in SF, i always think to myself if i would never try to drive a exotic because the streets are so horrible. very brave indeed.

[naval]

The streets are terrible, especially on the Eastern side of the city. If you're in SF, stay away from SOMA, downtown, Nob Hill, and TenderNob. The streets are fine in Pac Hts, Marina, Cow Hollow, Embarcadero, etc (no doubt where the mayor and the city councilors all live).

[swansailor]

I did find this video demonstrating the system in use on the Q7. It's a good start. Keep adding tips to this thread as you have them...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...70270734682939

Aha! That really helps. When the snow melts I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[wedouglas]

Oh, sweet! That video was perfect. I also never bothered to figure it out.

Though I must say, back up mode 1 is more than enough as long as you know how to parallel park. All you really need to see if how far back you are, and the camera shows that just fine and the bending lines show direction well.

Still, I'll give this a shot in the Spring.

[09R8]

I only use the rear view as a guide. The passenger side mirror is what I use to make sure I do not curb the wheels

[resonate]

I personally think that the R8 should have had the side mirror tilt down function when in reverse. I know not everyone uses it, but come on, how much more would have it cost Audi to put one in a car that costs over $100K?

[09R8]

I personally think that the R8 should have had the side mirror tilt down function when in reverse. I know not everyone uses it, but come on, how much more would have it cost Audi to put one in a car that costs over $100K?

That's very true. I have it on the M6 and love it. No idea why they didn't put it in even for the 2009s