[JohanV]

That way I don't have that spine jarring clunk when coming out of park when I next use the car.

I hate the 'klunk' as well

+100 totally agreed. The force against that locking pin does feel like your tying to move a tank with your left hand.

[GertM]

I think the park mechanism was designed to take the forces when disengaging it.

I hate the 'klunk' as well (on the Touareg), but I'd rather trust that mechanism than a parking brake's cable.

(Imagine the chaos, should the cable break while you are opening the garage door!)

I just make sure that I step hard on the brake when I move the shifter from park.

Gerhard
I'd like to quote your whole post because it seems that our older guys are less finicky. I do exactly the same, and have for years, and I cannot recall that I ever had any problems or suffered any ill effects by doing what was intended by the manufacturer.