Black04Vert

Your brakes handle the job of slowing better, faster and cheaper than the clutch or tranny.

The only negative practice I can see is downshifting to a stop (when not racing). While slowing to a stop, the clutch disc and flywheel are guaranteed to be moving at different speeds. If downshifting to a stop, the clutch is going to take wear that it shouldn't really have to, maybe more so than when accelerating. While you accelerate you can rev match for a smoother shift and less clutch wear but while coasting to a stop you can't unless you put your 3rd foot on the gas pedal.

JmpnJckFlsh

Probably not ideal because you are sliding the synchros with some engine/drive train load on them. The magnitude of the load would depend on how you were driving...low revs not so much, but more load doing it at high revs.

How long it would take to mess up a MN6, I haven't a clue...maybe there will never be enough damage to cause a problem. On the other hand, MN6s are shown to be tempermental and sensitive (IMO) for a 400-450 ft-lb tranny...I won't be doing it.

Vet, if I'm driving 50 mph in 5th gear, I downshift after lifting the accelerator pedal to keep the engine rpm between 1000-1500 rpm as I slow. I downshift sequentially until I get to 3rd or sometimes 2nd, and once the rpm gets to 900-1000 rpm in my last gear, I put the clutch in and use the brakes to slow the last little distance. If I were driving 50 mph in any lower gear, I would still downshift sequentially to maybe second (not applicable if you are already in first ), and put the clutch in about 900 rpm. If you are slowing "reely" fast, like in first gear combined with brakes, you may drop right through 900 rpm before you know it; then you just try to catch it before it stalls.

This is a modification of my driving practice based on the 2006 Corvette owner manual. In my other manual transmission vehicles, I have used engine braking right down to a dead stop. My old SUV has 165K miles...brakes and clutch have each been changed once. (Actually, I think the original shoes are still on the rears.) The clutch was changed pre-emptively with some engine work at 115K miles.

Indy-hp

I'm no expert, but I tend to keep cars a long time and have had manuals in my daily drivers for most of my 30 driving-age years. I don't know if what I do is correct, but I've only had to replace one clutch and rebuild only one tranny, both in an '80 Mustang which I drove for 115,000 miles over 15 years. (Even there, the gears and bearings in that tranny were ok, but the "pickle fork" that moves the gears wore down and had to be replaced.) Brake pads also seem to last me a long time, 75,000 miles on the factory set on my C5.

For normal stops, I leave the car in gear with the clutch engaged while braking until RPM's drop to near-idle, letting the engine help slow the car, then downshift to the next gear. In the C6, when I hit idle RPM in third I'm almost stopped, and depress the clutch and shift into to first just before the car come to rest like shopdog. In a real sudden stop situation, I don't bother to downshift through the gears and just depress the clutch before RPM drops below idle, and shift into first after stopping.

Although I do not think you are hurting anything, I never shift to neutral and release the clutch as you describe unless I'm going to be sitting awhile, like waiting for a train to pass at a RR crossing, but that's only to rest my left leg.

kts1962

My dad always used to say
"The clutch is for Goin' and the Brakes are for Slowin', Don't get 'em confused."

And while that is their true design purpose, I learned after getting my Mech Engineering degree that so long as you don't test extreme ranges (e.g. High RPM-Velocity mis matches), you wont hurt anything and the wear will only be a bit faster than otherwise.

So, using only brakes for stopping isn't wrong, or that much better for the drive train (So long as you don't abuse it when downshifting).

Dueysan

Clutch in and a gentle tap to the stick to knock it into neutral. Downshifting while slowing is good for taking corners, work on that heel toe if you want to be a real wannabe racer. Coming to a stop at a light, coasting out of gear is not harmful, easier on your clutch and will save you gas to boot.

MikeyTX

Damn right you should be ashamed. You're a pubic nuisance is what you are.

paulee

really? you can't be speaking from experience on the c6 that is for sure. you have an A4.

shopdog

Yes, my C6 is an A4, but I've owned many manuals over the last 42 years, including 3 speeds, 4 speeds, a 6 speed, even a big old 14 speed dual stick. The principles don't change.

C2Jeff

Brakes are a lot cheaper to replace than an engine! The less wear and tear you put on the engine and drivetrain, the better. Coasting in neutral only has one disadvantage: not bieng in gear to make a fast maneuver in case of an emergency, but it only takes a second to put it back in gear and accelerate so I wouldn't stop what the OP is doing, though downshifting for fun is certainly worthwhile, too. After all, you bought the car for driving enjoyment so drive it whatever way pleases you.

Velocity Steve

No problem doing that. If the vehicle is in neutral, it's not much different than depressing and letting out the clutch while the car is standing still, as far as the clutch is concerned.

Gov'sGuy

I've always thought of downshifting as something you do to prepare for an acceleration (out of a corner for example). Breaking is something you do to slow down.

That's not to say I may have fun once and a while downshifting at a light....

The way I look at it breaks are for stopping while downshifting is for Going.

Al

Gburg

Automatic or stick, I do not do engine braking, unless I am on a steep down-hill grade in the Blue Ridge mountains, to keep my brakes from over heating and stressing the tranny. I do not like coasting a long distance to a stop. I look ahead for situations where I need to slow down or come to a complete stop. I let off the throttle and tap my brakes, to start slowing down. Followed with gradually firmer and longer brake application. When I slow to less than 15 MPH, only then do I engage the clutch and shift down to 1st gear. In slow stoplight traffic, I engage the clutch when the engine is on the verge of stalling. If I am pulling into a parking lot with not enough time to downshift into a lower gear, I engage the clutch w/ the brakes and let the momentum of the
car take me thought the turn into the parking lot. I down shift in city traffic, to make a less robust entry into a parking lot from a busy street, where a controlled, tight turn is necessary.

I have never had to have my tranny repaired in my life, in any vehicle that I have owned. I may have had brake pads replace in my first car, I can't recall exactly. That was 30+ years ago.

Gburg

johnodrake

- I have always driven that way, saves wear on the brakes and I don't notice any particular wear on the drive train from it.

Additional comment: I don't sit at the light, etc with the car in gear and clutch depressed. Saves wear on the throw-out bearing - or so I'm told.

Dave S

Run down thru the gears....double clutch as you go...use brakes & engine drag to slow/stop. The double-clutching will avoid stress on the gears.

cocoandkids

I have also driven manual cars for over 30 years, have always downshifted when coming to a light, not from high revs but at a reasonable rpm, and never had clutch or engine issues whatsoever. Coasting to a stop in neutral from 50 mph is dangerous if you need power suddenly-you might lose precious time by having to put it in gear first. To me, downshifting is part of the fun of driving manual transmission cars-might as well be driving automatic if you don't like to downshift.

Sin City Corvette

I always downshift through the gears, popping the throttle a bit between each to try to match the engine speed with the tranny. You never know when some ******* comes flying up behind you and you gotta mash the peddle to get out of the way. Saved my *** once.

dbirdhouse1

It's easy to downshift to stop but remember brakes are alot less expensive then clutches...........

carfull

I enjoy downshifting on routine deceleration, but I really enjoy the heel-and-toe match the engine revs blip the throttle boy racer stuff. It really works, and that is what the Corvette was built for.
Emergency full stop should be done with the clutch in and no downshifting.
At least, that is what they taught at the Bob Bondurant School.

PappyTinker

In the numerous professional company mandated defensive driving courses I have had to take, they have taught that you never shift out of gear. Always stop far enough away from the car in front of you (if there is one) that you can see the bottom of its tires. Keep it in gear and be ready to make evasive manuvers if the vehicle approaching you from the rear appears to be approaching too quickly.

That being said, as far as downshifting or using the brakes to slow down, I do whatever feels appropriate at the moment. Sometimes it is a combination of both.

Also, consider this; if you use the downshift method exclusively, any vehicles behind you will not see your brake lights and may ride up your tailpipe.

C2Jeff

Hah hah! You use the egine to "save the brakes"? I'm with the O.P.: no sense in using the engine and the tranny to slow the car down. That's what brakes are for. The only reason to be in the right gear for the speed is in case of an emergency maneuver, as one poster suggested, but how many times has that happened to any of us? We steer around emergencies, not accelerate around them as we are slowing.