To downshift or Not to downshift
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From: 818/949, California, US
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To downshift or Not to downshift
When you're driving at about 50 mph and need to brake, do you guys downshift or just brake on neutral? Some people say it's better to downshift because you're putting less pressure on your brakes. Other people say it's better to brake on neutral because by downshifting, you're wearing out your clutch and wasting a little gas, and new brakes cost less than a new clutch. So does everyone downshift or not?
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From: San Diego, California, USA, Northern Hemisphere, Earth, Sol System, Spiral arm of the Milkey Way
Rep Power: 0 Think about it. Whats costs more, brake pads or a new clutch and or transmission?
Engine braking is good for steep downgrades, over long distances because brakes tend to build up heat and boil its fluid after long periods of constant use. This is why you SHOULD downshift to slow in these cases. Its also a good technique when racong. As for everyday driving around town, no. Just put it in neutral and brake to a stop.
Engine braking is good for steep downgrades, over long distances because brakes tend to build up heat and boil its fluid after long periods of constant use. This is why you SHOULD downshift to slow in these cases. Its also a good technique when racong. As for everyday driving around town, no. Just put it in neutral and brake to a stop.
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From: San Diego, California, USA, Northern Hemisphere, Earth, Sol System, Spiral arm of the Milkey Way
Rep Power: 0 ... umm except if you are going to come to a complete stop you need to have in it neutral unless you intend to ride and wear out the clutch or stall the car.
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From: Groton, Connecticut, US
Rep Power: 0 i suggest don't put the gear in neutral when stopping. it's a no no. you can feel that you lose some gear advantage in controlling your car. with regards to break or downshift, you can always do either. depends on the situation. if you have enough space to stop, you can use your breaks. but if you don't have enough time to stop in an instant, downshiftimng with the use of your breaks is the solution.
if you are not racing, i suggest you use your breaks so that you will not rapidly wear your engine, transmission, and clutch. these are more expensive than break pads.
if you are not racing, i suggest you use your breaks so that you will not rapidly wear your engine, transmission, and clutch. these are more expensive than break pads.
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From: Colorado Springs, CO
Rep Power: 0 Its become a habbit for me to slow down put it in nuetral and when i get to 25-30 mph start to downshift into second. then i brake at about 15mph in neutral, and then of course stop. So basically i just mix it up.
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From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Rep Power: 0 I downshift. I've had this discussion with numerous people(and driving instructors) and I still believe downshifting is better. The driving schools here teach you to put in neutral and brake. I disagree with this! First off, when slowing down, what would happen if someone was about to rear-end you? If you had it in neutral, it would take you longer to get it back into gear and get out of the way and chances are you'll be rear-ended. Another benefit of downshifting is when you're slowing down on icey roads. I prefer to let the engine slow me down just in case the intersections are iced up. Our cars are tail-happy on icey roads and all it takes is to lock the rear tires for a second and you'll lose it! Now, how about bumper-bumper rush hour traffic? Would it be wise to keep on putting it in neutral to stop everytime traffic stops? Now, what about speed-sensative steering that adjust the steering according to what gear you're in?
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From: Newtown, Connecticut, US
Rep Power: 0 i always downshift, if you do it right, its not stressing anything or burning the clutch. i would just much rather have my car in a gear at all times for the reasons of just having the ability to accelerate without slipping into a gear again. takes just as much work to go into neutral as it does another gear, so why not have control?
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From: Vancouver Canada
Rep Power: 0 Downshift. Putting it to neutral and braking is for newbies. When properly downshifting (rev-matching) , it is virtually the same as upshifting when accelerating. What if a deer ran across the road and you needed to accelerate out of the way? The time for you to determine the appropriate gear and then depress the clutch then shift into gear, release the clutch, is WAY slower than if you already had the car in gear.
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From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Rep Power: 0 Noodleboy - Can you believe the AMA(Alberta Motor Association) driver instructions teach students to put it in neutral and brake to slow down? At least you see it the way I do as well. Leaving it in neutral leaves you more open for problems!
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From: Vancouver Canada
Rep Power: 0 Yup i attended a racing school for 3 weeks over in Ontario (Jim Russel Racing school ) - they say always always leave the car in gear. Can't believe driving schools tell you to put it in neutral.
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From: San Diego, California, USA, Northern Hemisphere, Earth, Sol System, Spiral arm of the Milkey Way
Rep Power: 0 Like i said, its just added stress on the tranny. no matter how minimal, why whould i want to put undue stress on my drivetrain? For "control" purposes? Im talking about bringing the car to a complete hault from gear (say ~20 or lower). UNless im on a steep downgrade or on black ice, there is NO need to for to keep it in gear.
You are confusing slowing the car down, and stoping the car. I am and always have been refering to the latter.
You are confusing slowing the car down, and stoping the car. I am and always have been refering to the latter.
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From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Rep Power: 0 it all depends how much gas is in the tank......makes me feel like i'm saving gas when the needle is to the right of E[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]
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From: Fort Oglethorpe
Rep Power: 315 To me, it depends on the situation. If it's raining or the roads are slick, you should let the engine help with braking. This is especially important if you're not driving an ABS equipped car, like my DX. In normal driving, on dry roads, it's not necessary if you're only slowing down for a red light. If you were driving like an idiot, engine braking might help you slow down faster. I believe it does put stress on the clutch, but you're putting stress on the clutch when you accelerate hard too. In snowy/icey conditions, you'd better know how to slow the car down with the clutch, or you may end up in a ditch or someone's front yard.
I see soo many idiots around here driving camaros and mustangs with snow all over the road. This might not be too bad up north, where people are used to it, but down here in the south, most people don't have the experience to drive in snowy weather.
Another amazing fact is that a lot of people don't know the proper technique for using ABS brakes. Many think that they should still pump the pedal to stop, when just the opposite is true with ABS. You have to keep pressure on the brake for the ABS to do it's job. Non-ABS cars (like the DX again) should know the pedal pumping method to avoid sliding in rain/snow. Combine this with downshifting, and you can keep from becoming an insurance statistic.
I see soo many idiots around here driving camaros and mustangs with snow all over the road. This might not be too bad up north, where people are used to it, but down here in the south, most people don't have the experience to drive in snowy weather.
Another amazing fact is that a lot of people don't know the proper technique for using ABS brakes. Many think that they should still pump the pedal to stop, when just the opposite is true with ABS. You have to keep pressure on the brake for the ABS to do it's job. Non-ABS cars (like the DX again) should know the pedal pumping method to avoid sliding in rain/snow. Combine this with downshifting, and you can keep from becoming an insurance statistic.
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From: Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Rep Power: 0 I leave the car in gear while pressing the brake. I don't go to neutral until just before the car starts to shake a little as I approach a complete stop.
I never downshift to slow down or stop the car unless I am flying and don't want to cook the brakes.
If I am getting ready to turn, I often apply light pressure on the brakes and downshift to the lower gear getting a little more braking so I can immediately accelerate out of the turn.
Everytime you shift, a little wear is going on the clutch. I plan to keep my car for a very long time. That minimal wear on the clutch will add up.
BTW, I drove an accord to 150k on the oe clutch and it was still going strong.
I never downshift to slow down or stop the car unless I am flying and don't want to cook the brakes.
If I am getting ready to turn, I often apply light pressure on the brakes and downshift to the lower gear getting a little more braking so I can immediately accelerate out of the turn.
Everytime you shift, a little wear is going on the clutch. I plan to keep my car for a very long time. That minimal wear on the clutch will add up.
BTW, I drove an accord to 150k on the oe clutch and it was still going strong.
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From: San Diego, California, USA, Northern Hemisphere, Earth, Sol System, Spiral arm of the Milkey Way
Rep Power: 0 I don't go to neutral until just before the car starts to shake a little as I approach a complete stop.
making the engine stumble like that sint good for it. id suggestyou do that BEFORE it "shakes a little". hence my previous post.
making the engine stumble like that sint good for it. id suggestyou do that BEFORE it "shakes a little". hence my previous post.
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[hr]Originally posted by: HondaGuru
I don't go to neutral until just before the car starts to shake a little as I approach a complete stop.
making the engine stumble like that sint good for it. id suggestyou do that BEFORE it "shakes a little". hence my previous post.[hr]
[hr]Originally posted by: HondaGuru
I don't go to neutral until just before the car starts to shake a little as I approach a complete stop.
making the engine stumble like that sint good for it. id suggestyou do that BEFORE it "shakes a little". hence my previous post.[hr]
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Rep Power: 0 I don't know whats good or bad for the car, but I always downshift. Like someone up there said, if you match the rpms right it'll be fine for your engine, which is what I think too. Each gear I downshift into and let off the clutch, my rpm is always below 3K so its not stressing the engine at all. Its as if you were in that gear accellerating and then let go of the gas and your car starts to slow down, same thing.... Downshift in my book.... 
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From: Connecticut, US
Rep Power: 0 I know it's bad for my clutch (I hope it dies b4 warranty ends)...but I downshift as far as 2nd while decelerating. The brakes on our cars are just so puny...I don't feel safe unless there is some engine braking helping me slow down.
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From: Anaheim, California, US
Rep Power: 0 When I slow down I just rev-match to the lower gear. This is the proper way to slow down if your going to engine break. Also good practice for auto-crossing[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
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[hr]Originally posted by: PESTLNC
I know it's bad for my clutch (I hope it dies b4 warranty ends)...but I downshift as far as 2nd while decelerating. The brakes on our cars are just so puny...I don't feel safe unless there is some engine braking helping me slow down.[hr]
[hr]Originally posted by: PESTLNC
I know it's bad for my clutch (I hope it dies b4 warranty ends)...but I downshift as far as 2nd while decelerating. The brakes on our cars are just so puny...I don't feel safe unless there is some engine braking helping me slow down.[hr]
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From: South Eastern Wisconsin
Rep Power: 0 I downshift and will always downshift. I feel its an overall better situation to be in if anything happens, yeah it may cause a little more wear and tear, but I feel its worth it in the long run.
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From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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[hr]Originally posted by: n00dleboy
If warranty covers your clutch then u're lucky. Warranty NORMALLY doesn't cover parts that break down due to normal wear and tear ie: clutch, brake pads...etcetc..[hr]
[hr]Originally posted by: n00dleboy
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: PESTLNC
I know it's bad for my clutch (I hope it dies b4 warranty ends)...but I downshift as far as 2nd while decelerating. The brakes on our cars are just so puny...I don't feel safe unless there is some engine braking helping me slow down.[hr]
[hr]Originally posted by: PESTLNC
I know it's bad for my clutch (I hope it dies b4 warranty ends)...but I downshift as far as 2nd while decelerating. The brakes on our cars are just so puny...I don't feel safe unless there is some engine braking helping me slow down.[hr]
