I am just curious to this whole method. I am a first time stick driver and when people talk about down shifting ALL the time they say it will wear out your tranny. What do most of you do?? Just put the clutch in and put it into neitral and coast or keep downshifting. ??

 

I'm guessing you mean to stop? If that's the case, then I put it in neutral and coast/brake.

I downshift when I slow down a considerable amount and then have to speed up again.

 

yeah i do the same, i put it in nuetral and coast unless i need to speed up again than i will down shift.....get good gas mileage that way also..

Jr

 

Brake pads and rotors are much cheaper than clutches and trannies

 

Just depends on the situation...

 

I agree with Shempy.......no need to put extra ware on clutch and tranny parts. Brake pads and rotors are cheaper and easier to change. I clutch and brake all of my stick shift cars when comming to a stop.

In traffic, I grab whatever gear I need.

 

While it is true that brakes are cheaper than clutches, the fact is that when you downshift you put very little wear on the clutch... far less than what you put on the brakes by braking without engine resistance. So it is a wash at best.
I will just do what the situation calls for. Either way is fine... just realize they both have a time and place that only you will recognize with practice. Sometimes you are slowing, but should have the car in gear because you will be moving again shortly, or because you may need a quick escape in traffic situations that you would not have if you had to put the car back in gear. You must also consider the fact that our cars warp rotors so easily. This can get VERY expensive and comes from excessive heat... the kind developed by letting your brakes do all the work.
Whatever you do, you MUST remember not to ride the clutch, ever. Push it in, make your adjustments, let it out... never even ride with your foot resting lightly on it... get your foot away when it's job is done. If you feel you must decell with brakes only, do it with the car in neutral.
Good luck
Dave

Btw: I have 45k miles on my 98 and still have the original rotors, pads, and clutch.