Forgive the 'newbie" question, but what is the proper way method of approaching a stop in daily driving... putting it into neutral and having the brakes do all the work, or downshifting through the gears and having the engine carry a share of the load?

 

if i know i'm going to a full stop i always use Neutral. i'm in LA so u figured

 

Daily driving I use the brakes. No sense is wearing down the clutch and putting strain on the engine. I will use the engine to slow down on steep grades so I do not ride my brakes.

 

Downshift. Brakes are only to be used for the final stop. Match the revs and anticipate. Get in the habit of staying in a gear that is low enough to slow the car when you lift up on the gas pedal.

 

Yep - If you downshift beware of clutch wear. I tend to ride the clutch when I downshift at a light, so I stopped downshifting and depress the clutch/brake at all lights now.

- Rich

 

Buy an automatic if you're not going to use the manual tranny as it was designed. I think it is funny to see someone push in the clutch when they apply the break. Proper use of downshifting is safer, minimal wear to clutch and a brake saver so they are there when you really need them. Keeping your car in gear at all times gives you better control over your driving.

It's no wonder so many complain about brake dust on their wheels.

 

haha, okay. I wasn't aware that manual transmission were designed to stop your car. I'd like to hear how it's safer too? and possibly a comparison of the cost of "minimal wear" to your transmission to replacing a set of pads. And who the hell complains about brake dust, get a fricken bucket of water.

 

I drove Gunther's car and the shifting was nice and smooth.. mine was a little rough on 1st and 2nd gear.. he said he downshifts a lot and puts it mostly on the engine. It ended up making his tranny feel silky smooth.

I now do a lot of engine braking.. still at 21k miles so i'm weeding out any issues so the warranty covers it.

KJ

SY 996 Turbo * 944 Turbo - sold * M3 SMG - sold * Lancer Evo 8 - sold * Boxster S - sold
Misc. Cars Forum

 

right now I brake, mainly because I'm new at driving stick and I want to take it easy

 

Brakes are cheaper than clutches and syncros.

 

As asked, if you're going to stop, just use the brakes to stop.
Slip the car into neutral and brake. The skill of knowing
what gear you need to be in for a given speed (without
looking at the speedo) is useful, and the faster you want to
drive, the better you need to be at downshifting, but even
at the end of a race, I'll pop my race car into neutral and
coast down to my spot while I brake. Being in gear is only
if you want to apply power, and rev-matching is important
to avoid unsettling the chassis. Engine braking is useful as
a transient 'brake-bias' in sharp turns at the limit of traction,
but it is a load on engine parts. In non-performance situations
there is no technical need or value in engine braking. As long
as you are in the right gear when you press the gas pedal,
and you are at the right engine revs when you shift into a
gear, you're fine.
Joe

 

Clutch and tranny are cheaper than internal engine parts. Better not start your car. Are you looking to have the car run forever or are you interested in driving the car safely and having some fun? Keeping the car in gear allows you to have full control of the vehicle no matter what you come across. As a matter of fact, many countries ban having your car in neutral when driving on public roads. Quick acceleration has gotten me out of more jams than brakes have and you can't do that when you are in neutral. The transmission is designed to slow the car down. If you have done any serious tracking, you would learn the value of keeping the car in gear and matching the revs.

Take the time to learn to drive a manual properly and you will have more fun and will be a safer driver.

 

When at the track or driving enthusiastically, say canyon carving, downshifting is very much a skill that should be mastered. Having said that, for basic daily driving, just use your brakes. Sure, you can match-rev and heel-toe everywhere you go at every stop light and intersection… but, is it a necessity, of course not.

 

Although I personally downshift as I am slowing down, I know that a lot of people like to put it in neutral and use the brake.

For those of you who do that, I would suggest that you put the clutch in and put the shifter into the gear you would have to be in if you were to start accelerating again. That way, you have one step less to do if you need to make evasive maneouvers.

IMO, throwing the car into neutral and rolling to a stop VIA the brakes is just plain lazy.

- KJ

 

keep the car in gear at all times even when driving normal, its very helpful in many situations. i dont take mine out of gear until im at a dead stop. but if im slowing down ill rev match