How do you drive?

[The Sasquatch]

This may be a pretty stupid question, but I'm curious.
(This applies to cars with manual transmissions only.)

When slowing to a stop do you:
a) engage the clutch or otherwise put the car in neutral and coast/brake to the stop
b) downshift somewhat through the gears as you are stopping to aid in slowing the car

The reason I ask is because I have done a little of both. The Integra that I recently acquired is the first real daily driver with a manual transmission that I have had. I have been told by a lot of people that the car should never be in neutral while in motion, but I have been told by other people that downshifting when decelerating puts unnecessary wear on the clutch. I understand both so I figured I would ask.

 

[Winki]

i do a little of all put in neutural down shift or leave in in gear and just brake. Many rumor that make sense, just like downshifting to stop is uneccary work for the engine

 

[Pugnap00]

i neutral it

 

[B18TEG]

i do a little of both too. . . i try not to downshift too much so as to not blow a valve or anything, but if im coasting in 5th @ about 2 grand or so ill downshift to third after i coast a little and then put it in neutral till the end . . .works fine for me

 

[dc2GS-R]

Brakes are considered replaceable's. Clutches aren't! I just and it put it neutral and stop with the brakes unless I REALLY, REALLY have to stop. But when you do, you should rev match. Push in the clutch with your left foot, you hit the brake with your right, put it in a lower gear and blip the throttle with the side of your right foot while still braking. The idea is the get the rpm's to where they will be when you let the clutch out on the down shift. It greatly reduces wear on the clutch and synchro's and is much smoother. You should do that when downshifting to haul ass too. Get the rpm's to where they will be when you let it out before you let it out. Its really hard on the clutch and tranny to be ripped up to speed by the turning wheels.

You shouldn't stop like that all the time. Brakes are cheaper and easier to replace than the rest

 

[sonicvybe]

yea...i do both...never use the gears entirely...unless the rpms match kinda ok...like said above...my engliush is turrible...and i jus woke...anyways good thread . ...time for another gear shifting neutral coasting daily advanture with my baby

 

[TegSox]

Brakes are considered replaceable's. Clutches aren't!

That's my philosophy too. There brakes are the to slow the car, they're considered replaceable and are alot cheaper and easier to replace than anything in the tranny or the engine, so why use those to slow down?
I only downshift to reduce my speed into 4th and sometimes 3rd, and then I'll coast from there. And I rev match when I do downshift. I think downshifting into 2nd or 1st is silly, unless you can see up ahead that your gonna be moving again soon....you don't want to bog the engine.

 

[integra4life29]

i put it in neutral and coast it to a stop, also i tap the brake not slam and hold on it....it ensures a longer life for the pads and definitely keeps my clutch from going away.

 

[Melt]

neutral .... my dad says i do it too much cause i went somewhere with him one time and drive slower with him in the car ... but whatever i got 37 mpg that trip!

 

[K. Legaspi]

coast on neutral to a stop. ill downshift and match the rpms sometimes but not all the time..

 

[The Sasquatch]

Wow thanks for all the input everyone.

I will sometimes downshift into fourth or third, but I won't do it unless I know I will be in the economical fuel power band for the lower gear, if that makes sense. for instance I will only downshift from fifth to fourth if I know that when I do, fourth wont exceed around 3000 RPMs. I never downshift into second or first. also, my philosophy is the same that I would much rather spend the money on new brakes then I would on a new clutch. so I think I may continue to downshift 1 or 2 gears, then just engage the clutch and coast it the rest of the way to the stop while keeping the car in gear. I have never matched RPMs or really thought about that too much, I am going to do a little more reading about that because now that everyone mentions it, it sounds like a very good thing to do and pay closer attention to. Thanks!

Now for a corresponding question:

When you are driving though hilly areas and on hilly roads, especially when traveling DOWN hill, do you

a) let the drag of lower gears slow down the car
b) let the brakes take the full extent of the work of slowing the car

I just figure since everyone has a different style and different driving habits, maybe this is a good way to gain insight into the do's and don’ts of driving safely, economically, and retaining the good condition of my car.

 

[RSMisfit]

no ABS FTW
coast to stop,
slowdown and downshift at a turn

 

[R1DC2]

i do both depending on the speed ur are trying to stop from. Slow speed, nuetral... high speed, downshift in between downshift then nuetral... lol

 

[TegSox]

I keep it in gear when going downhill and let the engne keep the speed under control a bit, but I won't let the rpm's get too high, no higher than 4K. Coasting downhill in neutral for legnthy periods of time is kinda dangerous.

 

[speedin]

Coasting downhill in neutral for legnthy periods of time is kinda dangerous.

curious.... why? the speed? when im going downhill i concider it free gas :lol: . put it in neutral and use the brakes to keep the speed regulated (keep in mind im not going down pikes peak here :lol: )