Downshifting or not with manual transmission in city?

[MrWizzard]

What car did you spend 8K on a clutch job?
Is that 8K of what currency?
How many miles are on that 17 year old car?

It's a old 993 TT. USA $, 42k miles. So it actually was pretty low. heh Yes I know it should have lasted longer but there was a issue with the 1st gens that has been fixed when you replace the clutch. 🙂

 

[Zenmervolt]

The one thing to learn about clutches is don't hold the damn clutch in at a light. Leave it in neutral. If there's an emergency, you should be able to shift into first and go quickly. That's better than getting hit and letting go of the clutch in gear because you're injured and the car decides to buck around. Also, holding in the clutch while stopped causes more wear than anything.

Wrong.

Holding the clutch pedal down at a light doesn't wear a goddamn thing. Yes, it puts some pressure on the throwout bearing, but that's what the throwout bearing is designed for. Saying that you shouldn't hold the clutch pedal down at a stop for fear of wearing the throwout bearing is like saying you should never drive the car for fear of wearing the wheel bearings, or that you should never steer the car for fear of wearing the ball joints on the end of the tie rods. It's absurd.

Also, if you're hit and that causes you to dump the clutch, the car will stall and sit there, prevented from moving. If you're in neutral, the car will roll freely.

You're safer if you have the car in gear with the clutch pedal pressed to the floor. And it doesn't wear anything any appreciable amount.

The other thing is to not downshift into first while moving. There's a reason why it's stiff and unpleasant to do. Downshift to second, then N, stop, then slide back into first right when you need to go.

This was true back in the 1940s and 1950s when first gear was often unsynchronized. However, manual transmissions have had synchromesh on first gear for about 50 years now and there is absolutely no reason to avoid shifting into first while moving in a modern car.

So many myths about driving, especially manual transmissions.

Yes there are. And you've just repeated two of the biggest ones.

ZV