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For the people who drive a MT vehicle.

Which do you do?

  • Neutral and brake

  • Downshift and brake

  • Downshift only

Results are only viewable after voting.
MBrown

MBrown

Diamond Member
To slow down do you put in neutral and then press the brake pedal, downshift and press the brake pedal, or downshift only. I downshift and brake.

Also, is it more fuel efficient to downshift and brake rather than putting it in neutral to brake? I was under the impression that it is more fuel efficient to downshift because the inertia of the wheels keep the engine moving so the gas isn't being used. Is this true?
 
I downshift through several gears, and brake only as needed. I do the same in my automatic Outback. It has paddles, so I still downshift for compression braking.

As for your second question it is more fuel efficient to downshift. There is less, or no, fuel going into the engine in this case. Otherwise, fuel is being used just to keep the engine running. the same way shifting into neutral actually uses more fuel.
 
I was always under the impression that downshifting to stop would cause more than usual wear and tear on the transmission. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

I always just throw it in neutral and brake.
 
I push in the clutch, blip the throttle to 4500 RPM to rev match into second around 40-45 mph, then coast in gear to a stop, then clutch in and brake.

Because it just sounds badass.
 
Jaiguru said:
I was always under the impression that downshifting to stop would cause more than usual wear and tear on the transmission. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

I always just throw it in neutral and brake.
Click to expand...

Driving your car causes wear and tear. Better not drive it.
 
Jaiguru said:
I was always under the impression that downshifting to stop would cause more than usual wear and tear on the transmission. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

I always just throw it in neutral and brake.
Click to expand...

It may put slightly more wear on the engine or transmission, I don't really know. I don't drive a car outside of warranty so I don't think about it.
 
Brake in same gear until idle RPM, then shift to neutral and finish braking.

I don't downshift because I would prefer my clutch to last forever.
 
I do option 4.

Leave the transmission in whatever gear I was in and coast and brake until just before 1200 rpm then shift to neutral.
 
Motorcycle here, so kind of different. But I usually try and use engine braking as often as possible to reduce brake pad wear.
 
exdeath said:
I push in the clutch, blip the throttle to 4500 RPM to rev match into second around 40-45 mph, then coast in gear to a stop, then clutch in and brake.

Because it just sounds badass.
Click to expand...

HarryLui said:
I do option 4.

Leave the transmission in whatever gear I was in and coast and brake until just before 1200 rpm then shift to neutral.
Click to expand...


I do either of the above depending on what sort of mood I'm in.

Econ mode = leave in gear and coast/brake

racy mode = rev match and downshift and then coast/brake all the way down the rev range
 
Depends on a lot of factors. If I'm coming to a complete stop then a just ride the same gear until about 1200 rpms and then go to neutral. If track is about ready to go, I slow and then downshift into the appropriate gear to start moving.
 
On the bike, down shift hard and don't touch the brakes. In my truck, let off the throttle well before I need to slow down and gently coast until I need the brakes.
 
MBrown said:
To slow down do you...
Click to expand...

Since you didn't actually mention "stop..."

All depends on the situation.

Emergency (like a deer ran out), just slam on brakes.

If speed limit goes down, just let off gas and coast in gear until at the proper speed.

If someone slow merged in front of me, maybe downshift and let engine help a bit.

Sometimes, a combination of the above.
 
Why are so many people saying neutral and brake... or are they taking it to mean let off gas and coast in gear till you need to go to neutral (while braking)?
 
Kind of depends on the speed and how far till i come to the stop. Sometimes I coast in the gear I'm, sometimes I work down through the gears (especially if im coming to a yield), other times I'm going slow enough I just push in the clutch and brake. I would never put the car in neutral while my car is still moving, I either hold in the clutch or go to another gear.
 
MBrown said:
To slow down do you put in neutral and then press the brake pedal, downshift and press the brake pedal, or downshift only. I downshift and brake.

Also, is it more fuel efficient to downshift and brake rather than putting it in neutral to brake? I was under the impression that it is more fuel efficient to downshift because the inertia of the wheels keep the engine moving so the gas isn't being used. Is this true?
Click to expand...

Only if you have a decel fuel cut. Both of my cars do, the stock MS3 ecu, and the MS1 HiRes in my Miata that I programmed.

I rev-match (ish) to downshift and brake.
 
Depends on my mood. I do believe that it's cheaper to do a brake change than transmission work. So for my wallet I don't down brake as much...

I love rev matching.
 
Depends. Coming to a stop sign, I'll generally leave it in gear and brake, only taking it out of gear when I drop to just above idle.

Coming to a light that I expect will change by the time I reach it, I'll coast down through the gears and downshift so that I'm in the right gear to accelerate again by the time the light changes.

ZV
 
Howard said:
Brake in same gear until idle RPM, then shift to neutral and finish braking.

I don't downshift because I would prefer my clutch to last forever.
Click to expand...

I downshift all the time and the four manual transmission cars I have had have all been sold or taken out of service on the original clutch. Mileage varies between 150K and 225K. So your clutch CAN last forever IF you know how to drive one properly, most people only think they know how to drive one properly.
 
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