For the people who drive a MT vehicle.

[zerocool84]

Are you consciously or just subconsciously trying to be antagonistic? Seems like you're being denigrative without actually understanding us.

Because he thinks the way he drives is better than everyone else or his car is better than everyone else's.

 

[Eli]

Because he thinks the way he drives is better than everyone else or his car is better than everyone else's.

I do think that downshifting while stopping rather than shifting into neutral is a better way to drive a manual transmission vehicle, yes.

Has nothing to do with my car.

Are you consciously or just subconsciously trying to be antagonistic? Seems like you're being denigrative without actually understanding us.

I think I understand perfectly fine? What isn't there to understand about shifting to neutral to stop, regardless of when you do it?

 

[zerocool84]

I do think that downshifting rather than shifting into neutral is a better way to drive a manual transmission vehicle, yes.

Has nothing to do with my car.



I think I understand perfectly fine? What isn't there to understand about shifting to neutral to stop?

You said that people who put the car in neutral don't enjoy driving and are just driving from point A to B. Just makes yourself sound like a elitist.

 

[Howard]

I do think that downshifting while stopping rather than shifting into neutral is a better way to drive a manual transmission vehicle, yes.

Has nothing to do with my car.

You're not biased at all because you drive a car that strongly encourages downshifting?

I think I understand perfectly fine? What isn't there to understand about shifting to neutral to stop, regardless of when you do it?

What difference does it make whether you're actually in neutral or just have the clutch disengaged?

 

[Eli]

You said that people who put the car in neutral don't enjoy driving and are just driving from point A to B. Just makes yourself sound like a elitist.

That was just my impression from this thread. Sorry, I didn't mean to be derogatory or anything.. It was just an observation, and one that would tend to make sense.

There's no reason to be in the proper gear for your speed if you aren't having fun driving.

To me, the idea of slowing down in 5th only to have to put it into 2nd and accelerate if I don't stop is silly. I would already be in 2nd, and I would have shifted into 2nd synchronized. Supposedly this is partially about transmission wear, so I'm trying to point out that this practice may be more detrimental than a revmatched downshift.

But nobody is going to be able to quantify this in actual clutch or transmission wear, so it doesn't really matter I guess.

 

[Eli]

You're not biased at all because you drive a car that strongly encourages downshifting?

What difference does it make whether you're actually in neutral or just have the clutch disengaged?

I probably am, but like I said I drove my other manual cars the same way... I was taught to always be in the proper gear for your speed. Seems logical enough to me.

There is no real difference? I'm not sure what you're getting at?

 

[Howard]

I probably am, but like I said I drove my other manual cars the same way... I was taught to always be in the proper gear for your speed. Seems logical enough to me.

Because selecting a gear when you need to is too difficult for you. 🙄

There is no real difference? I'm not sure what you're getting at?

I can't ask my question any other way. It's fairly straightforward.

 

[Howard]

To me, the idea of slowing down in 5th only to have to put it into 2nd and accelerate if I don't stop is silly. I would already be in 2nd, and I would have shifted into 2nd synchronized. Supposedly this is partially about transmission wear, so I'm trying to point out that this practice may be more detrimental than a revmatched downshift.

But nobody is going to be able to quantify this in actual clutch or transmission wear, so it doesn't really matter I guess.

Why wouldn't I be able to rev-match a downshift from 5th to 2nd?

 

[Eli]

Why wouldn't I be able to rev-match a downshift from 5th to 2nd?

You could of course, I almost always downshift from 5th to 2nd. But you said you don't do that, you said you shift into neutral?

 

[Eli]

Because selecting a gear when you need to is too difficult for you. 🙄

I can't ask my question any other way. It's fairly straightforward.

Now you're just being difficult, I'm genuinely trying to understand where you're coming from.

1) Why select the gear you need after the fact? Doesn't it make more sense to already be in that gear?

2) Elaborate. There is no fundamental difference between having the car in neutral or in gear with the clutch disengaged, but what does this have to do with our discussion? I don't coast in gear with the clutch disengaged either.. lol.

 

[Howard]

You could of course, I almost always downshift from 5th to 2nd. But you said you don't do that, you said you shift into neutral?

Forgive me as my patience wears thin.

Normally, for a complete stop, I stay in gear and do a combination of braking and coasting until it is no longer feasible to stay in the same gear, at which point I either shift into neutral (or simply disengage the clutch before shifting into neutral when completely stopped) and continue to brake. I do this because to utilize engine braking for the last 10-15MPH seems wasteful; the brakes don't get hot or transfer material, and to use a little bit of gas and one clutch engagement's worth of wear for what must be even less brake pad material seems foolhardy to me.

Should the need arise, I am more than capable of selecting the right gear for quick acceleration, whether in motion or stationary.

Now, can you answer my question or do you require further background info?

 

[Eli]

This is just a misunderstanding.

I am not sure what your question is.

This is about downshifting. You don't downshift.

I am not suggesting that you downshift into 2nd at 15MPH. I agree, that would be silly. The whole point of downshifting is to be in the proper gear for your speed. So.. how about you downshift before 15MPH?.........

 

[Eli]

Question.. what about going around a fairly sharp corner?

Do you people keep it in 5th, use your brakes around the corner then put it in 2nd after you're done with the corner? LOL

 

[zerocool84]

Question.. what about going around a fairly sharp corner?

Do you people keep it in 5th, use your brakes around the corner then put it in 2nd after you're done with the corner? LOL

My car has enough torque so I don't need to put it in a low gear to accelerate.

 

[Eli]

My car has enough torque so I don't need to put it in a low gear to accelerate.

Hmm.. fair enough. Even from 20MPH though?

Imagine you were driving a Honda S2000, then. 😉

 

[Howard]

Question.. what about going around a fairly sharp corner?

Do you people keep it in 5th, use your brakes around the corner then put it in 2nd after you're done with the corner? LOL

I'm out of this fucking thread.

 

[Eli]

Dude, relax? What is your problem? Why can't we have a discussion? I'm just trying to understand your stance.

Just answer the question, there is nothing wrong with it, it's not inflammatory, it's just a question. Do you or do you not downshift BEFORE going through a corner?

If you DO, then why DON'T you downshift before coming to a stop? Again, just trying to understand.

If you don't downshift before going through a corner, then well... that is unfortunate, lol.

 

[exdeath]

Cuz ur not double clutchin when ya should!

 

[Sureshot324]

I really can't imagine driving like 50% of you apparently do. What is the fun in that?

I tend to drive 'spirited'. That means staying in the gear that is proper for your speed.

Slowing down in 5th gear to 20MPH, only to have to put it into the proper gear unsynchronized if you end up not stopping is actually causing more wear to your transmission than downshifting would have in the first place....

Also, for me.. it's about regenerative braking. The Insight is meant to be downshifted.... Part of the reason why my brakes have lasted almost 160,000 miles.

But I drive all manual cars the same way.

I do enjoy driving, but if I'm slowing down for a light that just turned red, downshifting to second before I stop doesn't make it more fun to me. Of course if you're slowing down without the intention to stop it's better to be in the proper gear before you need to accelerate, but that's not what this thread is about.

That downshift to second does get you slightly more engine braking before you stop, but this is negligible IMO. It also makes stopping less smooth and more jarring. You're not going to rev match 2nd gear perfectly every time, and once you're engine braking in second you're going to be slowing down pretty hard.

 

[Eli]

Hmm.. I think slowing down to 20MPH in 5th only to have to put it back into 2nd to accelerate if you don't end up stopping would be more jarring and less smooth. Though of course you could revmatch, but it's my understanding that if you're going to shift into neutral at any point while still moving, then 'revmatch' isn't in your vocabulary.

I'm pretty good at revmatching 2nd, even from 60MPH. 😉

I think part of the problem is that there are too many different scenarios. I can understand some of them, but when a light turns red in front of me the first thing that happens is my car goes into 2nd. If I don't end up stopping, great, I can floor it and fly by all the people that slammed on their brakes at the last minute(assuming there's nobody stopped in front of me that is). If I do stop, oh well.

Another problem is the difference of cars. I drive a Honda, I have to keep the revs up to get any power.. lol.

The world would be a better place if everyone both drove like this and had the skill to drive like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWjMvrkUqX0

😛

 

[vshah]

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.

this

 

[DaTT]

Dude, relax? What is your problem? Why can't we have a discussion? I'm just trying to understand your stance.

Just answer the question, there is nothing wrong with it, it's not inflammatory, it's just a question. Do you or do you not downshift BEFORE going through a corner?

If you DO, then why DON'T you downshift before coming to a stop? Again, just trying to understand.

If you don't downshift before going through a corner, then well... that is unfortunate, lol.

Accelerate through the apex, everyone knows this.

 

[Eli]

Accelerate through the apex, everyone knows this.

I think that's kinda my point...

And my question is.. if you downshift while decelerating through a corner, why don't you downshift decelerating coming to a stop?

 

[jlee]

I'm tempted to set up a video camera in my passenger seat to record my drive to work...since I honestly cannot remember exactly what I do every time I slow down. I apparently spend a lot less time thinking about it than some people. 😛

 

[jhu]

I do the easiest thing: brake while in gear until engine is just above idle, then shift into neutral and continue braking until the car stops.