Do you downshift when you slow down or stop?

[Timco]

Dad always taught me to do this.

Is it harder on the car / clutch than you need to be?

[Paul]

My opinion:

The only reason to downshift is to be ready for the next time you need to accelerate. Downshifting through each gear when coming to a stop is a waste of clutch material. But it is fun....

[JayG]

I look at it this way

Brakes are a lot less $$ to replace than a clutch, as well as easier to do, especially DIY

[Top_Ramen]

Originally Posted by JayG

I look at it this way

Brakes are a lot less $$ to replace than a clutch, as well as easier to do, especially DIY

Exactly what I was going to say.

[JayG]

Originally Posted by all_mota

Exactly what I was going to say.

you snooze, you lose
:dance:

[Jamesp]

Not with the Boxster. With the Mustang GT it was fun because it made a heck of a noise. Juvenile, but fun.

[Van914]

Originally Posted by JayG

I look at it this way

Brakes are a lot less $$ to replace than a clutch, as well as easier to do, especially DIY

I agree!
Van914

[Joe B]

Originally Posted by Timco

Dad always taught me to do this.

Is it harder on the car / clutch than you need to be?

Only downshift to control your speed on long downhills. Brakes are for stopping, gears are for accelerating. Dad always taught me that.

[san rensho]

Using the clutch to slow the car a sign of someone who doesn't know how to drive.

Downshifting is used make sure you are in the right rpm range for the gear you are in. Never use a downshift to slow the car.

Race car drivers never use a downshift to slow the car. When approaching a second gear corner, for example, a racer will never use a downshift to slow the car. He will brake hard and at the same time downshift and rev match so the clutch is never used to slow the car.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by san rensho

Using the clutch to slow the car a sign of someone who doesn't know how to drive.

Downshifting is used make sure you are in the right rpm range for the gear you are in. Never use a downshift to slow the car.

Race car drivers never use a downshift to slow the car. When approaching a second gear corner, for example, a racer will never use a downshift to slow the car. He will brake hard and at the same time downshift and rev match so the clutch is never used to slow the car.

Glad I asked! Dad taught me to do this in a '78 Pinto Wagon.....

[Perfectlap]

I am very easy on my car on road & highway. I only brake when I need to. I lift to slow down. I rarely down shift unless its a tight turn where a blip is in order. I use the e-brake at traffic lights. I short shift until the needles are pointing 12 oclock. I get on the throttle gradually, never jabbing. I round my tuns to open out the curve, maybe it saves some rubber over constantly cutting sharp turns.
I've gotten in the habit of cranking up the AC if I hit traffic snd find myself idling for long stints. I check tire pressures every other gas fill up to ease up on suspension.

[kk2002s]

I go to neutral when approaching a stop and coast until I know what gear I'll be going into. I have gotten into down shifting through each gear on situations like off ramps where you go from 6th down to 3rd or 2nd and I know I will be continuing in a lower gear

But as everyone before me said, cheaper and easier to replace brake pads

[Davev]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

But as everyone before me said, cheaper and easier to replace brake pads

You WIN! This is the correct answer.

[TypeA]

Interesting thread. What does everyone use for right turns in motion? Ive been using 2nd, as its easier to rev match than 1st, but it always seems to leave me a little low in RPM. Sometimes as low as 1500 when the corner is complete, is this bad?

[southernstar]

I always double-clutch downshifts into a corner - if you match the revs correctly, it puts little wear and tear on the clutch and even less on the transmission. It should add no additional wear and tear on the brakes because, as has already been pointed out, you are heel and toeing and are not using compression braking (the whole point of double-clutching is to equalize revs so that there IS no compression braking and there is less strain on the clutch/transmission than releasing the clutch with mis-matched revs). The fact is that a properly executed, rev-matched downshift put less not more wear and tear on the clutch, cv joints, engine/transmission mounts than any downshift without rev matching.

I do not down-shift into first gear for corners - it is much harder to match revs and, frankly, even at 1500 RPM's in second, the engine is still pulling quite strongly (peak torque on the 2.7 occurs at relatively low RPM's).

Rolling to stop in neutral? I have always believed that while moving, the car should always be in gear in case you need to take an evasive maneuver (such as moving forward a bit to avoid contact from a late braking, or sliding car from behind - believe me, I know from experience).

Is downshifting prior to a corner and double-clutching necessary? Of course not, but all racing drivers do it with manual transmissions as it enables you to be in the correct gear in order to apply power in the middle of a turn and on exit. When you enter the turn your downshifting is done and you can concentrate totally on steering and trailing throttle braking, if you so choose. Plus it sounds great and let's face it, that is one of the true joys of owning a Boxster!

Brad

[stephen wilson]

I heel/toe for corners, generally not when stopping. I bought the car to have fun, and that's the way I drive it !

I virtually never downshift to 1st for a turn. It would have to be a slow turn, and it can be a bit abusive IMO.

[BRAN]

Gear shifting is too much fun not to do it.

I sometimes double-clutch when downshifting...just for the classic engine rev up sound.

double-clutch sound = +1 smile

[mountainman]

of course it puts more wear on your clutch, but why do we drive these cars if not for the fun, and downshifting is fun. If we were going for economy we would drive kias.

[fusionist]

I don't downshift to slow in a Boxster, but there are cars where this is almost necessary.

I've driven a 914 with drum brakes that didn't feel safe without downshifting. On anything light with old brake systems it can be helpful.

[lkchris]

Not a bad idea to use a lower gear to maintain desired speed downhill in mountains.

Brakes are NOT for prolonged use.

Also no need for true double clutching with modern transmissions. What you're likely doing is sometimes called half double clutching and is simply rev matching prior to engaging clutch, which should always be done. True double clutching is moving gearshift to neutral and then engaging clutch and speeding up motor to get trans gears up to speed prior to then declutching and moving the gear lever to the lower gear. Synchromesh accomplishes this for you.

PS: I checked page 31 of my copy of the April, 1970, issue of Road & Track (first 914 test) ... the 914 is a 4- wheel disc brake car.