Originally posted by tbirdjayc:
If you don't downshift, and overheat your brakes, you might be replacing your whole car, or worse I don't think the right thing is to drive every trip like you are racing, but there has to be a happy medium. Not downshifting at all is foolish.


Not true.

The brakes are made for... Braking!


Yes from high speeds engine braking helps a small bit with the overall braking procedure but at low speeds and rpm it does very little at all.


Also which would you rather wear out faster. The clutch or the brake pads.

I know which one costs a hell of a lot less!


I normally only downshift from high speeds or highway exits.
For instance from a 65mph exit I rev match from 5th to 3rd or so and then leave it in that gear until the rpm level is down below 2000. I then put it in neutral.

I never downshift for normal stops at low speeds (i.e. any side road)
I normally leave it in whatever gear I was cruising in and put it into neutral when below 1500-2000rpm.


The brakes are for braking folks.


This does not cover aggressive or back roads driving either. Then rpm control of the engine is the most important factor and that's done by choosing the proper gear and planned braking.

2000 SVT #674 13.47 @ 102 - All Motor! It was not broke; Yet I fixed it anyway.