To downshift or not to downshift?

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 23, 2007

I was just driving my gas getter beater truck which is a 5 speed, and i was thinking that i almost never downshift it. However, if i'm in the 'stang and i'm driving hard, like through a nice curvy road, i'll downshift to keep the RPMs up, but generally for every day driving i don't downshift if i'm coming to a complete stop. I figure why put the stress of stopping the car on the trany when the brakes are a fraction of the price to replace? Also i've found that i get slightly better mileage in my beater when i don't downshift, since that's just extra revs that can be avoided, but that mainly depends on how often i'm stopping/downshifting to make a difference.

85ragtop · Feb 23, 2007

Uh thats cool. Better mpg is always a good thing.

Aliate X · Feb 23, 2007

to me it sounds stupid when you dont downshift coming to a stop, heel/toe ftw (downshift and brake at the same time)

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 23, 2007

Aliate X said:
to me it sounds stupid when you dont downshift coming to a stop, heel/toe ftw (downshift and brake at the same time)

You have to elaborate on that one....i'm not sure how slowing down like a non 5 speed car sounds stupid

I would just rather replace brake pads than a Tremec

(no i'm not saying downshifting ruins tranys, i'm saying it's less wear and tear and that's a good thing in the long run right?)

Boss 351 · Feb 23, 2007

Sometimes I downshift but I revv the gas to bring the RPM up THEN downshift... sounds cooler...

Aliate X · Feb 23, 2007

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
You have to elaborate on that one....i'm not sure how slowing down like a non 5 speed car sounds stupid

I would just rather replace brake pads than a Tremec

(no i'm not saying downshifting ruins tranys, i'm saying it's less wear and tear and that's a good thing in the long run right?)

I mean i know where youre coming from, but youre not going to put enough stress on it just from downshifting, if you downshift right youre putting very little if any stress on the transmission.

Btw, I meant it just sounds good when you come rumbleing to a stop and yes RPM matching, not riding the clutch into the gears downshifting.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 23, 2007

Yeah it totally sounds great....i just got a chuckle out of "sounds stupid"...lol

Aliate X · Feb 23, 2007

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
Yeah it totally sounds great....i just got a chuckle out of "sounds stupid"...lol

well okay what I meant is when you have a manual it sounds stupid to take it out of gear and roll to a stop. Once you start making a habit of downshifting youll see what im saying when you see a loud car roll silently to a stop.

25thmustang · Feb 23, 2007

I throw the clutch in and coast to my stops almost all the time... Half the time I wont even use the clutch, just get a nuetral pedal and pop it out of gear. If Im out cruising in the 5.0 I might downshift, but dont do it a lot. If people want to know how fast the car is, dont listen to the downshift, as me what it runs,

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 23, 2007

25thmustang said:
I throw the clutch in and coast to my stops almost all the time... Half the time I wont even use the clutch, just get a nuetral pedal and pop it out of gear. If Im out cruising in the 5.0 I might downshift, but dont do it a lot. If people want to know how fast the car is, dont listen to the downshift, as me what it runs,

Yeah see that's pretty much my routine. If i'm cruising somewhere and being obnoxious, i'll downshift.....because my car sound like pure hell coming down from about 4k to a stop. Mainly i was talking about just general 5 speed daily driving though.

TheUser · Feb 23, 2007

If I'm coming to a stoplight, I throw it in neutral and coast to the stop. I agree with the original argument of "why downshift if you don't have to." While I'm sure the burnouts are probably harder on the clutch and tranny than downshifting to a stop, I'd still rather not stress it. I try to slow down early to keep from wearing the brakes. Last time I changed brakes on the LX was Fall 2003, I believe.

Some people actually hold in their clutch while at stop lights, etc which totally baffles me because there's no reason to.

I don't know if cruising around trying to impress, I understand downshifting/rpm matching, but other than that, I don't see a reason to do it. But to each their own:SNSign:

Aliate X · Feb 23, 2007

its just become a habit really

fivespeedsteed · Feb 23, 2007

i cant heel toe in my car. i cant figure it out. do you have to be braking hard? i know down shifting is bad, but in general on a twisty road, don't you have to let off the throttle and let it drag at higher rpm's (like 4-5) just to keep my speed down. is that really bad?

Aliate X · Feb 23, 2007

fivespeedsteed said:
i cant heel toe in my car. i cant figure it out. do you have to be braking hard? i know down shifting is bad, but in general on a twisty road, don't you have to let off the throttle and let it drag at higher rpm's (like 4-5) just to keep my speed down. is that really bad?

well youre not actually "heel toeing" it, I just roll my foot over, like Ill just have the edge of my foot on the brake and then hit the gas with the other half of my foot and downshift, works well and not many people can do it.

4G-KDMP · Feb 23, 2007

one of the best at heel and toe = Boris Said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihCgxQnex5Q

Aliate X · Feb 23, 2007

yeah with a foxbody you dont have to do that b/c the pedals are close enough, that **** is a chore though on my buddies mach1.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 23, 2007

If you have big feet like me you can wedge your foot between the brake and the gas pedal and hit'em both at the same time. It's an easy way to impress people when you're shifting through a burnout really fast.

795.0pacecar · Feb 23, 2007

I down shift when I daily drive. Its a habit, keeps the rpms up, is not hard on the transmission, and slows me down slowly, so I dont have to ride the brakes or jump on them hard when I get close to the light. Also my car is fuel injected, so it cuts fuel when engine braking so gas mileage does not change.

Do you guys really think downshifting and engine braking is harder on the transmission, than hauling ass, doing burnouts, and putting 300+ hp through it?

Turkey Sammich · Feb 23, 2007

I'll just put it in neutral and coast to the stop as well. I don't downshift often, unless I'm annoying someone or just ****in' around.

blackened88lx · Feb 23, 2007

Nice post count pacecar.

I usually just downshift normally, but when driving hard on back roads and stuff I heel-toe it.

To downshift or not to downshift?

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