someone mentioned that heel + toe downshifting is useless when daily driving. I would have to disagree.

I'm sure we all know that using the neutral + braking technique wears brakes faster, and the non-rev matching engine braking technique is horrible on the clutch. By rev-matching your downshifts with a heel + toe technique (properly), you put little to no strain on the drivetrain during the shift, yet still allow for natural engine braking to aid the brakes while slowing for a corner/stop. This reduces wear and prolongs life of all components used.

I rev-match nearly every downshift when driving, no matter where. It just makes sense.

I would suggest beating on a friend's car while learning the technique though It took me over a month to get "good" at rev-matching. I'm sure my car wasn't too happy with my screw ups. Just learn the basics of the process, find comfortable footing, and practice the motion a bit before trying to do it on the streets.

Good Luck!

 

Search and this has been discussed before. I think the general consensus the last time was that downshifting may cause some extra wear on your drivetrain and specifically your clutch (depending on how good of a driver you are), but you'll save your brake pads and extend the use.

Pads are cheap compared to the clutch, but you'll never be able to accelerate if you need to by just coating in neutral. In fact, this can be dangerous if you needed to hit the gas while coasting (i.e. the light turns green at 35 mph). You wouldn't want to come to a complete stop everytime you needed to go to a lower gear! I downshift every time I need to go to a lower gear and on every stop in this car and in my last manual transmission car. I'm at 30,000 on the stock clutch with no slipping, so until the effects of constant downshifting come back to bite me, I'm going to keep driving this way.

 

+50, i always revmatch when slowing/stopping..

 

I am also new to driving stick and have done both engine braking and shifting to neutral. I prefer to be in control of the car in case the light changes or I need to change lanes quickly.

 

I always heel-and-toe when slowing down, it is easier for me.

 

heeel toe is good practice no matter what....i mean you might as well, plus it feels cool.

also down shifting is vital to maintain coolant circulation so you dont overheat....and if you start too, put it in gear and let it coast(downhill posssibly) without giving it gas and you will notice a rapid drop in temp.

 

i rev-match everytime that i downshift. sounds cool, no jerking, saves brakes. i have had a few instances where im glad i know how to rev-match other wise there would have been an accident.

i have tried heel-toe but i always get too much brake and not enough gas...

 

yea, down shifting DOES wear the clutch, unlike what a few people in here are saying.

Anytime you're enguaging and releasing the clutch, that material is wearing off. There is not really a practical reason to down shift while just coming to a redlight. Now if you're driving to hard and braking just the same and you're experiencing brake fade, then yes, downshift to slow down. If you're going ***** out around the corner, you need to brakeinto it, and accelerate out, so being in that downshifted gear, is needed.

But just stick to the brakes, especially with these brembos, it's so easy to just tap those pins out and replace the pads

 

that's why you rev-match or heel toe when down shifting.

And no, engine braking doesnt slow you down (but what you are doing is using drivetrain friction to slow you down, which can wear your tranny more so).. the motor is still pushing forward.. when you press in the clutch one more time prior to your turn-in is when you get the MAXIMUM braking.. brakes are for stopping, gears are there to used to match your traveling speed and maximize your engine power transmitted to the ground.

 

after reading this thats whay I was thinking. I leanred stick on a 73 super beetle (my first car) and thats what I would do. Just push the clutch in and shift to first and brake. that way I was allready in gear... makes sense.

 

whats heel toe driving exactly??? lol i really dont know

 

it's when you are downshifting by rev-matching while braking.. you use your toe to be on the brake while you use your heel (actually it's the side of the foot) to blip the throttle to rev-match.

 

The proper way to downshift.. the man's way to downshift.

 

I use the brake then when I am about to stop I engage the clutch and put it into neutral. I for one think this is the best way to drive on the streets, no need to put extra strain on your engine. Cheaper to replace breaks than clutch.

 

^ but what do you do when you dont come to a complete stop and you need to get back into gear? you'll have to rev match as some point?