Downshifting?

[MikeE30325i]

do most of you downshift when you are coming to a stop at a light or have to slow down because somebody gets in front of you? i personally dont, just see it as a personal preference. i always think, brakes cost far less than a new engine. well almost always. anyway, what do you think, and why do you do what you do?

[E30 Wagen]

if it strikes my fancy, i'll downshift, usually if I anticapate I won't be coming to a full complete stop. I don't know, i've never heard it's bad to downshift, is it if you do it too much?

[MikeE30325i]

if it strikes my fancy, i'll downshift, usually if I anticapate I won't be coming to a full complete stop. I don't know, i've never heard it's bad to downshift, is it if you do it too much?

i always thought it would use more gas becuase the rpm's climb when you slow down, and you could always make the mistake of downshifting to far and BOOM bad shit can happen. a lot of people i know downshift, but i never do.

[Mastrcruse]

You shouldn't ruin an engine by downshifting. Well unless you do the money shift from 5th to 3rd or 1st. Then that would be just dumb. I downshift, I shift a lot, I don't know why.

[MikeE30325i]

You shouldn't ruin an engine by downshifting. Well unless you do the money shift from 5th to 3rd or 1st. Then that would be just dumb. I downshift, I shift a lot, I don't know why.

yeah i figured it would mostly be personnal preference. i know you wont ruin it, but it does have its affects.

[E30 Wagen]

i always thought it would use more gas becuase the rpm's climb when you slow down, and you could always make the mistake of downshifting to far and BOOM bad shit can happen. a lot of people i know downshift, but i never do.

Well, you're only using gas when you press the gas pedal, and you'd have to be a pretty incompetent to downshift too far and kaBOOM your engine. Just keep an eye on your tach.

[Mike325]

I down shift all the time. I hardly use my brakes around town. I would say when I am slowing down i use about 65% engine 35% brakes. When I slow to take a turn, I usually just down shift. It all depends on what is going on when I need to slow down.

[bwanac]

Pretty much only at certain corners.

[Axxe]

All the time.

[Erick]

Downshift by rev matching all the time.

[MR 325]

I always do rev matched downshifts, no exceptions.

[E30 Wagen]

what's a rev matched downshift, and how is it achieved?

[mrsleeve]

always down shift

[Erick]

Clutch in, throttle in so that the revs match what they would be in a lower gear, release clutch.

[E30 Wagen]

Clutch in, throttle in so that the revs match what they would be in a lower gear, release clutch.

Oh, I gues I do that all the time then. Hooray for me.