Re: shoot the shift

["Khan M. Klatt" <kmk@pacificrim.net>]

At 5:42 PM -0400 7/30/98, MAOberer@aol.com wrote:
>Question for the list===>
>  What does everyone think about downshifting to slow down, like coming up to
>a light or slowing down off the high way?  Does that create a lot of excessive
>wear on the engine and clutch, etc?  I'm just wondering if its better to just
>hit the brakes or to downshift to slow down.

This has been discussed in great depth before, and the general consensus
was that brake pads are cheap, that the GLX, with antilock brakes has great
braking power as it is, and therefore, that brakes should be used
exclusively to slow down the car.

Downshifting wears on the engine, is not as effective as the brakes, and
will not perform better than your brakes. You could theoretically use
brakes and downshifting together in case of an emergency, but there is no
proof one way or another that this would shorten stopping distance.

In other words, just use your brakes.

_Khan