End all be all of Downshifting

I really see no point in downshifting when you are going to come to a full stop. Just shift to N and use your brakes.

The only time i downshift to cut speed is on the hwy or when going downhill.

Brakes are cheaper to replace.

Do whatever is the most fun. The extra wear and tear from slipping the clutch on a non-rev-matched down shift while street driving is negligible. Most of your wear will be when starting in first, or any shifts under power (or when trying to start up a steep hill).

I will sometimes down shift and rev-match just to hear the sound of the car, other times I'll just leave the car in whatever gear I've been driving in and press the clutch as the engine speed approaches idle. Sometimes I'll shift to neutral. It's all good.

For racing, rev-matching and heel-toe (to accomplish a rev-match while braking) is important to minimize shocks to the drivetrain that could cause the car to become unstable since you are already at the limit of traction.

On the street, you should have tons of leeway and can do pretty much whatever you want (in terms of shifting).

Have fun!

-T

You're overthinking it dude. Here in Europe everyone knows how to drive a stick and we were all learning to drive MT. It's nothing special but much more enjoyable. Just sit in the car, give it few days and you will feel like you were born for the MT. Have fun, good choice!

BskooL said:

I'm coming up to a redlight in 5-6th.

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You'll more than likely never be in 5th or 6th gear driving around town or in the city. The only time I use 5th or 6th gear is on the highway. If the highway is relatively crowded then you'll more than likely be in 5th gear during most of your drive. 6th gear is really an overdrive gear...slightly better gas mileage.

I'm just mostly banging through 1st and 4th during my daily commute. You don't even use 1st gear unless you have to come to a complete stop or traffic is literally crawling. You'll be in 2nd then shift to 3rd gear to accelerate.

I drive on a road where the speed limit is 55mph but I'm usually shifting from 3rd, 4th and back because of the speed variations of the surrounding vehicles.

Same here though with regard to shifting to neutral then braking for a red light or stop sign. You'll know exactly what gear you need to be in after driving for a bit. You'll hear it and feel it.

Just practice pulling out of 1st gear smoothly. That's really the key to driving a manual shift vehicle.

jester1x said:

You'll more than likely never be in 5th or 6th gear driving around town or in the city. The only time I use 5th or 6th gear is on the highway. If the highway is relatively crowded then you'll more than likely be in 5th gear during most of your drive. 6th gear is really an overdrive gear...slightly better gas mileage.

I'm just mostly banging through 1st and 4th during my daily commute. You don't even use 1st gear unless you have to come to a complete stop or traffic is literally crawling. You'll be in 2nd then shift to 3rd gear to accelerate.

I drive on a road where the speed limit is 55mph but I'm usually shifting from 3rd, 4th and back because of the speed variations of the surrounding vehicles.

Same here though with regard to shifting to neutral then braking for a red light or stop sign. You'll know exactly what gear you need to be in after driving for a bit. You'll hear it and feel it.

Just practice pulling out of 1st gear smoothly. That's really the key to driving a manual shift vehicle.

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5th gear is 1:1....and with the 3.73 gears on the performance pack, I absolutely use 5th around town/in the city.

Been driving a manual for over 8 years and never rev matched or heel and toed. You only really "need" them for aggressive driving and not street driving, just make sure the gear change is smooth and you're in the right gear for the right speed and you'll be fine.

Depends on the situation. If you are coming to a full stop, just stay in gear with gas pedal off engine braking, and then clutch in and put the gear in neutral as you about to come to a complete stop.
If you are gonna accelerate again, drop a gear or two, rev up the engine slightly before releasing the clutch.
Most of time time you can down shift without rev matching at lower rpm, you won't feel the jolt. But if you are in higher rpm, you have to or in some situations, you can actually lock up the rear tires if you are braking hard and downshifting at the same time.
[ame]

simonp83 said:

Been driving a manual for over 8 years and never rev matched or heel and toed. You only really "need" them for aggressive driving and not street driving, just make sure the gear change is smooth and you're in the right gear for the right speed and you'll be fine.

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Been driving manual for over 8 years I always rev match. Just a habit of riding motorcycles as they usually have much higher rpms. 3000-4000 rpm cruising RPM.

Rev matching, heel foot toe leg, yada yada yada. Won't save your clutch on the street unless you downshift at really high rpms. Track is a different story.

rev-matching when 9/10ths of the people on this forum can't handle a basic downshift let alone rev-match, just hang around an exhaust thread and find all the dinks that run their cars in 6th @ 2000K that cry over "drone"...they've no concept of RPMs and selecting an appropriate gear.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Everyone here unlike everywhere else that I've looked seem to be on the same page and that makes me feel a lot more at ease. Guess i got to just to buy it and drive it.

It just depends really. There is no "right" way TBH. You just mix and match when they time is right to downshift or to just coast in using the clutch, not by taking it out of gear. I think its stupid to put it in N when you have a clutch and can also be dangerous. If you are at a light and get rear ended, being in N could allow your car to roll out. Having it in gear can prevent that from happening because at impact you will release the clutch and it will cause the car to stall/restrict being pushed by being in gear.

Some places say that you should downshift and rev match every time they decelerate coming up to a light. Some people say they put it in neutral and just use the brakes. So which is it?

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Neither. Putting in in neutral wastes gas and downshifting every gear while coming to a stop is a complete waste (unless you're on a race track).

Keep it in the gear you are in and right before you are about to stop clutch in to neutral.

Only owned one auto trans in my life. Drove every manual I've had like a race car... quick shifts, heel/toe downshifts into turns, rev matching... but also a lot of putting it into neutral and using brakes at red lights, and... gasp... sometimes even sitting at a light or in stop/go traffic in gear but with the clutch in. I've had to do that in gear with the clutch engaged thing for hours at a time in So FL and Orlando traffic too... The only thing I really haven't done to, well, most of them, is launch them super hard.

And in all these cars, over all these years, I've never broken a clutch, flywheel, throw out bearing, etc. beyond any normal wear and tear.

People on forums will over-analyze and worry non-stop over the silliest things sometimes. Every Mustang MT82 is a grenade, every Camaro is falling apart on the road, every Hellcat supercharger is a timebomb, engine braking hurts your transmission, using your brakes in neutral causes fade and is dangerous and wears out your brakes.... just drive the car and enjoy it!

If you love your exhaust, downshift. If you are next to a cop or near your house, maybe coast. As most have said, regular street driving there is no right answer as the wear and tear is minimal compared to track use.