Better to downshift or use brakes?

[Yarzy]

I was not sure if I should have put this in the drivetrain or brakes area, so I thought I would take a shot here first.

I am curious to see what everyone feels is the better way to slow down, say to a light or something. In the past, I have heard that using the brakes will wear down the brakes faster (obviously) but will cost less to replace than the transmission in the long run, so it is better to use the brakes. I am wondering if that is the same in for the M3.

Any thoughts or comments would be great...I am still new to my car and I want to make sure I am doing the right thing.

Thanks!

[jblaze21]

Good question. I have long wondered about this myself. I tend to not use the brakes and downshift to slow down til I need to brake for a stop. I don't really care about brakes vs. tranny per se, I just like timing things well so that you don't have to use brakes at all. I hate people that ride their brakes all the time.

If traffic is slowing ahead, I'll downshift to around 3.5k or so and let it engine brake til I have to slow down faster than the engine braking will allow.

[thekurgan]

Brakes slow/stop the car, and are far cheaper to replace than the clutch and flywheel.

[okusa]

Absolutely brake first. At speed (on the track for example) if heading into a turn and downshift first there is a good chance you will spin as it will upset the car by abruptly shifting too much weight to the front.

[M3 Esq]

I agree on the track only the brakes should be used to slow the car. However, I engine brake all the time on the street. I don't see why this would cause any undue stress on the engine or tranny assuming you match revs properly.

[Candide13]

I use engine breaking all the time on the street, but would certainly not shift down for it. Just coasting in the last gear, then apply brakes and shift into neutral at the same time, usually around 1500-2k rpm.

Exceptions are going downhill on mountain roads, of course, where I shift down to the appropriate gear.

And without track use the brakes on this car will easily go more than 30000 miles. We just finished a 4000 mile cross-country trip at the end of which the indicated expected mileage to the next brake service actually increased...

[F1Venom]

Brakes first. Unless I want to slightly slow down for a turn and then I know there's a nice straight, I'll drop from 4th to 3rd to get into the corner then gun it in third gear out of the corner.
But for normal driving in traffic, always brake first (and I've got a modded exhaust so I'd come off as douchey to downshift at a busy stoplight, lol.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Brake Energy Regeneration !

[///M3Fresh]

There is nothing wrong with Engine braking. I do notice my self doing it a lot (not on purpose just the nature of the street driving) but I try to use the brakes mostly.


The way I look at it is: S65 = 10K used Brakes = ~1.5k new.

[///MPharaoh]

On the street I started downshifting/rev matching more once I got my Brembos. On stock brakes, I'd likely brake a bit more. Track, all brakes to reduce speed

[Flying Ace]

I always thought brakes are used to stop the car...call me crazy. When there's a light or stop sign, I drive up at the appropriate engine speed then shift to neutral, and brake.

I downshift only when I think the car simply needs to go at a slower speed and lower gear. Say, I drive up to a line waiting for a light, the light turns green, that's when I usually downshift (to say 2nd gear, depending on the new slower speed), with the anticipation of simply slowing down and not stopping.

Of course, I also downshift on spirited drives just for the hell of it, it's just awesome listening to the engine rev up and match a perfect downshift on a 6MT!

[Yarzy]

Excellent, thanks everyone for your responses! Looks like brakes it is unless I am slowing down moderately. Thanks again!

[modkrazy]

I usually go into neutral and coast until I need to apply brakes. If it's not a stop sign/red light and I'm just slowing down, I will downshift and let the engine slow me down with brakes assisting if needed. But occasionally when SWIM is lazy and/or drunk, let the DCT do all the work.

[1MOREMOD]

I use engine braking at the track as well. It's impossible not to unless you over slow so your going at a 3000 rpm pace. Hardly recipe for quick laps. Doesn't spin the car out or unsettle just has to be done properly.

[zonda600]

Both, and why not? If you double-clutch down, there is no additional wear on the clutch and shifting gears properly does not harm the transmission.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by zonda600

Both, and why not? If you double-clutch down, there is no additional wear on the clutch and shifting gears properly does not harm the transmission.

Because this procedure isn't "braking" at all, no?

[BillK]

Pads are easier and cheaper to replace than clutches

[gatorfast]

Slowing to a stop as in coming to a red light...pointless to downshift through the gears unless you just like hearing the sweet sounds of the v8. Just slow down via brake in whichever gear you are in and then clutch in when the revs drop too low.

[CurbBender'90]

What I don't understand is why do people buy the M3 and treat it like a piece of tempered glass? It's a beautiful HIGH PERFORMANCE vehicle built to withstand higher than average stress. All of the engine braking, throwing it in N to fulfill this need to come to a stop is unnecessary. Brakes are made to bring the car to a stop otherwise we would probably have a CTBS-Central Transmission Braking System or something. By the way can we get some M4 Ceramics already, think that'll kill most of the debate!

[SenorFunkyPants]

I would have thought it depends on the situation...if I am cruising round town then I just come off the throttle and let the engine do the slowing down, downshifting at ~1500 rpm to keep the energy recovery system working the alternator and if I time it right only have to apply the brakes at the last second. If I am pressing on then its hard brakes and only downshift (still at low revs) to be in a reasonable gear in case I need to get back on the gas. (DCT car)
High rpm downshifts do nothing for the cars braking ability and puts unnecessary stress on the transmission and the engine.

[swartzentruber]

If it's a super gental slowdown, just brakes, but if it's moderately aggressive, both. Use the paddles to downshift as you brake. I don't recommend full engine braking/no brakes, but engine braking and brakes used together make for the fastest/smoothest slowdown in my opinion. The ability to use a little engine braking now and then is why I like DCT so much more than torque converter automatics, which typically don't allow that.

[Sinful]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Brakes slow/stop the car, and are far cheaper to replace than the clutch and flywheel.

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Slowing to a stop as in coming to a red light...pointless to downshift through the gears unless you just like hearing the sweet sounds of the v8. Just slow down via brake in whichever gear you are in and then clutch in when the revs drop too low.

^ Truth
Put this topic to bed.