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Brakes are far less expensive and easier to fix/replace than the engine, transmission, drive shaft, and all their mounts. Engine braking takes a toll on all those parts unless it's done nearly perfectly, and even then it's a stress. Most people I know who claim to downshift properly don't.
Unless it's necessary or extremely helpful (big load on a hill, or the need to slow or stop very quickly) I don't see the point to using the engine to slow the car down, on 4 wheels or 2 (who wants that back wheel loading up while decelerating?). The brakes are there for a reason.
Sometimes, though, it is fun to hear the exhaust grumbling down from highway speed, all popping and snapping.
EDIT-to make it clear, yes I downshift to be in whatever the appropriate gear is for the situation. That should be obvious but some of the posts suggest it isn't.
Brakes for me. Brakes are easier and cheaper to replace than extra wear and tear on engine/clutch. Especially for those that don't know how to properly rev match prior to downshifting to engine braking.
In cornering or specifically in rain and snow conditions I'll engine brake
On an automatic you shouldn't downshift for regular braking.
On a manual transmission I would leave it whatever gear I'm in and use the engine braking to help slow me down and push the clutch in just above idle. I got ridiculously long brake life using that method and it didn't require any downshifting (or cause the associated clutch and gearbox wear.)
Why put the stress and wear on the engine and transmission when brake pads and installation are so cheap?
Well, if you know how and do it right, with a manual you put very little strain or wear on the driveline by using some engine braking. Very few people that I have seen "gear down" are smooth enough to suit me but I have been using this technique since the early 70's and never caused myself any grief. As a rule of thumb I never gear down for braking to rev the engine more than 1/2 of redline. If you are driving in a rural setting you can do this for anticipated decelerations and really stretch the life of your brake pads/shoes.
That said particularly disc brake pads are typically very easy to change and way less work than doing a clutch. Good pads are not exactly cheap but again way less than a clutch.
It's not rare for me to get over 100K on a set of brake pads and so far for example in the Scirocco I have about 170K on the clutch, judging from the position of the actuating lever on the transmission housing I still have more than 80% of clutch thickness intact.
My diesel pick-up has an exhaust/engine brake that I use all the time this cupped with down shifting will increase brake pad life by around 60%.
I down shift a stick and automatics all the time to slow down and I down shift the automatic going down steep grades.
If I put it in tow/haul the auto down shifts for me.
What If I Use My Brakes INSTEAD of Engine Braking?” There could be any one of 4 hazardous outcomes should you choose to give your brakes a workout, as opposed to taking advantage of “engine braking”: Hazardous Outcome #1:
You could significantly wear our your brakes. We’re talking… you could actually reduce the life of your brakes by months or even years, depending on the degree to which you “ride the brake” on such steep grades. Hazardous Outcome #2:
You could lose your brakes altogether! No joke. That stench of brake dust is a sign that your brakes are too hot. If you overheat your brakes and don’t take enough time in between to let them cool off a bit, then you can actually fry your brakes — leaving you with virtually NO stopping power at the bottom of the hill.
You may even begin to see SMOKE coming from your overheated brakes. Everyone knows, where there’s smoke there’s fire, so you’re really taking your chances at this point. You could even warp your rotors Hazardous Outcome #3:
You’re polluting the ozone. Ever smell the stench of hot brakes.
Last edited by snofarmer; 01-17-2012 at 07:18 PM..
If I know I'll need to stop ahead of time (i.e. red light), I prefer engine braking.. saves my brakes but I'm not sure of the long-term consequences for the engine if you do this routinely.
On a side note, some towns have signs saying "no engine braking".. any ideas why engine braking won't be tolerated in such localities?
Noise. Lot's and lot's of loud noise as the engine dumps compression.
Normally, just brakes. I do a lot of canyon driving however, and when going downhill I'll use lower gears to help keep speed under control. Otherwise I'd be riding the brakes an awful lot going down.
Regenerative braking. It works in a similar manner as engine braking, however, it's done behind the scenes when the brake pedal is depressed. Cars with regenerative braking generally require the brakepads to be replaced less ofen.
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