Quote:
Originally Posted by MSD
There's no good reason to engine brake. Downshift so you have control of the car, or if you need to accelerate, but don't do it to slow down. Brake pads cost a lot less than a new clutch.
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jinn
Even though I'm capable, I rarely downshift through the gears UNLESS the conditions merit using transmission breaking or if I intend to accelerate again quickly.
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You'll kindly notice my use of "unless the conditions merit using.." I'm not sure where you're from, but in winter, particularly here in Colorado, engine braking is absolutely essential to survive icy downhill passes, where the loss of traction caused by braking would cause a complete loss of control. Even on solid ice, a vehicle can come to a complete stop in a straight line with engine braking. Even a minor tap of the brakes would cause it to stop, but not in a straight line.
It's no longer a cost evaluation between clutch plates and brake pads at the point, but clutch plates or thousands of dollars of body and frame work from the resulting collision(s).
It's worth noting, as I did above, that someone downshifting improperly (using the synchros or clutch plates themselves to cause deceleration) can induce a loss of traction from the momentary 'lurch' of clutch contact. Properly downshifting means matching the speed of the output shaft by changing the speed of the engine before releasing the clutch.