Engine Braking vs Brake Pad Costs

Wife MUST have heated seats...she uses them from september to may...

 

If you engine brake, you engage and use(wear):
1) The engine
2) The clutch (twice)
3) The transmission
4) The driveshaft
5) The differential(s)
6) The tires

If you use your brakes, you engage and use(wear):
1) The brakes
2) The clutch (once, but you have the option of not using the clutch, if you wait for that precise rpm when you can just pull it out of gear while decelerating.
3) The tires

So I say, if you’re after ultimate longevity, use the brakes. That said, I took my first Toyota truck 108,000 miles and counting and never replaced the clutch or rear brakes…that with towing a 12’ trailer from New Jersey to California at 41k miles. I also skip gears occasionally…still do today. I have taken all my manual vehicles, including a 21015 Mustang GT Premium to nearly 100k without ever changing clutches.

It’s just math. One way uses far less drive components. But some situations demand engine braking. In those cases, I engine brake. I live in a hilly area…but mostly I just use the brakes and tires.

One rule that I listened to early on was never to rest your foot on the clutch.
People who do this do not understand how a clutch works.

 

I've heard also don't rest your hand on the shift knob...
and there are real hardcore manual transmission people who set the ebrake on uphills when at a red light instead of neutral and then slow release clutch to gas as it catches to start driving...not even sure how that ebrake release works...