I go through the gears as I slow but all the work is being done by the brakes, there is no engine braking so should be little pressure on the clutch. That way I was always in the "right" gear if I needed to accelerate (like if the lights changed etc)

In all my other cars I had a bad habit of holding the car on inclines with just the clutch. The combination of stop/start and Hill Hold on the Octavia (and a possible broken dmf on the last car) have mostly cured me of that in a couple weeks. Still not using the handbrake though until I park.

Nothing wrong with using engine braking... That shouldnt put excess stress on the clutch.

Infact, engine braking is good IMO.

I was blipping the throttle to rev match on downshifts yesterday on my way home. Its soo much smoother when you get it right.

Nothing wrong with using engine braking... That shouldnt put excess stress on the clutch.

Infact, engine braking is good IMO.

I was blipping the throttle to rev match on downshifts yesterday on my way home. Its soo much smoother when you get it right.

How it should be ^^

That's called a sustained Rev gear change. Or at least it was when I did my plod training.

Tbh it sounds like the OP should really be driving. Needs a good few lessons.

That's called a sustained Rev gear change. Or at least it was when I did my plod training.

Tbh it sounds like the OP should really be driving. Needs a good few lessons.

LOL reads like respondent should not really posting. Needs a good pair of glasses;)

That's called a sustained Rev gear change. Or at least it was when I did my plod training.

Sorry mate, whats called that? Rev matching?

Sounds like it.

I think it was only deemed necessary because many British designed gearboxes had weak synchromesh, and needed every bit of help to make them survive.

 

The older membership would have learnt this on their Grannies knee. 

Most British cars had no synchromesh on at least 1st gear. 

First full synchro gearbox I can recall driving was a Ford unit in the mid 60's

Trucks had non synchromesh  "crash"  gearboxes much later.

Didnt know that! Good bit of history .

I like doing it, just because its so smooth. Especially on downshifts when going up a hill. It saves the revs dropping.

I get a real buzz from getting it right on the bike. Rev match on a downshift before a corner, drop it in, steady throttle then power out. Getting the gear change right just makes the entire experience more pleasurable and smoother tbh. I love it haha

LOL reads like respondent should not really posting. Needs a good pair of glasses;)

Ha ha, damn iPhone auto type thingy!

Oooooooh - the joys of a recollected blast from the past.

 

Once you've learned double de-clutching, it's like riding a bike.

You may not need to do it for years, but you never fully forget.

Oooooooh - the joys of a recollected blast from the past.

Once you've learned double de-clutching, it's like riding a bike.

You may not need to do it for years, but you never fully forget.

Never had to do that (im only 22. So its abit before my time lol) but it sounds interesting. Id love to try it on a vehicle that needs it, but i bet its such a slow gear change haha

It was very satisfying when you got it right.  Noisy and uncomfortable when you got it wrong, the gear stick could vibrate horrendously.

Driving a with a crash box involved you much more with the mechanics of the vehicle.  

Approaching a corner, in order to help the process along, you had to do the - clutch, into neutral, blip, clutch, into gear - at the same time as braking - that means all three pedals demanding your attention at the same time.  Hence the "heel and toe". 

I never got to have to jiggle a load of hand controls - mixture, ignition and outside hand brake.

when I passed 20 years ago my instructor gave me a phrase I always remember...

 

"Gears are for going, Brakes for slowing" nothing wrong with engine braking, but down through every gear, every time you drive? Engine braking when your descending hills is of course needed ( wouldn't want brake fade ) 

 

Cant heel & toe in modern cars ( not mine anyway ), cuts the power if you try.

Cant heel & toe in modern cars ( not mine anyway ), cuts the power if you try.

Was just going to say that. Can't do heal and toe if it won't let you even try.

Was just going to say that. Can't do heal and toe if it won't let you even try.

Well that ruins that then. No point in me even trying it then is there haha

I think to sum it up for me there are 2 simple words that are so often forgotten when I see people driving today...

"Mechanical sympathy"

The amount of times I've been in other people's cars, and you can feel every gear change, jerking to a halt at every set of lights, waiting in traffic with there foot on the brake and clutch.....etc....etc....

It's not hard to change gear smoothly, using the throttle to match, to get a silky change, it's also surprisingly easy to apply the handbrake when waiting at lights.

I'll stop there, lol.

I think to sum it up for me there are 2 simple words that are so often forgotten when I see people driving today...

"Mechanical sympathy"

The amount of times I've been in other people's cars, and you can feel every gear change, jerking to a halt at every set of lights, waiting in traffic with there foot on the brake and clutch.....etc....etc....

It's not hard to change gear smoothly, using the throttle to match, to get a silky change, it's also surprisingly easy to apply the handbrake when waiting at lights.

I'll stop there, lol.

I continue. At the drive through at our local KFC there is a speed bump thing right outside the window where you get he food (presumably because the building is too high) and I was in someone else's car getting some food and the back wheels were half way up the speed bump and she held the car on the bump with the clutch for the whole time it took to hand the food over. And it wasn't quick.

I continue. At the drive through at our local KFC there is a speed bump thing right outside the window where you get he food (presumably because the building is too high) and I was in someone else's car getting some food and the back wheels were half way up the speed bump and she held the car on the bump with the clutch for the whole time it took to hand the food over. And it wasn't quick.

My god. Thats bad.

I bet the clutch smelt stronger than the chicken.

Disaster.

I think you have proven my point right there, but the one I love the best is thoose people who seem to only be able to pull away with a minimum of 3000rpm or more!!!..... What are you doing!?!

I only ever pull away on tick over, unless on a hill. Leave the revving until you're going.

I only ever pull away on tick over, unless on a hill. Leave the revving until you're going.

Im guessing you drive a diesel?

The htp will pull away with throttle input, but you have to let the clutch out soooooo slow haha.

Im guessing you drive a diesel?

The htp will pull away with throttle input, but you have to let the clutch out soooooo slow haha.

1.2 HTP. Pulls away fine on flat. I might be being a bit optimistic with the use of the word hill meaning slight gradient though.

1.2 HTP. Pulls away fine on flat. I might be being a bit optimistic with the use of the word hill meaning slight gradient though.

I always feel like im labouring my HTP if i set off with no revs haha.

Dont get me wrong. I dont do full throttle starts haha.

I always feel like im labouring my HTP if i set off with no revs haha.

Dont get me wrong. I dont do full throttle starts haha.

Remembered that earlier

I used to change down through the gears, still do sometimes.  I've have never had to replace a clutch on any car I've owned (I just jinxed myself didn't I   ) and I did over 100K in one of them.  I've always wondered what the big deal was with driving like this.  About 6 or 7 years ago I was talking to a bloke who happened to be a driving examiner, he was on about 'brake discs are cheaper than a clutch' and 'gears to go brakes to slow'.  I said to him I've been driving nearly 23 years (at the time) and never replaced a clutch but I've replaced plenty of brake disks and pads in that time.  What about when there is ice and snow and snow about ?  It's much safer to use engine braking in those conditions as it forces people to think ahead rather than standing on the anchors with 20 yards to go.  I just try to drive safely, the politics of gear change and brake use are all double dutch to me.