Downshifting incorrectly puts wear on the clutch. Downshifting correctly does not. That’s why it’s “correct”. And while downshifting is useful for slowing down to a stop, it is necessary whenever you’re merely changing to a significantly slower speed.
Downshifting correctly means that the downshift is near-instantaneous and seamless. It means that a cup of water on your dashboard will barely show a ripple. In order to accomplish this, you have to rev the engine to the appropriate RPM for the gear you’re engaging. Doing it incorrectly means that you rely on the clutch to speed the engine up, which places unecessary wear on it.
Heel-and-toeing is what’s required to downshift correctly while braking. It does require some coordination, and so a lot of people (not just THEM) simply wait until they’ve finished braking before downshifting.
I suppose it is possible to downshift incorrectly without causing the car to jerk or make unhappy noises, but you’d be putting even more wear on the clutch by engaging it so excruciatingly slowly.
I don’t think anything I’m talking about here is nonsense. What I do find nonsensical is that most people, such as yourself, are willing to replace their clutches twice as often instead of learning how to drive a manual transmission properly. Or buying an automatic.
A correctly-executed downshift results in more wear to the sole of your left shoe than the clutch.
I’d definately lend my keys to anyone I trust and whom knows at least how to drive a manual car no more badly than I do, so long as they are covered by mine or their own equivalent insurance. If my car were brand new or in pristine condition I might be less likely to share unless it were an emergency, or if we were travelling together and sharing the driving.
Only one other person besides my parents has driven my car. I have a policy of not letting anyone borrow it. Granted it is a 91 Subaru with plenty of miles and has seen far better days. But it being that old I only have liability on it. Someone get’s in my car and makes one mistake and my car is gone and I’m left with $0.
So I don’t ask to use anyone elses car and people dont ask to use mine because of that.
I would have to disagree about the tool analogy. Someone borrows my dremel or wrench or whatever and that costs me little to replace. A car is a bit different in that respect.
Two nights ago we were drinking some brewskies with our good friends up the street. My friend’s sister, Kelly, whom I’m also friends with, pulled up in her SUV. It was packed to the gills with shit for their trip to Clearwater, Florida. (Kelly, meet Katrina.)
Anywho, I remarked on how crowded it was inside. Kelly then told me that in addition to her husband and two kids, grandma and grandpa were also coming along.
So I offered up my van (2004 Toyota Sienna). It has oodles of room. She has insurance, I have insurance. I also offered up our portable DVD player, but she didn’t take me up on either offer.
