Brakes to slow, gears to go s the IAM's stance on it.
Engine braking used to be taught in the old days as brakes were rubbish.

I use my brakes to slow me down then change gear to match the speed.

Engine braking can seem effective but as the brake lights don't come on it doesn't help when someone slams into the back of you.

It depends on what's going to happen. If I just need to slow down slightly but not change gear, then I used to ease my foot off the accelerator and allow the car to slow down. If I could see that I'd have to come to a stop, I use the brakes, then dip the clutch just before coming to a complete stop.

Now I have an automatic, it's all academic. I have noticed that you get a lot less braking effect from the engine, but I don't really need it because the brakes are pretty powerful anyway (as a Volvo driver will attest a week ago when he almost ended up in the crash barrier on the M56).

If I am rolling into a village, or rolling to a reduced speed area, then I'll just roll off the gas and let the vehicle slow down on its own. Same for a corner, roll off the gas and get the gear right to power through the corner.

If I'm coming up to a junction, then I'll probably brake.

This mainly comes from advanced driving and biking courses - especially biking. If you brake hard, you load up the suspension and the vehicle, especially a bike, is unsettled and cannot handle as effectively going into a corner or if you are already braking hard and something happens, then you have a lot less reserve than if you have just let off the gas.

Did a massive drive yesterday, and figured that I do this.

Was bombing down some country lanes, really putting my car through its paces and by GOD was it exhilarating! Curving dips, sharp corners, chicanes (?) at high speed is amazing.

Annoyingly I missed out on some potentially amazing corners because there were hedges/blocked vision.

But yeah in the back of my mind I just had a little voice saying "Brakes cost hundreds to replace, gears cost thousands to replace..."

Thinking a bit more about it. I tend to slow down using my brakes and change gear down to a gear that is appropriate for accelerating out of a corner I am approaching and then use the engine braking effect of the gear I am in to slow down the car further so I just need to press onto the accelerator to move away from the corner.

One thing I really don't like doing is changing down a gear either during a corner or afterwards because I'm in too high a gear to accelerate away.

As an advanced driver, I have been trained to the system of vehicle control that I believe is also taught by the IAM.

Information, Position, Speed, Gear, Accelerate.

Information- We constantly receive information and in this case, any information that indicates a need to manoeuvre- slow down, steer around something for example is the first stage of the system.

Position is self explanatory. Adopt the correct position for carrying out the manoeuvre. Now, it could be argued that position comes after speed such as when you slow down approaching a parked car and then adopt a position suitable for passing it. In this case you actually go back to "Information" which is a constant input anyway and take it from there.

Speed. You should slow down in one of two ways- taking your foot off the accelerator or by braking. Getting off the accelerator is the best way and if you use accelerator sense, you will drive with greater fuel efficiency and less wear and tear- (see below)

Gear. Once you have reached an appropriate speed for carrying out the manoeuvre, you then select the correct gear, so you can go from fourth to second or even first if it is necessary to slow right down or stop. If you want to accelerate more quickly out of a bend for example, you could opt for a lower gear than you would use for cruising at that speed- e.g. use second instead of third. You change gear to MATCH the speed NOT to reach it.

Accelerate- Once the manoeuvre is carried out, you can accelerate to the speed that you travel at normally.

It is important to remind you that "information" input is constant and when the information is updated, then the process of selecting position, speed and gear is also updated.

Accelerator sense- If you keep a fair distance from other vehicles, or on quiet roads, it is entirely possible to make substantial journeys without touching the brakes. I once travelled on a road through three sets of traffic lights, up and down hill, around several bends and junctions and even turned into a car park and only touched the brakes when I stopped the car in the car park. The total distance was around three to four miles. Driving like that all of the time will save loads of fuel and wear and tear.

That's pretty much how my advanced riding course (sponsored by Thames Valley Police) went trigen_killer. In most circumstances, if you are paying attention, you shouldn't need to upset the balance of the vehicle by applying the brakes - pay attention and save the brakes for when they are actually needed.

I don't use my brakes either.

I use my brakes to stop.

If I'm coming to a sharp bend, I give myself enough time to ease off the accelerater enough so when I pump the clutch the car is at a nice enough speed to change down a gear.

I'm also very strange, in that I leave my foot on the clutch, if I have to change gear rapidly down the box, rahter than pumping indiviually.

I've never worn out a set of brake pads yet - I tend to replace pads when I get a new car, and they then last as long as I have the car (which historically isn't all that long, admittedly).

I have, however, worn out four clutches in my life. Can you guess what technique I use?

Seriously though, I tend to slow down with the engine, as long as it's a controlled effort that doesn't strain the engine/clutch. I use the brakes for more serious slowing/stopping. I've had many times when I've been following a car down a hill - they have their brakes on constantly the whole way down, I don't touch mine. They often end up going faster than me, with their brakes on!

I never use engine braking, there's no need to, we have brakes. Putting an engine at high revs only puts excess wear and tear on your engine, the cost of new brake pads over engine component? I know which I would prefer.

I don't get this thread. :/

People are saying that it puts excess strain on your engine mounts, clutch etc. What do you think happens when you set off? Clutch is slipped, engine is rocking about on its mounts as it's under load.

And putting an engine at high revs - You're supposed to match the gear to your speed and RPMs. For example, if you're doing 50 in 3rd, and the engine is at 4500 revs, you can just let off the revs and downshift when you get near like 1k- idle speed, change down another gear.

And modern engines can more than cope with high revs, and all the other stick you'll give it.

hm that reminds me, id just done a tiny bit of driving today, I put £5 of fuel in my car and got 40p of fuel free LOL! cos its a weird fuel station that the owner fills it for you and he did it wrong lol so when I was driving back from this place I was exploring this big red square light came on to the left of the speed dial, never once seen it before on, I think its the oil warning light(?) should I be worried?

Who is talking about changing down and dumping the clutch? You should always double declutch anyway. But we are talking about looking ahead, spotting an obstacle and rolling off the gas and allow the vehicle to slow down naturally... Changing down to the next lower gear once the revs have reached bottom in the current gear, no excessive revs, no dumping the clutch.

Yes, that is the accepted wisdom now. However, when I took my advanced test twenty-odd years ago it was all about double-declutching and using engine braking.

Has anyone tried a proper double-declutch on a syncromesh gearbox? It sounds impressive, with the little blip on the throttle for the downshift, but otherwise makes no difference at all!

I still use engine braking approaching junctions, although I tend not to change down the gears unless I have to. Equally, it's not something you can easily do in an automatic, but the engine braking effect is still apparent. I got very good at driving a long and windy road, including one hairpin bend, without touching the foot brake or handbrake, much to the annoyance of those who followed too close to my tail. I think more than one hit the kerb on the hairpin, and I'm sure one damaged their front wheels.

I double declutched my brother Austin Healey Sprit into first at 10mph. Freaked the heck out of my brother, the Sprite doesn't have synchro on first 8)