Michaeltruco

So I just want to know if downshifting my car will wear my clutch faster or what it's doing

This is how I do it:
1. Brake
2. Press the clutch
3. Put 2nd gear (while still doing step 1)
4. Pull clutch back out slowly until completely out (while still doing step 1)
5. Press clutch again and put in neutral
6. Keep braking until completely stop or until needed

country hick

Any time you depress the clutch you are wearing on it. Where do you want your wear to go? Clutch? Brake pads? Which one is easier and less expensive to replace?

Michaeltruco

Clutch is pretty damn expensive so yeah, I'll just try to leave this bad habit and start using just brake to stop my car. Thank you!

One

I europe they teach you to be in neutral as little as possible. Remember that at speed you need rpm to deliver max pressure to steering and vacuum for braking. Also in europe they teach you to when you get stopped at a traffic light to be in neutral and engage your hand brake. This way is you get rear ended and possibly incapacitated or stunned, you do not roll as far or even worse roll into oncoming traffic in 1st gear. Just food for thought.
As to wear- using some engine braking is desireable. 3rd is usually best suited depending on the car/gearing. 2nd is too short usually. When downshifting try to give it some gas to match your rpm. This way your clutch has to overcome little difference in rpm. This is perfected by truck drivers that actually do not use clutch at all to downshift (floating gears) but car transmissions are not suited for that due to the synchros. I keep catching myself not using the clutch to downshift in cars due to my 1.5m trucking miles.

petursa

Before engaging the gear it is advisable to "rev-match" the car as is puts less stress on the clutch. This is done by revving the car a bit before releasing the clutch, just popping the revs a bit up, not holding the accelerator in.

If you do that you should stop feeling that drag when you release the clutch.

the_duke

Shift without the clutch. Up shifts are pretty easy but downshifts can be a pain until you learn to rev match.