That's what I've been told it's called; changing down a gear (3rd to 2nd) to slow down the car just like breaking. Is this a "bad" thing to do to our cars or does it just not matter? Would just using the break pedal every time be a better idea? Just don't want to screw up my engine and yes I watch the RPMS every time I do it.... 2002 GT. Thanks. :)

You should be ok as long as you aren't changing down gears at too high of an RPM.

It's bad for the stock clutch and transmission. If you have aftermarket on those parts, or you have beefed them up a bit, it is perfectly fine. What you are doing is not brakeing with your gears, you are brakeing with your clutch and transmission. If you do it too often on stock parts, you can actually rip your transmission from your engine. I've seen it done once, and ridden in a car when it happened another time. It is better to just pop your car in nuetral and use the brakes.

So if I want this car to last a looong time I should not do this? I guess it makes no difference if you have a manual or automatic? Forgot to mention I am using that Sportronic mode...... Thanks

heres the deal, when you downshift and let the tranny gears slow the motor down, instead of just using the brakes, you are eating the clutch, possibly the throwout bearing (in manual trannys) if the car is stock, its not such a bad thing as long as you arnt going 60 in 4th and dump it into 2nd. when my pops taught me how to drive, this is how he taught me to slow the car down. Over time it will cause clutch failure. its a fact.

Thanks for the info guys. :thumbsup: