Re: Driving ethics

["kevin kobielusz" <kkobielusz@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>RE the email about driving and braking, I had a question...
>Is it ok to downshift when driving an automatic as the email said?
>IS this ok for the transmission and engine? What exactly occurs when you 
>downsh
>ift to the engine. I was told compression in the engine increases but what 
>is t
>he actual mechanism slowing down the car?
>
>And if it is ok to downshift in an automatic what is the correct way to do 
>so?
>
>Thanks
>Syed
>

I think that guy was bitching about people who lightly tap there brakes in 
heavy traffic when it would be more sufficient to just lay off the throttle 
to keep that safe distance between you and the car ahead of you.  Anyway, 
downshifting to slow down is a bad idea unless you're descending from a 
mountain.  Then you want to use the tranny to help slow down to save the 
brakes from overheating.  But downshifting as you come to a stoplight for 
instance makes no sense.  Sure your brakes might last longer, but so what.  
It costs a lot less to have brake pads replaced than to rebuild your 
transmission.
- -Kevin

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End of bmw-digest V9 #1315
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