Hey whats up? This works great especially with the Maximas... When driving at cruising speeds like 50 60...And then u hit a light and you know how all of us hate pressing our breaks right? Well when you are driving that fast then what i do but if you do it alot it ruins youre engine... Your in Drive.. Try to slow down to a nice speed 30 40 around that.. Put your lever into 2nd shift and then 1st shift... After that when the light is green 1st shift will let you go up to about 25 miles per hour.. You then go from first to Drive and your set.. WARNING.. if you do it periodically it MIGHT ruin ur engine... It hasnt with mine because i am a great driver and it burns gas but its better for your breaks.. there is PRO and CON side.. Aight peace out

Yes this can help but I usually go by the simple philosophy that the engine is for making the car go and brakes (everyone needs to learn how to spell this) are for making the car stop.

Simple.

That's insane. Brake pads are a lot cheaper than trannies. Might work like that for a manual transmission car, but don't do it in an automatic.

You took the words right out of my mouth...

New brakes - $75
New Tranny - $2500
The look on your face as you realize this as you're stuck on the side of the road unable to move - Priceless.

Your braking technique works great on rental cars!

Sorry man but that's not all that smart to do. Brake pads are a lot cheaper than a new engine and transmission. As long as you don't go into excessive rpm, it might be ok, but not necessary. I drive a 5-speed and time the lights also. I coast it in gear to slow me down as long as the rpm doesn't go beyond 2,300. Basically what you are doing is using the gear ratios to slow you down instead of the brakes. I don't think that's a wise choice. I know a girl that screwed up her 00 Civic's auto transmission by doing that. She would upshift and downshift as if she were a manual all the time. Just be cafeful. Besides when you wear out you brakes, you'll have an excuse to get the Wilwood big brake upgrade.

New brakes are still less expensive than a new clutch for us manual guys.

For automatics, you're putting more stress on the transmission and the fluid, so monitor your trans fluid carefully and change it more often. A drain and refill would cost as much as front pads. A flush would cost less than rotors.

tan

Pretty much the worst idea I've read in a long time. BTW, I guess I'm not one of those guys who "hates pressing on his brakes.." I mean, that's usually what I do when I want to slow down or stop...





/aac

Why would it work better in a maxima than any other car? Like let's say ummmmm a GTP?

Let's say we don't take your advice and DON'T damage our transmissions, okay? Thanks.

Next time keep the great advice to yourself.

I've tried this before, and with the Maxima's S U P E R W I D E gear ratios, the engine braking doesn't do much. I mean the car can do 80 in second gear(try it Maxdude00)It works better in cars with closely spaced transmissions. I do do this when I'm speeding and see a trooper. I can slow down without brakelights, so he thinks I've been doing the limit.

this guy is a genius!

Sorry dude, this is no break through.. You are no genius. I hope nobody follows your advice.

ZuM

Would it be better just to put the car in neutral and let it coast? You'd be using the friction of the tires with the ground to slow you down...??? Just a thought...

Nam

KEEP IT IN "D" (drive)!!!!!

!!!

/aac

i use the flinstone method, i open my door and stick my foot on the ground to slow down my car. good for car, bad for your foot.

works everytime

**you may want to buy a good winch to pull it back in for the next stop, LOL.

Regards to your costly driving habbits

Your transmission is already designed to perform
engine breaking without you force breaking.This puts a great stain on your one way clutches to a point of no return.Let the trans.do it's proper functions and you change your driving habbits.Trust me as a Nissan Tech.
$3,500.00 dollars for a new trans could be better spent on the cars looks.

So drive on!!!!!!!

LMAO!!!!

Genius, I think we should make this a sticky.

My question is why would you even consider this? You know its bad. Why do it? Honestly it isn't worth it, the brakes are on your car for a reason and they should last for a while....

After 8 long years...

IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Wow this IS an old thread, I think if we look through it we might find some artifacts! haha

But honestly I've never heard of anyone doing this, I mean I know you can shift to 1 or 2 when going up a steep slope or whatever or if you are descending and want to have the engine brake for you. But I have never heard of using those two gears as a braking method.

But since we are weighing the differences between wearing your brakes to the point of no return or your transmission, I think if you needed to slow down without having your brake lights come on you could maybe pull your parking brake slightly and then let go to leave it locked while easing off of the gas.