Just an informal poll here. Two questions.

When you are coming to a stop, especially like an exit ramp, do you shift to nuetral and coast in or do you downshift?

Second, When you are about to shut off your MINI, do you turn everything off [AC, Radio, etc] or leave it on?

My wife leaving everthing on drains the battery and coasting ruins the transmission. You opions matter. If my wife wins she gets my MINI for a month!!

 

1. coming to a dead stop, no question about it - I shift to neutral
2. I do not make a point of turning off the stereo (though it is rarely used)

The reasoning is:

1. brake pads are cheaper than drive train parts (and mebbe I'm just lazy)
2. key off cuts power to the accessories (at least on mine)

Good luck with the debate...

 

I've been carrying around an embedded image of that horrible coasting scene in "The World According to Garp" so I'd have to say that I'm a shifter who turns off the accessories.

 

1. Coaster
2. I leave everything on and just shut off the car.

Interestingly enough, you'll find that on the second gen cars many of the "switched power" accessories remain powered for a while (some are quite long) after the car is shut off and the key is removed.

 

Never, ever out of gear except to shift, and for the last few feet of stopping. You never know when you're going to need to power out of a situation.... if you're out of gear, it's too late.

For commercial vehicles (at least in the USA) this is the law. You will fail to pass your driving test if you coast out of gear for longer than the length of your vehicle.

Oh, and I do NOT turn everything off. I will turn the volume on the radio down if it is loud.... but otherwise it all stays on.

 

-I downshift without the clutch to second, then neutral, doesn't wear on the clutch and cars are built to be driven. I see very little point in not using the engine as an engine. I will guarantee u put more wear on it accelerating onto the freeway once than u do leaving it in gear all day.
-Just turn off the car and leave it all on

 

I have an automatic transmission, it shifts down as I come to a stop. On my manual shift cars, though, it's generally clutch in and foot on the brake when I come to a stop, then I select first, it's rarely in neutral.

Everything turns off when the key is removed on my MINI also.

Dave

 

I heel and toe every time i am coming to a stop, love the feeling of being able to perfectly match the revs, even more so before i enter a turn. For me it is all about being as smooth as i can be driving, weather it is on the road, Autocrossing, or the track, I practice my drivintg skills everytime i am behind the wheel.

When I am done and the car is parked, its just like the checklist when I fly, everything gets shut down.

 

What MoonDawg said, except that I usually turn off the A/C when arriving at my destination and drive to my parking space with it off and I usually leave it in neutral when I'm stopped because my leg gets tired if I have to hold the clutch down (and I'm lazy).

 

I'm a coaster and always shut everything off.

 

I coast, but usually only the last couple of car lengths...but my new car is an auto, so I don't do anything unless I'm in manual mode, which is rare on the street.

I simply shut it off, I don't turn off every **** and switch - the car takes care of that for me.

 

I turn off everything when stopping, so there is less draw on startup especially the AC. I also coast to within a few feet then go to neutral. Downshifting needlessly wears the clutch as it grabs big time. Brake pads are cheaper.

 

Downshift until just before I come to a stop (i.e. when my speed is so low that leaving it in second would cause lugging). Once stopped, if I'm going to be stopped for more than about 10 seconds, I'll pop tranny into neutral and release clutch while I wait.

When parking, turn off lights, turn radio volume down. Turn off aftermarket GPS when it asks.

 

Coaster for me.

I leave everything in it's 'on' position.

Too late now but if you create a poll for this type of informal survey you'll get more 'scientific' result, and maybe you wife won't get the MINI for a month

 

1. I usually coast in gear but sometimes downshift for the fun of it. I have never worn out a clutch or gearbox.
2. I always shut the lights off but may or may not shut off the radio, fan, etc.
3. I never take sides in domestic disputes unless bribes are involved.

 

I guess, I'm bi (if that's possible)? HA! I downshift/coast intermittently, depends on my mood, although I do try to shift over coast when I can. Always in neutral at a stop light (a college buddy taught me the value of that and I've done it ever since..unless on a really tricky hill!). I usually leave everything on, much to the chagrin of my Type A sister (when she's my passenger), who cuts absolutely everything off when she shuts off her car. I think I might start trying the idea of turning the amenities off, it seems pretty logical and maybe less stress on the car? Always worth the try, I suppose.

 

hell toe or rev match to every light... habit i guess. I only replace front pads maybe 1 every 2 yrs or less

 

1. coaster for sure, I love to eek out MPG's. If I see a red light coming up, I'll start coasting way back unless there's cars behind me. I have a hilly drive to work and I coast down hills to gain momentum up the next hill all the time.
2. no, why would I?

 

If you're matching your revs no significant friction material is lost as you are matching clutch speed with engine speed

 

Mix of downshift & coast...don't like to tax the engine or the brakes.
Everything gets shut off as I'm entering the garage at work and at home.

Question if I may...: Which is better for the car...car in neutral and clutch dis-engaged while stopped vs. clutch engaged and car in gear?

 

Neutral and not in gear is best for the car,
I dont do that only cause i was rear ended once, I like to be able to move out of the way asap so normally the Clutch pedal is down and the car in first gear when at a light

 

i never new it was a law you can't stay out of gear longer than the length of your vehicle.. oops

 

1. Coaster when the road ahead is visible and no traffic around. Though it may not be true, I seem to instinctively feel that a few less clutch presses, when aggregated over time, is better for the longevity of parts.
2. Interesting to see the posts on here and the years of particular cars. My wife has a 2010 MCS and we turn everything off before turning the car off. I agree with the person above mentioning the drain on AC unit.

 

1. Coaster
2. Always forget to turn things off.

 

Yes it is a law.

For OP.
I tend to coast in gear to get the most mpg. I leave everything on when I shut down.

If driving spiritedly I then heel/ toe to rev match. If I am first or last in line I leave in gear ready to move if need be. (Too many years of riding motorcycles to not be prepared) In the middle of a line of cars stopped, I am in neutral.