Sorry for the noob question, but I am fairly new to driving manual and I always wondered how to properly brake to a stop.
1) Some have told me to clutch in, brake, and just cycle through the gears without clutching out until you have come to a stop.
2) Others have told me to just clutch in, downshift, clutch out and repeat until 2nd gear at which point you will clutch in and stop.
3) Others have said the best way is to do the same as 2) but heel-toe rev match while you are downshifting so you can brake at the same time

I'm assuming 3) is the 'correct' way, but also the most difficult?

 

Most of those sound like emergency ways of stopping. You know that way you can be in a gear if you need to hit the gas.

I kick in the clutch and hit the brake at the same time. And just through it in neutral after I hit the clutch.

The other ways are A LOT of work, EVERY TIME you stop. You'll get tired of that after 2 days.

 

Thanks, that does sound pretty practical... but wouldn't there be a delay if say, the light suddenly turned green again?

 

Not really...I use the engine to brake all the time and I don't get tired of it, it's just the way I drive...that's like saying manually shifting is a lot of work and you'll get tired of it...

 

Do you heel-toe every time you brake to a stop?

 

Not starting anything, but you run through all the gears to slow down. I use the engine to brake sometimes too but not every gear. I guess I'm just lazier.

 

If you're a noob, just pop it into neutral and roll to a stop. If you want to have some fun, downshift while braking, but be sure to rev match as you shift.

 

Just the time it takes to push the clutch in and shift into gear. 1 Sec.?

 

I like how you popped that if your a noob comment in there. After driving track-trailers you'll be more than happy to just put it in neutral and roll to a stop. It must be nice to not have any traffic where you live.

 

Same here, I can't imagine going through ALL the years when slowing down. Just put it in neutral and coast, use the brakes when needed.

 

Well, the OP said he was a noob. And since I don't drive big rigs, I'm more than happy to downshift most of the times. But there are still times when I just pop it into neutral and coast to a stop. It all depends upon my mood at the time.

BTW, I'm not sure where you think I live, but believe me when I say there is more traffic here than most other places. Definitely within the top 5 in the country.

 

I just stay in whatever gear im in and brake to a stop. if im in 5th or 6th ill shift into neutral at higher speed...like ~20mph

 

So the speed at which the car will stall is greater as you go up in gears, correct? ie you can travel at a lower speed without clutching in 2nd than you would be able to in 5th?

 

No..i just dont want to bog the engine in the higher gears..Mike and MCSA know all about that hahaa

 

I've always put the clutch in and put it in neutral then realse clucth and use the break in all my MT cars. That's the way I was taught. If I know I don't need to make a complete stop then I keep the clutch in and put the car in 2nd and apply the brake but I don't realse the clutch, but that's only if I know I don't need to make a complete stop.