Moving from xDrive E90 to 6mt RWD F30, engine braking?

[greenzee]

I cut my teeth the last 3 years on a 2011 xDrive auto, and the time has come to turn her in. I am moving to a 6mt RWD 2013 F30, very excited. It's been 13+ years since my last manual trans.

My question is this, back in the old days I downshifted and engine braked at will. I guess it was how I was taught, although I know a lot of folks always said "brake shoes are cheaper to replace than a clutch, don't engine brake". The F30 is much more car than I ever had in the past in an MT, and not sure what it likes best. What say you, 6mt drivers?

Thanks.

GZ

[r33p04s]

Have at it!

Sent from my thumbs to your eyes

[kevbh]

If you plan to downshift as you brake, you really need to learn to heel-toe properly, otherwise you are just adding more wear to the clutch. That said, the pedal placement on the F30 seems decent for heel/toe, but I'm having trouble getting my rev matching right. I'm used to my E30, and E46, and the F30 doesn't rev as quickly as those cars when I blip the throttle. I may need to try switching to sport mode for better throttle response. The F30 is a very nice manual to drive, though. Good luck.

[sak335]

I can't say for the F30, but my E36 M3 did 135k miles on the original clutch. I only changed it because the throw out bearing was making noise, there was plenty of material left on the clutch disk when I swapped in the new stuff and I utilized engine braking via downshifting most of the time. I think as long as you are not manhandling it, that it will take it. If you've been out of the manual game for 13 years, it will probably won't take long for it to be natural again, but may be a little bit before you get your heel/toe downshifts nice and smooth again.