Braking

Brake... always brake. All other choices will cost you alot more money in
repairs. A transmission on your car is $5000+ repair. Cruise control in your
situation is useless.

Brake pads are cheap
 >> Stay informed about: Braking 

In article <17599-48598839-58 RemoveThis @storefull-3134.bay.webtv.net>, Doug Bell
<DOUGBELLD25 RemoveThis @webtv.net> wrote:

> Gentlemen: I need some advice.
>
> On my daily commute I go down a hill for approximately two miles in
> usually bumper to bumper traffic reducing speed from 60 MPH to 40 MPH. I
> try to keep proper distance from the car in front.
>
> My question is: Which is the least damaging method of slowing the car
> down during this assent? The brake, down shifting gears or using the
> cruise control?
>
> I'm, driving a 2006 E350 MB.
>
> Thanks for your expertise.
>
> Doug
>
>
>
> Brakes, no question. Yours are anti-lock. Use as hard as you need to. Be aware.
> If you apply the brakes pretty hard the computer will apply then fully.
The first time it happened to me it scared the hell out of me. The
dealer told me there is no way to turn this "feature" off.
Bob
>
>
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Braking 

Thanks ! )

Brakes it is. I've been using the cruise control to slow thing down and
it works great..but I can certainly see the cost difference between
brake or transmission replacement.

Thanks again.
Doug
 >> Stay informed about: Braking 

On Jun 18, 3:12 pm, DOUGBELL....DeleteThis@webtv.net (Doug Bell) wrote:
I live in the Eastern Sierra, and, for example, the road that leads to
the campground above town climbs over 5,000 feet from 3,975 ft to
9,300 ft. in 13 miles, averaging 7% for the entire 13 miles from my
home. I always use the braking force of the compression of the engine
when I come down a very long grade like that.

I wouldn't worry about it damaging your engine or transmission. It
puts less stress on them than accelerating.

The brakes on my 300 TDT are very good and well designed to transmit
heat. They are unlikely to fade under most circumstances, but I still
use engine braking always on big mountain grades and so does everybody
else who lives in the mountains who knows how to drive properly. I
have had brakes fade once or twice when I was driving VW buses long
ago, and it is pretty scary because suddenly your brakes will not stop
or slow down the car.

I have never had that happen with a car with 4 wheel disk brakes
though, but, then again, I always use engine braking. It's something
my father stressed when he was teaching me to drive.

Gentlemen: I need some advice.
>
> On my daily commute I go down a hill for approximately two miles in
> usually bumper to bumper traffic reducing speed from 60 MPH to 40 MPH. I
> try to keep proper distance from the car in front.
>
> My question is: Which is the least damaging method of slowing the car
> down during this assent? The brake, down shifting gears or using the
> cruise control?
>
> I'm, driving a 2006 E350 MB.
>
> Thanks for your expertise.
>
> Doug
 >> Stay informed about: Braking