I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this thread, so if it's not, move it....thanks.
I have an 03 Cav with an eco.
I have put several sets of brakes on my car since I bought it, I recently purchased a set of hawk pads and powerslot rotors so this set will hopefully last me longer...my question is...
I know when you drive a manual transmission, when you downshift the engine brakes and slows you down. I can do it with my auto, but is it safe??
Like if I'm in Drive and down shift to third and then eventually second to slow down is that bad for the motor or transmission? It's going to extend the life of the brakes obviously because I'll be using them less, but am I cutting my nose off despite my face???
How long does a typical set of pads last for you?
My first set lasted me 20k
The second set I bought were cheapies and lasted me 10k
The third pair I bought were AC Delcos and the lasted me 21k
I just bought a pair of Hawks with Powerslot rotors I'm installing them myself. Will these last longer than the previous sets I've purchased?
Brake pads don't last forever. Mine Average about 17K.
My wifes car is about the same.
2004 Grand Prix GTP (Competition Group)
SOLD-->1999 Z24 5M-#30 to register on JBO
"You can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all the people'
all the time
well it can be done, i wouldnt reccomend it, you more than likely wouldnt hurt anything but it could be harder on the bands/clutch discs.
_______________________
** Flat Broke Racing Inc.**
i have done it. just don't down shift where it will bring the rpms up to high. it will sound like your motor is going to fall out. it strains really bad. but below 3500 rpm isn't to bad. at least i'm guessing its a 3500 since i don't have a tack. just listening to the engine.
New sig in the works
An auto will downshift itself within a reasonable range to help with engine braking. There is absolutely no reason to do it yourself and it's generally not a good idea.
Nothing good comes from pretending the auto is a manual. The only reason you CAN manually shift it is for reasons when you are supposed to, such as when going down steep hills and stuff.
my atuo only down shifts after sitting at 1k rpms for a second or two... you dont even feel it down shift, no help in braking at all
i do it sometimes... never had any transmission problems
I think that leaving it in drive would be more benefitial. If you insist on pulling some handle to slow down, try the ebrake handle. I am comming to 15K on my cavi, and if I have to get hard on the brakes, I can feel the warp in the rotors. I suggest getting lifetime warranty pads, and just replacing them when they wear. Slotted rotors will eat the pads away faster then regular. So if you are looking for longer wear, stay with stock rotors. Other'n that, I downshifted once in my 90 model auto, to see what I could slow down in distance wise, then didn't, and actually stopped faster without downshifting. The transmission was fine when I sold it.
Quote:
Slotted rotors will eat the pads away faster then regular. So if you are looking for longer wear, stay with stock rotors
Not necessarily true. My pads with slotted/cross drilled rotors lasted for 32k miles before they had to be changed. 5-speed.
-da chinchilla
<img src="http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/jiggamon/avatar15569_2.gif">
hmm... i'm still on my factory brakes with just under 31k... am i missing something???
im at 39k on factory brakes
I changed my brake pads at 55k and they were just getting to the bad point. Could have lasted about 2k more but I replaced them with better pads. dont know why you guys are having so many problems but 55k seems pretty good to me.
Your short brake life probably has a lot to do with how you drive. If you are warping rotors, try getting on the brakes sooner and drawing out your stopping distance. If you do a lot of city driving you'll also wear out a LOT sooner then if most of your driving is highway. I replaced when I bought the car with 137k km on her and the pads were just replaced at 185k km. They weren't bad, but I was at the garage anyway, so I got them done while I was there to save me the trip. By the way, most of my driving is city.
Longevity is not acheived through mediocrity
Transmission are made to be used to slow the vehicle if placed in a lower gear, as said before, for things as steep hills and trailer towing. It will increase wear in internal parts though, even if you have a trans cooler. This is true for manual transmissions too. Whats easier to replace, brake pads or internal transmission parts? Use one save the other. Front pads are what $40?
It didn't help they never redesigned our brakes since the generation 1 cavaliers that weighed much less, needless to say this will cause our brakes to not last very long.
Most brakes should last 30-40K miles of so in front and rear drums about double under "normal" conditions, (freeway driving, no stop and go etc...) but I know that we all don't drive like this so you will get about 1/2 the life under severe service, (Which should be called real life, unless your a 92 year old grandma who always warms up her car and never takes shorter than a 10 minute trip and only drives on freeways and never in the rain or snow or dirt or on hills)
03 Cavalier LS
Ecotec 5 Speed
