[marcw]

This idea may come from the old adage that you should put a stopped manual transmission into neutral so as to reduce wear on the thrust bearings of the clutch. I've never heard of a modern car losing a thrust bearing and it's usually good to be in gear so you can move quickly if necessary. I would take this with a grain of salt or at least get an expert opinion.

Marc

 

[marcw]

Regarding downshifting vs. coasting to a stop and braking:

There's an old adage that brakes are far cheaper to replace than clutches and gearboxes.

That said, it still is more fun to downshift...