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I've just purchased my first automatic car, and it's got tiptronic, i.e. can change gears manually and easily.

Previously, with manual cars, I liked to engine brake to save on brake wear, and I understood that it's good for the engine because of normal lubrication and not much fuel to wash oil off the cylinder walls.

Does this sound correct to you?

Tom

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 30 August 2009

Using the transmission to help with slowing the car is perfectly acceptable. It can also be used to 'hold' the transmission in a particular gear which can make overtaking or driving up long inclines easier.

Not sure about the fuel wash theory however.