Do you step down on the clutch when you put the car in Neutral?
My friend just gave me the silliest argument asking why do I step down on the clutch when I shift out of gear whenever I get ready to stop. I understand his point of view that it's unnecessary to hold down the clutch and just shift into neutral but I say it's just a habit....

 

i usually step on the clutch to get out of gear, and then release the clutch. i always heard that holding it in would wear out the spring. it is also unnecessary.

and if i'm lazy, i'll tap on the gas and shift out of gear.

 

yes

 

Yes I step down on the clutch to put the car into neutral. Then I take my foot off the clutch.

 

I never even heard of just throwing it in neutral without holding down the clutch.

 

Same.

 

Apparently the point my friend was trying to say was that you can shift into neutral without holding down the clutch and it's much easier. I've tried it and it works fine. But like I said I'm used to just holding down the clutch. I even hold down the clutch and stay in first gear most of the time in red lights.

 

You can physically shift to neutral without the clutch, but it is better for the syncromesh sleeves to depress the clutch.
Afterwards, get off the clutch with the car in neutral.
Holding the clutch in at the stoplights stresses the throwout bearing more than another shift from neutral to first.

The only time I've had to replace the clutch in the Integra was because the previous owner wore out the throwout bearing.
That bearing then split, causing the friction disc to come down out-of-square, glazing it and causing it to slip.

 

^
Likewise.

 

I tend to use the clutch only to get into first then I have the habit of rev matching to shift up or down.

When I am on the track or spirited driving I use the clutch for all aspects of driving.

I have never worn out a spring plate, but I have burned many a clutch into oblivion which comes from high rpm driving, dumping the clutch and general hard driving.