[stinos]

use my brakes as little as possible

I play this 'game' all the time, everywhere, and when it's time to slow down more than what simply releasing the pedal does I'll first try to shift down and have the engine brake for me. The latter not only because it lowers fuel usage but also because it makes me keep even more distance, which is the key point for me. It is just so much safer (hitting another car because you cannot brake in time isone of the most common accident types) and leads to much more relaxed driving without fast acceleration/deceleration. Only disadvantage so far: other drivers not understanding it and passing you in anger.

[iwwr]

Still, instead of wearing out the cheap & quick to replace break pads, you wear out your transmission.

[xixixao]

If you are shifting correctly that is not the case. The "breaking" is achieved by the engine, the wear on the transmission is the same as when you are stepping on the gas.

[thatcat]

It also cause pressure waves in the exhaust system since you're using the vacuum forming in the engine to slow you down, which is more noticable at low rpms due to the slowing of the positive exhaust pressure changing to intake vacuum frequency. Going from acceleration to engine braking at low rpms, such as in traffic jams, has caused a weaken seam in my exhaust system to break.