Gotcha, thanks for the advice. Mountains out here in Utah have some pretty steep grades (7+ %) so even if you let off the gas you are definitely going to accelerate. With some of the steep grade sections lasting 10 miles plus it can be pretty rough on the brakes by the time you are out. If I drop it into 2nd on a moderate grade I can maintain the speed limit at a decent RPM without touching my brakes. The front rotors on this car warped not too long after we got here, so I've been leaning more toward engine braking. I guess if it's that bad for my transmission I would much rather replace the brakes/rotors...
