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Let me first start by saying I don't agree in having the engine off while coasting down a hill, power accessories are more important for control of the car if there was need to avoid a collision of any sort. So while I'm not condoning it, I'm bringing to light another part of our car. Some people might have read hypermiling blogs like I have, where they actually recommend drafting a transport truck and turning off your engine; obviously that's extremely dangerous.
Besides all that, leaving the car in gear going down a hill runs the engine from the wheels anyway, so turning off the engine isn't going to save a whole lot. Plus, since it doesn't count miles while your engine is off, it's not going to help your fuel mileage calculations, since you won't know how many miles you would have gone, in addition to the fact that you need to restart the engine which will burn a little more gas.
Unless you take the key out, you still have manual powering and manual brakes, which you need to use a lot of physical force to drive. I know this since I unfortunately had to pilot a k-car down a steep hill (over 10 years ago) with no power steering or brakes, when it died on me. It's something you wouldn't want to normally do, even if you save a tiny bit of gas. Stopping a car without power brakes is tough.
Regardless the fact still stands, although it's pretty much useless; cars (at least this one) with an electronic odo do not count miles while engine is off. Done.
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