Cruise Control

Al1944

Al1944

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How many of us have cruise control on our cars but don't use it?

I used it for the first time last week on a trip to Devon and will now always use it on motorways etc. Managed to get to our destination without the usual stiff back and sore legs - absolutely fabulous bit of kit.

Al
 
Well it certainly worked for me. You don't have to keep your leg extended to the throttle, so that probably takes some tension out of your back as well as your leg. You can also move your legs at will now and again whilst maintaining the same speed. Any adjustment to speed can be done on the steering wheel controls.

Do you have cruise control and do you use it?
 
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Visiting my Mum is a 10 hour drive.
Pre-cruise, I used to constantly glance at the speedo, tweak the throttle, look ahead; and repeat.
I did this without thinking too much, but on a long journey I think it is a major factor in creating fatigue.
Cruise has totally changed how I feel at the end of a long journey.
 
Well, unless you like living dangerously, the right foot still needs to be in the right place for the brake...

I'm not a great lover of cruise control, but what I do find incredibly useful is the speed limiter
 
Al1944 said:
Well it certainly worked for me. You don't have to keep your leg extended to the throttle, so that probably takes some tension out of your back as well as your leg. You can also move your legs at will now and again whilst maintaining the same speed. Any adjustment to speed can be done on the steering wheel controls.

Do you have cruise control and do you use it?
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I don't have it but have tried it on another Picasso so pedals are in the same place and felt a little unsafe with my right foot off the throttle pedal - In mine (and with my foot on the pedal in the CC equipped car) I felt that I knew exactly how to move my foot should I need to brake hard. The more automation one gives a car, the less attention one needs to apply to the job in hand and I can't help feeling that a 2 tonne chunk of steel etc deserves all the attention it can get.
 
The Audi has it, first car in 25+ years of driving I've owned with it fitted and I use it on quiet motorways and in average speed zones if the traffic is flowing freely. If there's a lot of traffic I don't.

With it engaged I do feel somewhat detached from the whole driving process.
 
Dads car has it, he swears by it for fuel economy, especially in long drawn out 30 zones and the like where I always struggle to get his car to stay efficient. I don't have it in my car and don't want it, Driving is something I enjoy, I don't want anything interfering thankyou very much.
 
I found my fuel consumption improved (small engine - 1.6 petrol).

Al
 
I use it when I want to sit on a clear motorway at a set speed, but the trouble with most m'ways is you can rarely get a clear run without having your speed affected in some way, even in the inside lane.

As for fuel economy, I've found that it can improve it when used for prolonged periods, but when you constantly overriding it to overtake slower moving cars (or suchlike) you do see changes to your economy because you're either accellerating or changing gear, altering the revs
 
I love cruise control for fuel economy. Back when I used a 420 S-class Merc, it would raise economy from about 21 to about 24mpg.

The other amusement is when you set your speed at [say] 70mph and find yourself passing and then being repassed and then passing and then being repassed by other drivers whose throttle control and awareness is obviously brilliant! :lol:
 
I can't remember the last car I had without cruise control. :thinking: And I would never buy one without. Same goes for hire cars.

I love the dynamic cruise control that senses the vehicle in front. I've used it on a couple of hire cars abroad but don't have it on either of our current vehicles.

And it's not just for motorways. I use it virtually all the time :clap:
 
Yves Geza said:
The other amusement is when you set your speed at [say] 70mph and find yourself passing and then being repassed and then passing and then being repassed by other drivers whose throttle control and awareness is obviously brilliant! :lol:
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haha not just me that gets that too then! also makes you realise how much people slow on hills.

I always use CC on the motorway now, only exception is if it is too busy to be useful. I don't tend to use it on anything else as I don't feel as much in control...you can see what is coming 99% of the time on a motorway and plan ahead. Will always use it in 50mph roadworks though, makes life so much easier (unless the tool in front keeps slowing down and speeding up).
 
having an injury to my right leg meaning holding my foot in a fixed position aches after about 10 minutes its a godsend for any motorway/dual carriageway - won't have a car without it again.
 
I use it on the bigger roads when traffic is light.

Just being able to shuffle my back and legs into a slightly different possition to the one I drive in makes a huge difference on long journeys.

I'm sure the car accelerates quicker with the throttle on the wheel than the throttle on the floor too LOL
 
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I use mine quite a bit, but the wife can't get her head around it.

She also had a problem using 6th gear in my old motor, would only use 5th unless I reminded her!
 
Used it all the time on the open freeways when we lived in South Africa. Just set it for 125 kph and forget about the speed traps, and the cops lurking in the bushes expecting a bribe to 'make a plan' and forget about it. My fuel consumption came down dramatically too.

Mind you, SA freeways tend to carry far less traffic than the ones in this country, apart from during holiday periods.
 
i have cruise control in my honda frv.... i tend not to use it as it costs more to get to your destination.... the fuel consumption in considerably higher

if i go to my nans 52 miles away (48 of motorway), i can get there and back in 17 quid without cruise control..... the time i done the same journey using cruise both ways (was attending funeral and was mellowing) it used about 21 quids worth of fuel over the 104 miles

the motor always throws more fuel than needed incase of a sudden inclimb to prevent speed loss
 
Handy when I need to swing my legs over to the passenger seat so the missus can massage my feet :lol:
 
I've only just bought my first car with air con, think it will be a long time till i get one with cruise control :lol:

Though i have used it once in one of our pool cars at work when on a long trip to visit a customer, and i have to agree with some of the comments above, it does take the stain off your back and legs, and works a treat in average speed camera areas
 
Use it everyday, motorway and a and b roads just easier to keep to the speed limits for prolonged periods Driving an average of 200 miles a day 5 days a week. Makes a big difference, used to hate it and it took a while to get used to, I never used ti feel in control in the jeep I used to drive but the Nissan is great
 
tezmed said:
i have cruise control in my honda frv.... i tend not to use it as it costs more to get to your destination.... the fuel consumption in considerably higher

if i go to my nans 52 miles away (48 of motorway), i can get there and back in 17 quid without cruise control..... the time i done the same journey using cruise both ways (was attending funeral and was mellowing) it used about 21 quids worth of fuel over the 104 miles

the motor always throws more fuel than needed incase of a sudden inclimb to prevent speed loss
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Whilst I can't explain why your car uses more fuel, because it really shouldn't, that last statement is total nonsense. The car will react to the road speed, if you're going down hill it will back off the throttle to prevent the speed increasing too much, going uphill (and therefore slowing down), it would increase throttle to maintain the speed, just as you would if operating the throttle yourself. On the level, it will constantly adjust to maintain progress on the least possible throttle - it certainly doesn't just 'throw in more fuel' to cover eventualities.
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
having an injury to my right leg meaning holding my foot in a fixed position aches after about 10 minutes its a godsend for any motorway/dual carriageway - won't have a car without it again.
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Sorry to hear you have health issues and I can see that CC would be ideal for you to relieve some of your pain. Hope your issue is treatable and that the pain is well controlled.
 
Had it on my second to last car and then missed it terribly when I got my last car. Cruise and a proper spare wheel were the only extras I put on my present car.
 
I use it every day.....it suits my all round laziness!! :)

Definitely helps with the fuel economy on steady/longer runs too!! :thumbs:
 
The way CC works on each make of car is likely to be different.

It's all controlled with algorithms and these will be different across manufacturers.

My (limited experience) of CC is that it will increase power at the last moment when it feels the need to say climb a hill whereas perhaps someone contolling the throttle manually will use more gentle accleration early on or let the speed bleed off a little until they reach the crest.

I remember a Top Gear challenge where Clarkson took diesel Audi from London to Scotland and back using 1 tank of fuel. He said he wasn't going to use CC as it was "ham fisted" and he could do a better job feathering the throttle himself. (although with Clarkson you do usually need to take a handful or two of salt :lol:)
 
It would appear none of you have ever been on a fuel bonus.
I will happily teach you all to drive for economy if you wish to save money.And economy driving is nothing to do with crawling around.
CC cannot read the road ahead and often uses inputs of throttle when they are not required.
 
fabs said:
I've been using cruise control in the Focus for 3 years, works like a dream.

Those all appear to be American, mine was built in Germany. :p
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They *are* all American, it did involve UK-supplied Explorers -remember, the ones with Firestone tyres? :eek:
 
starletman said:
It would appear none of you have ever been on a fuel bonus.
I will happily teach you all to drive for economy if you wish to save money.And economy driving is nothing to do with crawling around.
CC cannot read the road ahead and often uses inputs of throttle when they are not required.
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Indeed, 72mpg from my right foot driving to York.. You can tell I was on expenses :D
 
Nod said:
Sorry to hear you have health issues and I can see that CC would be ideal for you to relieve some of your pain. Hope your issue is treatable and that the pain is well controlled.
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isn't really pain, just a constant ache/cramp

essentially the muscles up the front of my leg (the ones stopping me flooring it) have poor blood supply/are irreparably damaged so don't work properly.

Moving my foot up and down in traffic is fine, as is braking - only sitting at roughly the same speed is an issue
 
If a car has cruise, I will be using it. Makes the drive much more enjoyable and means you'll never speed.

My Dad is the only person I know who hates it though.
 
Yves Geza said:
I love cruise control for fuel economy. Back when I used a 420 S-class Merc, it would raise economy from about 21 to about 24mpg.

The other amusement is when you set your speed at [say] 70mph and find yourself passing and then being repassed and then passing and then being repassed by other drivers whose throttle control and awareness is obviously brilliant! :lol:
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You have pointed out my pet hate on the motorways,,,, their a burden to every wagon car and coach driver out there... *puts soap box away*

As to cruise, lovely thing, still need to concentrate and in certain instances you can get better economy with your foot but on a motorway? with only slight gradients? it chews up miles :)

Anyone who is reporting worse economy,,, what are they driving? things like 4x4's (or that kinda car body) has a lot of air drag so 65 mph is about the tops you can get away with without drinking.

Other things to consider is Auto VS Manual, 2 cars with cruise the auto tends to kick down on gradients where you would normally sit in top gear.

Also, I have found modern diesels are terribly fuel hungry simply from bad gearing where as an example a 2.0 Audi Diesel the 6th gear sits at 70 below the turbos main boost region (way below in fact!) so the engine is technically always choking when you come to any climb.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
They *are* all American, it did involve UK-supplied Explorers -remember, the ones with Firestone tyres? :eek:
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The Explorers were still built in America though.
My Mk2 Mondeo would accelerate and revs rise a bit, going up hills on CC, not a problem most of the time unless the hill also involved a bend, but a small dab on the brakes, or just switching the CC off on the steering wheel would sort it. My Mk3 Mondeo however maintains speed and the rev counter doesn't even visibly move. I invariably switch the CC on as soon as I start driving, then set the speed as soon as I'm ready and I'll use it as much as I can. If I need to accelerate, I put my foot down, it goes, take my foot off again and it returns to the set speed again. If in traffic, I just use the reset button to switch it on or off again to accelerate or slow down. It has never made me feel detached from the driving experience, it just gives you more time and concentration to notice what other motorists are doing around you and predict what they are about to do. As a couple of people have said earlier, it's amazing the number of people who have poor throttle control and can't maintain a speed, I've lost count of the number of people who have overtook me just before the start of a hill or even small incline and then seem to lose all momentum and fall behind again just as they managed to get alongside.
I'd say driving on cc was very economical I used to average 40mpg on mixed driving in my Mk2 Mondeo which was a 2.0 petrol even averaged 44mpg over a tank once. My Mk3 is a 2.2 diesel and it usually averages around 50-55mpg over a tank, I have averaged 60mpg with a bit more motorway/dual carriageway driving. At 70mph the trip computer usually shows around 64mpg, dropping to mid to high 50's on inclines.
 
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