Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Ellis · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 8:55 pm Post subject: Cruise Control

How many of you use the Cruise Control in your modern daily cars?

I have to say that I do not, I haven't felt "safe" or "in control" of my daily on the two occasions that I have used it - on motorways only incidentally.
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1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

colwyn500 · Joined: 21 Oct 2012 Posts: 1745 Location: Nairn, Scotland

kevin2306 · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 9:15 pm Post subject:

I dont use the cruise control but I do use the speed limiter function

Kev

alanb · Joined: 10 Sep 2012 Posts: 517 Location: Berkshire.

I also just use the speed limiter on my merc. Far more convenient than the cruise control.
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peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

I love it!

Just the tiniest touch on the brake pedal kicks it out if you find you are needing to slow up, then "resume" if you want to return to previous speed or "set" if you want to maintain the current speed.

Unlike some older systems it maintains the selected speed very accurately up hill and down dale so as colwyn says it's excellent for average speed limited sections.

I use it most of the time out of town unless conditions demand lots of speed changes.

I wouldn't buy another modern without it.

Peter
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Peter_L · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:05 am Post subject:

I use the cruise control quite a lot. The sensation of speed varies with road conditions, surface and surroundings. We do a lot of long haul road trips and it makes the whole thing that more relaxing. Through road construction sites, the limit is very often 60 mph for 10's of miles, with stiff penalties for speeding.

Peter S comments about maintaining the speed up hill and down dale, one word of warning is to touch the brakes and cancel before steep descents or the system will initiate a change down in order to keep the set speed.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Peter_L · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:45 am Post subject:

47Jag · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 4:03 am Post subject:

I use it and the speed limiter but one of the drawbacks is when you come up behind someone who is doing less speed than you are which usually means dropping out of 'auto-pilot' until they move over. Interestingly I was passenger in a BMW X5 last week which had adaptive cruise control. When an 'obstruction' pulls out in front of you it automatically adjusts the speed to maintain a safe distance, then when the road is clear again it resumes your setting.

Art

Keith D · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:26 am Post subject:

I use mine all the time on our relatively empty country roads and love it. It has probably saved me a lot of money in speeding fines.

When selected on my car, the thing drops about three gears, sticks her tail down and 3.5 litres heads off like it's bum is on fire! Complaints to the dealer get me nowhere. "They all do that!" is the excuse I get. So I have learned to drive sedately up to the speed before re-engaging the cruise.

However when driving in the UK I find it too much bother to use as with your traffic density I am always tripping it off when cars are all around me at varying speeds.

Keith

ka · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 600 Location: Orkney.

Ditto earlier comments, on the drive from Orkney to Nottingham, I use the cruise on the A9, and again on the A/M74 then on the M6 until the M55 junction, when the 'I own the middle lane' habbits take over and the finer control of the throttle and brake pedals is required.
If you want to see this obsession at its best, try the Thelwell Viaduct, 5 lanes and still no hope!
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Better three than four.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

lowdrag · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1600 Location: Le Mans

When you say "modern" cars there is a world of difference between the old style of cruise control in the eighties, which "hunted" and either accelerated and braked, and the modern systems. I use mine every time I can, especially here in France where long distances are feasible due to the lack of traffic. I certainly wouldn't be without it. I remember driving from Estepona to Biarritz in one day in the W124 and changing feet to keep going because one got so tired. I've not been without cruise control for the last 20 years now.

Minxy · Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 273 Location: West Northants

Yes I use mine on long runs...love it, it gives me a much more relaxed drive I find. Does anyone else notice their average MPG goes up when on cruise??

emmerson · Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 1268 Location: South East Wales

There is a story that says that Mike Hawthorn was killed because he was using a hand throttle fitted to his Jaguar.
I have CC on my range Rover and love it!