the 'cruise control' experience..........
the 'cruise control' experience..........
Author
Discussion

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Hello all,

Just had Cruise control fitted to my golf (chipped GT TDI 182BHP) to feel more comfortable travelling to Hull on the M62 due to the large number of tallivans on there.
Takes the stress out of, and makes more easy the art of driving at 30MPH on a 3 lane motorway with scamera lasers ponting at you.
Quite impressed with it to be honest, but as the speed doesn't vary by as much as a whisker while it's switched on, I have noticed some interesting things.
It can actually make driving quite fun (and I didn't think I'd here myself saying that).
Flying round roundabouts is quite fun, as is taking those sharp bends on the A63 at 70MPH. Good stuff.
Not particularly safe I wouldn't have though, I drive much faster where I shouldn't with the cruise on, though ironically, within the speed limit so the tallivans can't touch me.
A police car would probably pull you for driving a bit fast round these bends, but there aren't any.

Fuel consumption has gone down, along with safety, though if i'm not breaking the speed limit I MUST be safe mustn't I?

That's the message to new drivers anyway.

Incidently, a colleague of mine in a powerful automatic has great fun at lights by simply switching the cruise on when they go green.
Car screams off, all the way to 30MPH, then stops accelerating and just sits there.
Does it moreso when there's a police car behind him.

Tafia

2,658 posts

271 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
bryan35 said:
Hello all,

Just had Cruise control fitted to my golf (chipped GT TDI 182BHP) to feel more comfortable travelling to Hull on the M62 due to the large number of tallivans on there.
Takes the stress out of, and makes more easy the art of driving at 30MPH on a 3 lane motorway with scamera lasers ponting at you.
Quite impressed with it to be honest, but as the speed doesn't vary by as much as a whisker while it's switched on, I have noticed some interesting things.
It can actually make driving quite fun (and I didn't think I'd here myself saying that).
Flying round roundabouts is quite fun, as is taking those sharp bends on the A63 at 70MPH. Good stuff.
Not particularly safe I wouldn't have though, I drive much faster where I shouldn't with the cruise on, though ironically, within the speed limit so the tallivans can't touch me.
A police car would probably pull you for driving a bit fast round these bends, but there aren't any.

Fuel consumption has gone down, along with safety, though if i'm not breaking the speed limit I MUST be safe mustn't I?

That's the message to new drivers anyway.

Incidently, a colleague of mine in a powerful automatic has great fun at lights by simply switching the cruise on when they go green.
Car screams off, all the way to 30MPH, then stops accelerating and just sits there.
Does it moreso when there's a police car behind him.


Can you tell us what the cruise control cost?

Cheers

Yugguy

10,728 posts

258 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Got cruise (as standard! lol) and speed limiter on the 172. I find it handy on long cruises but you end up barrelling up behind cars that normally you'd start slowing down earlier.

It's interesting watching how many people seem incapable of cruising at a constant speed though, even on a flat.

Cooperman

4,428 posts

273 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Yes, it's great in these speed limited days. I use mine all the time and drove from York to Biggleswade early one morning without putting my foot on the throttle pedal once, just used the + and - on the steering wheel control. Set it to 79 indicated all the way on the A1.

jj.

578 posts

293 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Yep I agree. One of the best options on my car is the cruise control. I wouldn’t buy another car without it. It’s so useful for holding your speed down to 30/40 in these restricted areas. Makes driving through long wide 30 MPH limit’s so easy as you can concentrate on the road ahead and not taking your eyes off the road to check/adjust speed, etc.

I normally do a late night weekly run from Enfield back to MK. I can get on the M25 at J 24, and not touch the accelerator once until J14 of the M1 (normally including the joining carriageway between the 2) about 40 mins later. It makes the drive back soooo relaxing and calm and fuel efficient!. It also stops me getting ‘carried along’ when someone faster over takes you.
jj

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
to convert the golf costs I think about £300.
(It was part of the deal when I bought the car, but was fitted slightly later)
It's quite gentle. eg if you are in 1st and turn cruise on (which is set at 70) it doesn't throw you back then explode tryin go get there.
clutch and brake pedal dissengage it. You can accelerate and it just returns to the previous speed when you release.
Quite a pleasant drive all in all.
and not slow either. You don't slow down for hills for instance, and don't risk you license going down the other side.

LRdriver II

1,936 posts

272 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
[redacted]

nel

4,828 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Yep - sad though it is cruise control is a great licence saver. The problem is that function where you can accelerate as much as you want then let the speed fall back to the cruise setting. I enjoy using it too much....

cen

593 posts

258 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Love it set the speed limiter to 10% plus 1mph over the limit for the road and bring on plod

cdp

8,019 posts

277 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Does it allow you to limit your maximum speed as well as cruising and where did you get it from?

bryan35

Original Poster:

1,906 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
the golf doesn't have a speed limiter, though you'd think it would be easy to do as the cruise is all software anyway.
I didn't know that till I noticed that the accelerator pedal has a data lead going to it rather than a cable.

Flat in Fifth

47,971 posts

274 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Have heard in VW/Audi group cars, eg Skoda that fitting cruise control is a matter of buying the relevant column stalk, fitting and getting a friendly VW expert to update the software settings.

What trying to say, is all the wiring and software is present just needs connecting up at the stalk and saying to the computer, cruise control fitted. That is even if cruise is not listed as an option.

Maybe someone else can come up with a more techie answer.

Agree about other drivers inability to keep a constant speed, I mean it varies second by second ffs!

Record run on cruise was exiting services just south of Glasgow, set at indicated 72-3, true 70 +/- a gnats wossname.

Temporarily disengaged at M6 jn 8 to position for off slip onto M5, back on and fially turned off a few junctions down M5. Average 69.9 mph, null points.

Not sure I like the cruise which will work from a standing start per somebodies post above. Think mine will not set below about 18mph.

FiF

edited as the original didn't make sense..... nowt new there then!

>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 28th September 15:39

rsvmille

713 posts

261 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
I have it as standard on the Audi and when I drive something else I really miss it. Driving through cash making zones becomes stress free.

And it is good fun when you switch it on at 160ish and take your feet off the pedals

I find I use it alot in 30 areas!

cdp

8,019 posts

277 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Yes I find cruise excellent on Dad's XJ8 for faster roads but tried a C class with cruise and the limiter which was so useful. In a 30 zone as I could watch the ROAD instead of the speedo and vary my speed according to conditions.

I hope the government isn't watching these threads or it will sound like approval for ZombieDrive (TM) speed restrictors - the Merc allows you to turn it off so the driver is always in control.


Imadreamer

353 posts

269 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
quotequote all
Fitting cruise on any drive-by-wire VAG car is relatively simple. It took me about 2.5 hours to fit it onto my Leon myself. It really is just plugging in a new stalk and then telling the ECU that the stalk is fitted. There is a small amount of wiring to do but it is very easy.

medicineman

1,817 posts

260 months

Tuesday 28th September 2004
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The new motors got CC and its the first car I've had with it. I always get the impression I'm travelling faster with it.

JohnL

1,763 posts

288 months

Friday 1st October 2004
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Government won't make it widespread as it would mean lower income from speeding fines.

Tafia

2,658 posts

271 months

Friday 1st October 2004
quotequote all
cen said:
Love it set the speed limiter to 10% plus 1mph over the limit for the road and bring on plod


Watch that in North Wales. I spoke with a lady last week who was done for 32 in a 30.

Tafia

2,658 posts

271 months

Friday 1st October 2004
quotequote all
I had cruise on an automatic Audi 200 turbo a few years ago.

Bought it as a toy really. £1500, main dealer trade in.

'twas brill but the computer was showing a fuel consumption of 9 mpg a tad too often..........

MilnerR

8,273 posts

281 months

Friday 1st October 2004
quotequote all
Had a hire car in the USA with cruise control, thought it was great. Especially liked the 5 minute overtaking when you crept up behind a car whose cruise control was set 1.5mph slower than yours and you'd pull out and overtake them over the course of about a mile (long straight roads, no other cars about).