Volvo S40

[Minpin]

But none of the MINIs start at over $24,000, either, with the exception of the JCW.

350Z's start above 24 and last I heard the base one doesn't have cruise control either. I think it's an outrage, really. I though cruise control had been standard since like the 60's!

[Raza]

350Z's start above 24 and last I heard the base one doesn't have cruise control either. I think it's an outrage, really. I though cruise control had been standard since like the 60's!

Certain cars are for certain purposes and therefore don't need certain things.  Take a car like the Evo.  Some people (like me) might have to pass on the car because of a lack of cruise control, but if cruise control doesn't matter for someone, and the Evo's driving style suits them, then they can be free to buy it. 

Cruise control and stuff like that are real world conveniences that don't necessarily apply to everyone.  For me, driving a 200+ mile straight line stint without cruise control would be annoying and it would kill my gas mileage. 

[TBR]

I wouldn't buy a car without cruise control.

[J86]

I dont have cruise control   When I get in a car that has it and I try to use it, it always ends up frustrating me because other cars get in the way!

[Raza]

I dont have cruise control   When I get in a car that has it and I try to use it, it always ends up frustrating me because other cars get in the way!

You have to know when to use it.  Do you cruise in top gear at 20mph?

[J86]

You have to know when to use it.  Do you cruise in top gear at 20mph?

only on sundays

[Raza]

only on sundays

I think my car would hate me for that.  It doesn't even like 4th @ 20.

[J86]

I think my car would hate me for that.  It doesn't even like 4th @ 20.

same.  I drive a freakin' Honda, it likes to be revved!

[Eye of the Tiger]

n00bs. the jetta can do 20 mph in 5th gear all day long.

[Tave]

it would kill my gas mileage. 

I'm not sure about that. Cruise control can't see the approaching hill, although it would keep you from exceeding a set speed (probably).

[J86]

I'm not sure about that. Cruise control can't see the approaching hill, although it would keep you from exceeding a set speed (probably).

but it can keep ya from speeding!

[The Pirate]

I'm not sure about that. Cruise control can't see the approaching hill, although it would keep you from exceeding a set speed (probably).

No, it definitely helps.  My fuel consumption on the slog home to my folks' house is a good 3 to 4 mpg when I just set the cruise, instead of trying to hold the same speed myself.  With modern fuel injection and computer systems, the car is much more efficient at making adjustments (throttle, fuel delivery, etc.) to compensate for terrain and keeping the car at a constant speed and constant, minimally changing throttle input.  All those variations of throttle application hurt your fuel efficiency.

That sounded better in my head, but I think you can get the gist of it.

[Minpin]

I like cruise control for the simple fact that for extra long drives i don't have to be on the gas the whole time. It's nice to get semi "relaxed"....Not to mention that it keeps me right at 70, not from 60 to 85+ depending on the song..

[TBR]

I like cruise control for the simple fact that for extra long drives i don't have to be on the gas the whole time. It's nice to get semi "relaxed"....Not to mention that it keeps me right at 70, not from 60 to 85+ depending on the song..

My drive back home was all straight and had a 70 mph speed limit for all but 4-5 miles, cruise made my life much easier and almost certainly saved me from a ticket or two.

[hotrodalex]

Cruise control puts me to sleep. I hate just sitting there. I need something to do.

[Raza]

Cruise control puts me to sleep. I hate just sitting there. I need something to do.

I do needlepoint on the highway. 

[hotrodalex]

I do needlepoint on the highway. 

I don't trust myself with needles when I'm already bored and kinda tired.

[Raza]

I don't trust myself with needles when I'm already bored and kinda tired.

Dark side of the spoon, eh?  We all have problems.

[280Z Turbo]

I like cruise control for the simple fact that for extra long drives i don't have to be on the gas the whole time. It's nice to get semi "relaxed"....Not to mention that it keeps me right at 70, not from 60 to 85+ depending on the song..

As I was driving the Z today on the freeway I longed for cruise control. The gas is so twitchy (thanks to the turbo) that it's hard to keep it set at 70.

[Laconian]

You don't have Cruise Control, but you wish you did.

DATSUN! turboooooooooo

[hotrodalex]

Dark side of the spoon, eh?  We all have problems.

Didn't quite mean that. Just that I'm willing to bet something would end up with a needle in it - whether it be me or the car.

[Lazerous]

No, it definitely helps.  My fuel consumption on the slog home to my folks' house is a good 3 to 4 mpg when I just set the cruise, instead of trying to hold the same speed myself.  With modern fuel injection and computer systems, the car is much more efficient at making adjustments (throttle, fuel delivery, etc.) to compensate for terrain and keeping the car at a constant speed and constant, minimally changing throttle input.  All those variations of throttle application hurt your fuel efficiency.

That sounded better in my head, but I think you can get the gist of it.

I understood it.
I've only ever used cruise control on the highway. I doubt people use it in the city anyway; do you guys use it in the city?

Anyway, I agree with what you said about cars today. When I am going up or down a hill I can't even notice the needle moving due to the incline/decline slope. But I can 'feel' the car instantly make changes whether it be a little tug forward when going uphill or a backward when going downhill.

[Raza]

I understood it.
I've only ever used cruise control on the highway. I doubt people use it in the city anyway; do you guys use it in the city?

Anyway, I agree with what you said about cars today. When I am going up or down a hill I can't even notice the needle moving due to the incline/decline slope. But I can 'feel' the car instantly make changes whether it be a little tug forward when going uphill or a backward when going downhill.

No, I don't think I have.  I did it a couple of times in school zones back home when they had a habit of placing cops in hidden spots to pull people over should they stray over 20mph.  And where I live there's a street where there are two schools right next to each other, so the school zone is about a full mile long, if not longer.  Crawling about at 15mph for that long is unbearable when you're used to doing 50 on that street. 

[Lazerous]

No, I don't think I have.  I did it a couple of times in school zones back home when they had a habit of placing cops in hidden spots to pull people over should they stray over 20mph.  And where I live there's a street where there are two schools right next to each other, so the school zone is about a full mile long, if not longer.  Crawling about at 15mph for that long is unbearable when you're used to doing 50 on that street. 

Yeah, that's understandable. There is a school zone that I too pass through and it kills me to go from 55ish down to 20. Thankfully the school zone is only like 200ft long, tops.

[Tave]

Anyway, I agree with what you said about cars today. When I am going up or down a hill I can't even notice the needle moving due to the incline/decline slope. But I can 'feel' the car instantly make changes whether it be a little tug forward when going uphill or a backward when going downhill.

How are all those little corrections going to guarantee you better mileage? What's the difference between that and "floating" around a given speed, while making less inputs over time?

[Lazerous]

How are all those little corrections going to guarantee you better mileage? What's the difference between that and "floating" around a given speed, while making less inputs over time?

Well the corrections are mostly done when on an incline/decline. Other than that your car should simply hold the motor at a constant RPM variable. The way I see it saving gas is in terms of wind resistance. I don't see wind resistance being much of a factor when your cruise control corrects for what is at most a difference of 1mph of your set limit. For example, you had your cruise control set on 80 and for whatever reason your car drops to 79, it'll take a lot less to get back to 80.

If you're modulating the gas pedal yourself then there will very likely be differences of up to 5mph if not more. Your speed will vary widely. Let's say you drop from your "floating" speed of 80mph down to 73mph because of a lapse in attention, as soon as you see that guy behind you is gaining up on your tail you will look at your speedo and realize you are doing 7 less than where you would like to be and thus you will likely press the gas pedal 3/4 the way down in order to quickly get back to your "floating" speed. This will be met with great wind resistance not to mention you are near the WOT threshold = bad gas mileage.

[Tave]

I can see that. I still think cruise control must waste gas on hills, no matter how precise the inputs are, and here's why:

Ideally, a driver without cruise control will make his adjustments before he even reaches the hill. He will speed up, gear down, whatever--on the relatively flat road (or maybe decline) approaching the hill. A car with cruise control will have to increase throttle, gear down, etc...ON the hill itself. It's going to take much more gas to go from 73-80 on a hill than it will to go from 75-80 on the flat.


Also, you're example assumes that everyone who doesn't have cruise control is going to attempt to mimic it. I know I don't drive like that. I'm OK with floating a little bit.

Now, where cruise control would help me is during those times I decide to float far above the speed limit. Believe me, it's more likely that I'll check my speedo and notice I'm doing 85 than it is to see I'm at 65

[Tave]

One more point:

If you're modulating the gas pedal yourself then there will very likely be differences of up to 5mph if not more. Your speed will vary widely. Let's say you drop from your "floating" speed of 80mph down to 73mph because of a lapse in attention, as soon as you see that guy behind you is gaining up on your tail you will look at your speedo and realize you are doing 7 less than where you would like to be and thus you will likely press the gas pedal 3/4 the way down in order to quickly get back to your "floating" speed. This will be met with great wind resistance not to mention you are near the WOT threshold = bad gas mileage.

Yes, but you can't factor acceleration alone. You also must consider all the time you spent at 73 compared to the time you would have spent at 80 with cruise control.

[Raza]

I can see that. I still think cruise control must waste gas on hills, no matter how precise the inputs are, and here's why:

Ideally, a driver without cruise control will make his adjustments before he even reaches the hill. He will speed up, gear down, whatever--on the relatively flat road (or maybe decline) approaching the hill. A car with cruise control will have to increase throttle, gear down, etc...ON the hill itself. It's going to take much more gas to go from 73-80 on a hill than it will to go from 75-80 on the flat.


Also, you're example assumes that everyone who doesn't have cruise control is going to attempt to mimic it. I know I don't drive like that. I'm OK with floating a little bit.

Now, where cruise control would help me is during those times I decide to float far above the speed limit. Believe me, it's more likely that I'll check my speedo and notice I'm doing 85 than it is to see I'm at 65

So speed up before you get to the hill.  Cruise control doesn't lock out inputs, you know.  It will correct itself after you let off the gas, unless you brake (it will turn off with braking).  Cruise control isn't autopilot, you still have to pay attention and adjust to traffic conditions.

[Tave]

So speed up before you get to the hill.  Cruise control doesn't lock out inputs, you know.  It will correct itself after you let off the gas, unless you brake (it will turn off with braking). 

After you let off the gas, it will coast back to the set speed, and then downshift/increase throttle/etc... The most you'll do is move the process halfway up the hill. It won't be as effecient as someone doing it themself.


I know what cruise control is, you prick.