Cruise Control---Yes or No? (MPG, drivers, speeding, highway)

[Brian.Pearson]

The cruise on my 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier (five speed FWD) is smooth, going up or down hill.. I have the advantage of saving money from tickets that has more than paid for the CC, plus, I save money on gas. My speed varies only by one MPH uphill or downhill. If my CC had been female, I would of married it.

[compwrench]

Originally Posted by jtur88

I hate cruise control. Especially on the Interstate, when I find myself playing chicken all the time. Can I sneak into the passing lane before I hit the bumper of the slowpoke in front of me, or should I switch it off? And I think it wastes gas---I don't mind going up a hill at 60, but my cruise control insists on downshifting to suck me up the hill at 68. There are a few times I've used it, out west on lightly traveled flat straight 2-lane highways, but I start to get stir-crazy, I want to take back control my own car.

I use mine instead of my foot. just bump it up 2 mph as you start up the hill and it usually unlocks the clutch in the converter, enough to get you pulling quicker before the big downshift. On steeper hills push the OD off button and beat it to the shift and it wont grab two gears.

[compwrench]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

One of my favorite "urban legends" is about the guy who sets the cruise control in his conversion van and goes to the back to get a drink. The van runs off the road and he dies. Never happened.

In Texas you have to say

"Watch This" before you do that!

[stan4]

I've used my Explorer's cruise control a lot. It seems smooth and really maintains an even speed on long drives. My Mustang's a little choppier, but ok, too.

My other car has adaptive cruise control - neat feature. You don't have to keep turning it on and off (off and then resume) b/c it senses the car in front of it and maintains distance (slows itself down and speeds up as needed). Haven't had a lot of chances to use it (as the Explorer is the long trip car).

[Ohiogirl81]

I don't like it, either. I don't like anything that takes away the feel of the road or the feel of control. This also includes power brakes and power steering, and an automatic transmission.

[Laura707]

We use company rentals a lot and I use them in the cars have them so I won't end up doing 80 to 90 MPH. In a different car, you creep on up there without realizing it.

[CortlandGirl79]

Originally Posted by Laura707

We use company rentals a lot and I use them in the cars have them so I won't end up doing 80 to 90 MPH. In a different car, you creep on up there without realizing it.

That's how i ended up w/my first ticket......it was doubled for being a construction zone w/no construction.........$270. All because i was the DD and drove someone else's car.....grrr!!!!!!!!

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by CortlandGirl79

That's how i ended up w/my first ticket......it was doubled for being a construction zone w/no construction.........$270. All because i was the DD and drove someone else's car.....grrr!!!!!!!!

Gotta love those Revenue Enhancement er, CONSTRUCTION zones... There was one on I-71 North of Louisville AGES after the construction was finished. And they worked it HARD...

[rosecitywanderer]

I would never buy a car without cruise control.

The cruise on my Santa Fe is smooth except the resume function occasionally hesitates up to three seconds before kicking back up. The owner's manual calls this hesitation 'normal'. I call it annoying.

I don't understand cars that don't have a 'cancel' feature on their cruise buttons or stalks. My buddy's Focus doesn't have a cancel button and I found it aggravating to have to tap the brake in order to cancel the cruise so I can resume it later. My Santa Fe has a cancel button which I use all the time to the point that I have almost never pushed the brake to cancel it.

[ShelbyGirl1]

I hate cruise control and never use it! Guess I'm too much of a control freak