Cruise control with Speedtronic variable speed limiter

[blassberg]

Who uses their cruise, and how?

I never use the cruise function - I don't trust myself and worry that I would get distracted and end up in a wreck, lucky to be alive. That was reinforced recently by a friend who fell asleep and ended up in a (non MB) wreck, lucky to be alive.

I use the variable limiter every day. In town i sometimes use it to max at 30. In temporary speedlimits on motorway roadworks I always use it. They like catching you there as there are more dangers. I always use it on the motorway.

For me it gives relaxed cruising, slows down as soon as you remove your foot from the gas, easily caters for cars not using cruise, protects your licence in certain circumstances and was a strong factor in staying with a MB.

May others I know hardly use it.

What say you?

 

[mlc]

Charlie,

Not sure that I understand your concern, if you are doing 70 on the motorway and fall asleep I suspect that you would hit something regardless of whether you were on cruise or not.

I have had crusie for the last 18 years and wouldnt really consider a car without it. It saves fuel and your licence, plus the whole drivng experience is more relaxed - what more could you ask for

Mark.

 

[blassberg]

Hi Mark

I have had similar responses in conversation with others but I seem to hang on to the fact that the limiter requires more right foot input and that helps to keep my mind on the job, and has the don't go too fast advantages of "cruise".

 

[pascal]

Limiter, in built up area (only sometimes), but never on M.ways or major rds.

Cruise, M.way and open road where a reasonable high speed can be maintained.


Amused to hear someone blaming the cruise for falling asleep.:-D
Maybe he/she whould change his/her CD collection to a 'Lively' band. (Heavy metal?)

 

[peterchurch]

I always have the limiter set to 90 on motorways, I find the SL is far too comfortable at excessive speeds. again I use it to reduce my top speed in raodworks etc

 

[Myros]

it's not that hard driving my mercs

and the c280 doesn't have it, and it is partially u/s on the sl, so I give my right foot a work-out. I have to say, I'm a luddite, and don't trust them anyway. I keep thinking they might want to get even for that last notchy gearchange or bit of hard cornering by scaring the pants off me.

 

[blassberg]

trying to do the champagne lifestyle on beer income

yeah - I'll have another pint of that French stuff

 

[E Class Newbie]

To Cruise or not to cruise

I use cruise almost constantly when not in stop start traffic and have done for the past 3 cars and 200k plus miles. Wouldn't even remotely consider a car without it. Best invention since WD40!

It's far more relaxing on the motorway and saves fuel too.

But, by far and away the most useful aspect of cruise is that I use it now to maintain a constant speed in 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 limits to avoid getting a ticket - and it works. No speeding fines in last 200k miles, even though I'm a high mileage driver (hope I'm not tempting fate here!!). I do go over the limit on motorways (who doesn't) but nowadays I stick to the speed limit as ruddy cameras and mobile speed traps are everywhere now. Takes a few weeks to adjust but then you don't notice it (and actually you arrive within minutes of when you would with more hasty driving and feel more relaxed!).

I don't use the speed limiter as I don't like the sensation of running out of puff. I know you can overide it by using kickdown, but I just don't like it. Once you get into the habit of setting cruise to the speed limit it's pointless anyway. I gues it's only use would be in cities where it's all 30mph and stop start, but even then I don't use it personally.

 

[GlynC]

Cruise

I have the Distronic function which works extremely well and I often use this on the motorways. Makes me slow down a bit and reacts very quickly to berks who either pull in too short or come out in front of you to close.
On a trip abroad they are great on the "open" French roads where the traffic is far less congested than the UK roads.
All in all I'm in favour!

 

[SLinKyjoe]

i use the limiter near me (when my legs are in working order that is) as we have the holiday parks for road camera round here. i find it is brilliant for avoiding tickets. and it does mean i look more intently when i am in a car that hasnt got it. so it means i spend more time watching where i am going rather than the speedo so that can only be a good thing. this is one of the anti car camera groups main objections to them by the way.

the cruise i use when on long runs. i will use it on A and some B roads if i can get to a speed that is suitable so i dont have to slow or speed up (A65 to the lakes is a good one for about 53mph). i dont like useing the stalk for speeding up. i use the pedal and rest the cruise to the new speed when i am happy. it tends to speed me up agresively and seems to instigate a kickdown whereas the pedal can generate a more gentle acceleration.


i miss both when i dont have them and one reason i got rid of the scooby for the R171 was the limiter device, in conjunction with a huge increase in cameras near me....

i find 131kph on the motorways is the right speed for not catching people up too fast and not getting in peoples way when you pull back in

 

[jeffers104]

I'm a very rusty newbie! New because I've just joined and 'rusty' because I'm a tad short of my 80 mark! Yuk. Still I've just bought an SLK 200 (R171 Phase 1) a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoing it too! Was even ferrating around underneath it checking for rust - very little (but what lies behind those pans methinks?!) - and sprayed a bit of Bilt about just to keep me happy! Previously I had an MGF VVC so this is somewhat upmarket for me and Im extremely overwhelmed by the 'gizmos'! Especially Cruise Control and Speedtronic. So as always - as I like a challenge p- I wrote the following paper on it. Mainly so I could keep referring to it. It's the memory you know!!
What do you think guys? Have I got it anywhere near right?

 

[Blobcat]

I'm a very rusty newbie! New because I've just joined and 'rusty' because I'm a tad short of my 80 mark! Yuk. Still I've just bought an SLK 200 (R171 Phase 1) a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoing it too! Was even ferrating around underneath it checking for rust - very little (but what lies behind those pans methinks?!) - and sprayed a bit of Bilt about just to keep me happy! Previously I had an MGF VVC so this is somewhat upmarket for me and Im extremely overwhelmed by the 'gizmos'! Especially Cruise Control and Speedtronic. So as always - as I like a challenge p- I wrote the following paper on it. Mainly so I could keep referring to it. It's the memory you know!!
What do you think guys? Have I got it anywhere near right?

Do you have the owners manual as that gives a good explanation of all the systems

 

[jeffers104]

I have indeed. That was the main reason I wrote this!!

 

[brandwooddixon]

Personally, I dislike standard cruise control as for most of my journeys there's too much traffic and people vary their speed too much to make the journey relaxing, unless you set it to a significantly slower speed than everyone else.

I use limiter a lot, especially for areas where average limits are posted.

Elsewhere Distronic is the way to go, although I have to resist the urge to react to the number of people who cut in on the motorway thinking that a safe distance between me and them is a car length or less.