Speedtronic

[ivegotcclass]

Can anyone explain this to me. I've read the manual and also a few 3rd party reviews but I still can't get my head around what the use for it is and when it would be applied?

I know it is on the same stalk as Cruise Control and to activate it it is pressed in and a light come on the stalk. Mvogin it up and down give me a max speed limit that I can adjust but what is this for?

Does anyone use it seriously?

 

[jberks]

Absolutely - Ace gadget.
Put yourself on a road full of gatsos. Either spend 50% of your concentration watching the speedo or set the limiter and forget about it.
It can also function as an upper limiter for motorways - I sometimes set mine to 85 just to stop me drifting into silly numbers.
Think of it as a cruise control for use in difficult traffic conditions, where cruise is useless. When you can, you just give it full throttle and it will maintain your set speed, when you can't its a normal car.
I don't use it a lot, but when being followed by a police car in a 30 zone, set it and burble along smugly!

It also has a permanent setting for use with snow tyres that have a 100mph limit so you, or your partner, don't accidentally over do it.

 

[ivegotcclass]

So if I set it to 60 on a dual-carriageway (to avoid gatsos) and I put my foot to the floor, the car won't go above 60mph?

Is it simply an upper speed limiter? How do I set this as I tried this afternoon at 55 and when I floored it I got all the way to 70.

 

[jberks]

If you use kick-down it will de-activate as a safety measure, but if you use it normally it will cut the power when you exceed the set speed.
On an auto, it will even change down and use the engine brake to try to keep you at the speed when decending a hill.

You set it the same way as the cruise but the set speed will appear on the computer display and you can adjust up or down by lowering or raising the lever. When active, the LIM warning light will come on too.

 

[ivegotcclass]

I'm sure that is what I attempted today and it didn't seem to work the way I expected, I'll have another shot of it tomorrow.

 

[SJMaxson]

I've got it, and use it a lot. I find that its wonderful to be able to look at the road and mirrors, knowing that you can't be speeding.

 

[MissMercedes]

I think it maybe that the best way to look at this device is as a speed control and not a cruise control.

it is one of the things that sold Mercedes to me. It allows you to concentrate on the road in speed camera zones (or near schools ect) without having to constantly look at your speedo worrying about exceeding the limit and gaining valuable points on your otherwise empty licence.

I intend to set the permanent speed limit on mine at 100mph when I take delivery in 3 weeks. apparently that is the lowest speed it will set at. I have no need to ever drive at that speed, but as the car may inadvertantly creep up to that speed at least it will give me a warning to bring myself under a degree of control. I dont think there is ever a reason to drive beyond that speed anyway, well not on a public road.

 

[jberks]

I intent to set the permenant speed limit on mine at 100mph ....I dont think there is ever a reason to drive beyond that speed anyway, well not on a public road.

Fully agree - I often find myself creeping into the high 90's to keep up with the traffic in the ouside lane then I think, this is mad, and pull in. And I'm driving a Merc, well maintained, good tyres and built to cruise at 130, and these nutters are flying by in their Vectras and focuses. I don't think I would argue if they imposed a mandatory limiter on all cars set at 98 - but they they'd probably set it to 70 and we'd all travel along in a big bunch tailgating each other and making things more dangerous!

 

[190D]

I have got one of these gadgets its called a 190D 2.0 It has always been limited to 100mph with no fancy switches or electrics it is standard in the 2.0 diesel.

 

[Bolide]

190D Cruise Control

I have got one of these gadgets its called a 190D 2.0 It has always been limited to 100mph with no fancy switches or electrics it is standard in the 2.0 diesel.

Correct - it's set by placing a weight (called a foot) against the throttle pedal to pin it to the carpet. Works on 250TDs as well!

Nice one, 190D!!


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[ivegotcclass]

I got the SpeedTronic to function well today. I notice that applying more pressure to the accelerator (Kickdown) disables the limiter. I expect this is a feature.

I think it is a good technology, I wasn't on any roads that really benefited from it but I did get to test it through the City.

It's good.

 

[blassberg]

it's one of the main reasons I got a merc again - I use it EVERY journey (and i never use the cruise - personal thing)

 

[jberks]

Anyone know how it behaves with SBS?
On my current motor, the auto box changes down if the speed creeps up beyond what the limiter is set to whilst decending a hill (I know I should brake but I was curious what it would do and was quite impressed that they'd thought of this).
In occurred to me that with SBS, the car has an extra trick available in that it could actually apply the brakes itself.
Anyone know if it does this?
Failing that I'll try it myself next week!

 

[SJMaxson]

I miss it....

My C270 is currently in having a minor paint repair done gratis by the selling dealer.

I have the salesman's B200CDI as a loan car, and am missing the Speedtronic hugely.

On another subject, have just been into the same stealership to take my E220 in for a service - so they now have the whole Maxson fleet in!

 

[blassberg]

Anyone know how it behaves with SBS?
On my current motor, the auto box changes down if the speed creeps up beyond what the limiter is set to whilst decending a hill (I know I should brake but I was curious what it would do and was quite impressed that they'd thought of this).
In occurred to me that with SBS, the car has an extra trick available in that it could actually apply the brakes itself.
Anyone know if it does this?
Failing that I'll try it myself next week!

Hi jb - what is SBS? Haven't heard of that. Is it standard?
My (manual) ML beeped in submission downhill over limit. I THINK my (auto) C changes down in an attempt to control but doesn't brake.

 

[jberks]

Hi,
SBS I think stands for sensotronic braking system - its the brake by wire thing they rolled out on the current E. I'm not exactly sure what it does aside from having the SBS hold function where you pump the brake pedal and then you can take your foot off and the brake stays on until you press the throttle - very handy in traffic jams, and I heard somewhere that it has a traffic jam function that automatically brakes when you release the throttle but I haven't read the manual yet.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

if you have SBS it will apply the brakes to hold the speed and also if you select 35 as your limit while to are doing 40 it will break you down to 35. it doesnt apply them at full bore tho, but you will notice the breaking effect.

if you have SBS and you are decening a hill with the cruise on, it will hold the car at whatever speed you set too.

 

[jberks]

cool!
thanks Slinky.

 

[philharve]

Cruise and Speedtronic are usually on the same stalk control. If you can master cruise control OK, depress the stalk control and the same movements engage similar Speedtronic functions except that you are setting the maximum speed rather than a fixed cruising speed. Easy when you know how.

I think the dual functionality of the stalk control confuses most first time users.

REGARDS Phil

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

I've been using cruise control on merc cars for over 13 years now and I found the speedtronic confusing at first. Its a great device when you're used to it and I've started to use it more frequently in 30/40/50 zones.

I didn't know it could be overridden by using kickdown, I'll try that when I get the chance.