Is using cruise control economic?

[marky]

I've done a few miles today in the wifes new (to us) Td5 Disco and was playing with all the gadgets. Never had cruise control before, and I'm not sure I like it :? Is it an economical way to drive?

[freelanderpx54]

In a short answer yes. Once you get to 28mph click it on and use the + button to speed up. Once you get used to it you can cruise nicely along the roads using the bottom button to slow down and the set buttton to resume speed as you round the bend on the road.

Increasing speed with the CC doesn't involve massive increases in pedal travel so you don't get the wide RPM range


Happy motoring

John

[Range Rover Red]

Can't comment on economy as I don't have cruise control, but from what RRB says I would very much like it as I use the RRC for towing.  He and I took our caravans about 100 miles down the M5 a couple of years ago and I knew about it in my right shin for the next couple of days.  He was fine.  At the time I was driving a V8, trying to keep it down to 60 mph when I think it would quite happily have done the ton with the van on the back - not pretty, not clever.

[marky]

I started thinking about this when I was 'cruising' at 65mph and had to slow down, so i flicked the res paddle and the engine slowed to about 40mph - no braking - then I flicked the res paddle again and it accelerated fairly quickly back up to speed. It felt like it accelerated harder than I probably would have done. I also noticed that its an on/off type of action instead of a steady pedal position. It was a long drive!!

[JumboBeef]

I have cruise and I love it!  I drive 500 miles every other weekend to see my children and just about all of it is motorway.  Get up to speed, set the cruise and forget it!  I find it a much more relaxing way to drive.  If you set it to 70, or 50 in roadworks you can also stop worring about speeding and getting caught.

As for mpg, I would say it has to be better than trying to keep a constant speed with your right foot.

[waveydavey]

It depends how you use it and how you drive:
Any automatic system can't see what is happening ahead so it can only react rather than predict, if you drive 100% all the time you will do better. You can anticipate changes in speed and preempt them slowly.

That said the cruise control doesn't make mistakes or forget. If you are on cruise and start going down a  hill it will back off whereas most people tend to pick up speed - that will save fuel and more to the point your licence.

Overall the general answer is yes only because it is so constant and even the best drivers cant put that level of attention all the time.

Also as has been said the benefits for your back etc. are tremendous - not having one side muscles in tension for hours.

Me - I am a total convert, when i didn't have one in the old Disco I fitted it myself.

[GREENI]

You want economy ???

Sell your Land Rovers !!!

[davidlandy]

cruise control will never beat a good driver who is thinking fuel consumption. proved it time and time again with the trucks at work.

cruise control tries to maintain a set speed uphill, when for fuel econonmy a driver would allow the vehicle to slow.
it accerates quickly, too quickly for good fuel mpg. Some Volvos accererate quicker with cruise than with the throttle.

[thermidorthelobster]

I'm with Davidlandy.  It's great on flat roads with no traffic, but it won't drive as economically as a decent driver when you take hills and traffic into account.

The TD5 cruise DOES accelerate quite hard - but you can combat this by not using the Reset button.  When you have to slow down, don't use the Cruise to reach normal speed again;  accelerate manually up to the speed you want and then hit the + button again to maintain the speed.