cruise control use more fuel?

Both mondeos I've had got slightly worse fuel economy on cruise, but the comparitive lack of effort more than made up for it.

When you get to a hill, cruise waits for the car's speed to drop below a specified % of the target speed, and then accelerates to get your speed back up. In essence every hill you come to you'll end up accelerating up it. If you drive with your foot, you may increase your speed at the bottom of the hill to power up it, or let the speed drop on the incline. Difference was at most 2-ish mpg tho.
 
I find on a run I get very similar mpg weather I use cruise or my foot, but i would say it's slightly in favour of cruise. I find using cruise control, especially through these damn 50mph road-blocking areas of our motorway network is a hell of a lot more relaxing though, so even if it did cost more, I'd do it anyway. I said after I had my first car with cruise control, I'd never have one that doesn't have it again. Electric seats, heated seats, satnav ...etc ...I can live without, cruise control ...is a must tough.
 
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I get 2-3 less mpg using cruise control. I only use it in bursts usually though to keep mpg up, I can just cruise along behind a lorry at 65 while I have a smoke for a few miles if my right foot gets fed up with it.
 
I can beat cruise control with my foot, but is it worth it?

If I drive like a hyper-miler, I can seriously increase my range, but its no fun, and takes longer to get anywhere.
 
I can beat the combined Cruise Control MPG easy enough using my foot and by reading the road ahead, however on a longer trip Cruise is a godsend.
 
Janesy B said:
What has that got to go with getting less miles to a tank full of petrol? A tankful is a fixed amount. If he's putting in £20 a week and the price goes up, he's putting less fuel in the car. He isn't doing less miles, he's putting less fuel in.
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I was just going by my view of him saying he spends £20 a week, to then go up to £25 a week. If he goes by money value then yeah he will be putting less fuel in the tank to the £20, hence getting less miles?

If he fill the tank up, as prices go up more cash is needed to fill up, so the £20 may then turn into £25 a week.
 
stulid said:
Well I certainly notice it on the uphill part of the motorway.

But there is only one uphill part on the motorway journey to work(either to work or going home)
And I reckon I'm about 45miles behind where my £20 of fuel normally gets me.

Instead of spending £25 on fuel, I think I will end up needing another £13 just for using cruise control.

My jouney is literally motorway junction/20miles/motorway junction, no A or B roads.
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Just to quote for reference, I took this as him going to the fuel station every week with his hard earned £20 note for fuel. Hence why fuel prices go up + less fuel in tank for £20 = less miles to the £20 of fuel?
 
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Reserve light to full every time :D
It is amazing for me how consistant my fuel consumption over a tank is week after week.
Its also nice to see when changes you make have made a difference.
 
I usually fill the car to the max, but I'm sure I read somewhere it's more economical to fill it to 1/2 a tank as you don't have to carry around the weight of a full tank.

I'm lazy when it comes to filling, so I prefer to fill it once until it's gone again :p
 
EVH said:
I usually fill the car to the max, but I'm sure I read somewhere it's more economical to fill it to 1/2 a tank as you don't have to carry around the weight of a full tank.

I'm lazy when it comes to filling, so I prefer to fill it once until it's gone again :p
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I doubt you'd notice the difference quite honestly!
 
200 mile round trip on monday / tuesday.

Reset computer, no CC - 20.4MPG

same trip thursday / friday with CC 187 miles of it 23.8MPG, same juice used, same driving conditions, no diff in weight.
 
EVH said:
I usually fill the car to the max, but I'm sure I read somewhere it's more economical to fill it to 1/2 a tank as you don't have to carry around the weight of a full tank.
:p
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Technically that would be correct, but you could argue that you should only ever have enough fuel to complete a journey, and get to a petrol station afterwards. However, by doing this you lose freedom to go anywhere with planning, and also would waste petrol making extra trips to get fuel, not to mention the time spent filling up each time.

Perhaps on a car with a HUGE tank, or massive range on a single tank, you could save a small amount consistantly by only half filling?
 
I can get more miles by using my foot. I can compensate for hills, look ahead at traffic. My cruise will still be trying to push me at 70mph down a hill when I know if I just take my foot off the gas I'll roll at pretty much 70mph.

I can see when there is traffic ahead and take foot off gas and roll up to it instead of having to break as I get there. Can use judgement to drop to 60mph manually if it's not worth an overtake or up it to 72mph to overtake a car.

You can still do all of this with cruise but I certainly get better MPG by using my feet.

On a long motorway journey that I'm in no rush to do though I'll always use cruise and relax.
 
Fuel last week was 111.9, on monday it was 112.9, now its 113.9.

So I don't think I was getting that much less for twenty bucks, I know I should obviously put more in at the beginning of the week but the inner scrouge in me hates spending money.
 
bobert50 said:
72mph to overtake?

You should try living a little dangerously and try 73mph sometime! :D
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It was a random example, if someone is doing 65mph I can judge the correct speed to overtake on the fly depending on the level of traffic, road conditions etc.

Cruise is just set to 70mph flat, if someone gets in your way you have to slow down (brake which wastes fuel) or move into another lane.

If you keep changing the cruise speed to match road and traffic conditions then why not just do that with your foot?
 
did clarkson not use the CC in the A8 diesel he went to scotland and back in as eh said it wasn't as good as his right foot...?

I love my cruise control and i've never really noticed what i get without it. a recent trip up to MK around teh NW corner of the M25 and then M1 produced a record 31.6 in my car which is the best ever - ok a fair bit is 50 zones. But i think on a normal 70-80 cruise it'll be doing 25 or so whether I use cruise or not. I think given the sheer power of the car one quick blast with your right foot drinks a gallon of fuel anyway so with cruise on I'm less tempted to do that!
 
Peerzy said:
It was a random example, if someone is doing 65mph I can judge the correct speed to overtake on the fly depending on the level of traffic, road conditions etc.

Cruise is just set to 70mph flat, if someone gets in your way you have to slow down (brake which wastes fuel) or move into another lane.

If you keep changing the cruise speed to match road and traffic conditions then why not just do that with your foot?
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Well i can't speak for anyone else but the tiny adjustments i just do on the steering wheel with the +/- 1mph controls.
 
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