Maintaining a constant speed...

Jez · 21 May 2013 at 13:15

How does what you get paid per mile matter with regards to your fuel costs? The fuel is still out of your pocket. I get paid per mile too, yet keep my fuel economy to an absolute maximum.

SDK^ · 21 May 2013 at 13:17

Standard Cruise Control on the roads today is mostly useless because you have to adjust it constantly due to heavy traffic and/or other road users erratic behaviour.

Adaptive Cruise Control is what you need now

Jez · 21 May 2013 at 13:21

Not in the Thames valley area it certainly isn't, i drive for probably as much as 80-90% of the time on cruise control and cover around 30k miles per annum. I adjust speed slightly on the cruise itself naturally, but i rarely ever come off it unless stuck in heavy traffic.

Theophany · 21 May 2013 at 13:32

Jez said:
How does what you get paid per mile matter with regards to your fuel costs? The fuel is still out of your pocket. I get paid per mile too, yet keep my fuel economy to an absolute maximum.

Because unless you dip below an MPG which means you're getting reimbursed less than it costs you to travel, your statement makes no sense?

SDK^ · 21 May 2013 at 13:32

Of course there are exceptions; there are pockets of the UK with a much lower traffic density and if you only drive in those areas then standard cruise will be fine. If you only drive north of Preston for instance then you'll have the M6 all to yourself.

If though, you're driving on any motorway in the UK which passes near or through a major city at rush hour then forget using standard cruise.

The amount of mileage you cover has nothing to do with my argument - it's about when and where you are driving.

Kenai · 21 May 2013 at 13:40

Theophany said:
Because unless you dip below an MPG which means you're getting reimbursed less than it costs you to travel, your statement makes no sense?

How doesn't it?

You get paid 45p per mile say, and your fuel costs you 20p per mile, so you 'make' 25p per mile. If your fuel costs you 15p per mile instead, you 'make' 30p per mile.

You're still wasting money you could potentially be having in your pocket.

Howard · 21 May 2013 at 13:50

Kenai said:
How doesn't it?

You get paid 45p per mile say, and your fuel costs you 20p per mile, so you 'make' 25p per mile. If your fuel costs you 15p per mile instead, you 'make' 30p per mile.

You're still wasting money you could potentially be having in your pocket.

This. I drive as economically as I can when I drive for work.

Theophany · 21 May 2013 at 13:54

Kenai said:
How doesn't it?

You get paid 45p per mile say, and your fuel costs you 20p per mile, so you 'make' 25p per mile. If your fuel costs you 15p per mile instead, you 'make' 30p per mile.

You're still wasting money you could potentially be having in your pocket.

So opportunity cost then. Which is only a 'cost' if you perceive it to be one.

I cover fuel, servicing, tyres, insurance and VED with my mileage allowance. Driving as frugally as possible for the sake of a few quid a week doesn't even occur to me, frankly. If it did, I'd drive a Bluemotion.

Howard · 21 May 2013 at 13:56

It must do if you have a diesel

Kenai · 21 May 2013 at 13:59

Theophany said:
So opportunity cost then. Which is only a 'cost' if you perceive it to be one.

I cover fuel, servicing, tyres, insurance and VED with my mileage allowance. Driving as frugally as possible for the sake of a few quid a week doesn't even occur to me, frankly. If it did, I'd drive a Bluemotion.

It's not only a cost if you perceive it to be one, it is a cost. It's money you're spending that you needn't be, regardless of whether that money is coming in the form of a mileage allowance or your salary or dodgy deals down the alleyway.

Just because you don't care about the difference doesn't mean it only 'costs' you if your MPG is so bad you're spending more than your allowance, that's just completely illogical.

Jez's statement made perfect sense.

mattyprice4004 · 21 May 2013 at 14:12

pepsilol said:
I also like to use my electric rear blind to wind people up even further who are dying to get past yet I am still overtaking!

Someone on the Rover 75 owner's club drew a big middle finger on theirs...

^JP^ · 21 May 2013 at 14:51

Anyone else's cruise control max out at 89mph?

Which is really only a bit over 80 on the GPS.

Amos91 · 21 May 2013 at 15:02

My cruise control is more accurate than the speedo. Its out by 1mph from gps.

If I put my cruise on 70mph, the speedo reads about 74mph.

Clarkey · 21 May 2013 at 15:06

^JP^ said:
Anyone else's cruise control max out at 89mph?

Which is really only a bit over 80 on the GPS.

110km/h in the 300zx, it sucks. Must be a Nissan thing :confused:

^JP^ · 21 May 2013 at 15:08

Clarkey said:
110km/h in the 300zx, it sucks. Must be a Nissan thing

Oh man that must be annoying!

ubersonic · 21 May 2013 at 15:13

Clarkey said:
110km/h in the 300zx, it sucks. Must be a Nissan thing

Had the exact same limit on my 1996 Honda Prelude Si-Vtec, JDM cars have their cruise controls limited (or were in the 90's anyway) to 110km/h in the same way the top speed is limited to 180km/h.

On the Prelude it was possible to remove both limits by wiring the cruise ECU to the MPH/KPH converter as well as the VSS, however most people chose to keep the 180km/h limit on the Prelude as removing it stopped Vtec functioning in 1st gear (as it believed it was going too slow to engage the system).

Clarkey · 21 May 2013 at 15:17

Don't have the converter any more, it messed with the variable PAS, Super HICAS and the auto trans so I ditched it and resistor modded the speedo instead. Unfortunate side effect of this is the crappy limit on the cruise and the 180km top speed :/

Jez · 21 May 2013 at 15:42

SDK^ said:
Of course there are exceptions; there are pockets of the UK with a much lower traffic density and if you only drive in those areas then standard cruise will be fine. If you only drive north of Preston for instance then you'll have the M6 all to yourself.

If though, you're driving on any motorway in the UK which passes near or through a major city at rush hour then forget using standard cruise.

The amount of mileage you cover has nothing to do with my argument - it's about when and where you are driving.

I do not agree at all. Cruise control is an absolute deal breaker on a car for me as i use it almost all of the time, regardless of situation or road type. We must drive in entirely different ways, perhaps you are you new to cruise control and have not grown up pretty much only driving cars with it?

I drive almost exclusively at peak times, generally around the congested Thames valley area, to many different locations as i work contract jobs at customer premises. Rarely do i ever find myself manually manipulating the pedals outside of maneuver situations.

I drove this route today, quite literally the only time it was necessary to not be on cruise control and manipulate the pedals were pulling out of my house, negotiating various roundabouts, and then parking at the end. There was not a single section of road between any of that where i was not resuming a various state on the cruise control. The same applies to a huge proportion of my driving routes - almost all of them in fact.

Theophany said:
Because unless you dip below an MPG which means you're getting reimbursed less than it costs you to travel, your statement makes no sense?

No, it makes perfect sense. If you get paid per mile then you are buying the fuel, nobody else is.

Kenai said:
How doesn't it?

You get paid 45p per mile say, and your fuel costs you 20p per mile, so you 'make' 25p per mile. If your fuel costs you 15p per mile instead, you 'make' 30p per mile.

You're still wasting money you could potentially be having in your pocket.

Exactly, the payment and break even point is irrelevant.

PMKeates · 21 May 2013 at 16:25

Annoyingly the E60 cruise only goes up to 155 MPH

panthro · 21 May 2013 at 16:32

Some people just don't know how to use the throttle correctly and thus cannot maintain a constant distance between the car in front.
I stick the cruise control on at 70mph and just sit there. If I'm overtaking in the fast lane I don't change my speed either when someone behind me is desperate to get past doing 90mph etc. This usually annoys them no end, which makes my journey that little bit more enjoyable!