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V50 Cruise Control

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Old Feb 9th, 2006, 22:56   #11
7050man
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Originally Posted by RJF
Just to be different from the other replies... I chose the SE model specifically because of cruise control. My last three cars had cruise fitted and my next three will have cruise fitted. I find trying to keep to the speed limit especially in 30 or 40mph zones near impossible because the engine is so flexible and quiet. So instead of having one eye on the road and the other on the speedometer, I stick on cruise - problem solved. I don't care if a sign says speed camera's ahead, or a patrol car appears from nowhere - I know exactly what speed I'm doing.

I'd also argue using cruise in built up areas is safer than driving without cruise. Normally when you do an emergency stop, unless you're Jenson Button and use left foot braking, you lift your right foot from the accelerator, move it over to the brake, and press as hard as you can. However with cruise control, my foot is constantly over the brake pedal... I'll bet I can stop quicker whilst using cruise control than when I'm using the accelerator.

However I would have thought the cost of retro fitting cruise would be prohibitive. Even if there was an official Volvo kit is available (there's a Volvo aftermarket computer kit available - you even get a replacement left side steering stalk), I'd have thought the sticking point would be labour costs.

There's the non-Volvo route. Sites such as www.conrad-anderson.co.uk may give you some indication of prices. But then you may have to consider that a non-Volvo approved fitment could invalidate the Volvo warranty? It'd probably be worthwhile checking that your insurance would remain valid as well. You may have to delcare to your insurers that you have this fitted.

Is that enough to put you off the idea?
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Last edited by 7050man; Feb 9th, 2006 at 23:06.
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Old Feb 9th, 2006, 23:02   #12
7050man
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RJF
Just to be different from the other replies... I chose the SE model specifically because of cruise control. My last three cars had cruise fitted and my next three will have cruise fitted. I find trying to keep to the speed limit especially in 30 or 40mph zones near impossible because the engine is so flexible and quiet. So instead of having one eye on the road and the other on the speedometer, I stick on cruise - problem solved. I don't care if a sign says speed camera's ahead, or a patrol car appears from nowhere - I know exactly what speed I'm doing.

I'd also argue using cruise in built up areas is safer than driving without cruise. Normally when you do an emergency stop, unless you're Jenson Button and use left foot braking, you lift your right foot from the accelerator, move it over to the brake, and press as hard as you can. However with cruise control, my foot is constantly over the brake pedal... I'll bet I can stop quicker whilst using cruise control than when I'm using the accelerator.

However I would have thought the cost of retro fitting cruise would be prohibitive. Even if there was an official Volvo kit is available (there's a Volvo aftermarket computer kit available - you even get a replacement left side steering stalk), I'd have thought the sticking point would be labour costs.

There's the non-Volvo route. Sites such as www.conrad-anderson.co.uk may give you some indication of prices. But then you may have to consider that a non-Volvo approved fitment could invalidate the Volvo warranty? It'd probably be worthwhile checking that your insurance would remain valid as well. You may have to delcare to your insurers that you have this fitted.

Is that enough to put you off the idea?
I agree, great for motorway speed restrictions. I would also say that if you choose the right speed, you can use it quite often without resorting to switching it off and on. I'd always have it fitted now, especially if you do alot of long distance driving.
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Old Feb 13th, 2006, 09:09   #13
inasnum
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I use cruise 80% of the time on motorway driving, sometimes on a dual carrageway if its quiet, its a nice feature to have and it does make driving long haul much more pleasant. Not sure about built up areas - sounds like an interesting idea, however I like to have direct control over the engine, I prefer engine breaking most of the time
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Old Jun 15th, 2006, 15:31   #14
silvawispa
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@alfonzobonzo

driving with cruise control in built up areas isn't so crazy, and you turn it off with the clutch not the brake pedal. so those doofus's with the flashing brake lights are doing something else.

A couple of further points, you control your speed a little more carefully(almost by definition), pay more attention to planning much further in advance in motorway traffic and, as has been said before, don't need to stand on the brakes at the sight of a little yellow box . It also makes pouring the coffee easier (feel free to slap me for the silly comment)

It's also true that cruise helps my fuel economy

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Old Jun 16th, 2006, 12:55   #15
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My T4 will not let me put cruise on under 35, and pressing either the brake or clutch will turn it off.

Personally i dont think it should be used in built up areas, as you do not have as much control over the car. You cannot argue that fact that you you have more control over the car with it turned off.

But each to their own. - as long as you dont ram into the back of me, like the silly woman looking at her child last week!

I use mine, when driving at night on motorways, most of the rest of the time I find it pointless as our roads are to busy and find myself constantly turning it off and on again.

In refrence to a previous post about being able to brake quicker, that is ture I suppose (although very fractional), but did you also consider that, although you hit the brake pedal sooner, you are on the gas until you brake, where as driving without it, you would start to slow down when you lifted off the gas, not when you hit the brakes. I would think they pretty much cancel each other out, as for both its only miliseconds.
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Old Jun 16th, 2006, 14:16   #16
V40 Simon
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RJF, I agree with you totally.

I use my cruise when and wherever possible. Keeping a constant speed is much safer, especially in built up areas.

One thing you do notice with the cruise engaged is how erratic other poeple are with regards to their own speed - on your bumper, back off, on the bumper again!! The other thing is speed camera's, in a 30 zone I would usually be on the cruise anyway, then you get the idiot who races up behind doing 40. As soon as a speed camera comes into view he brakes and goes through it at 25 then races up behind you again. How dangerous is that??!!

I always disengage mine by a gentle touch of the clutch (the disengage sensor is right at the top of the clutch travel so you only have to touch it with your foot). You only have to dip the brakes on auto's and even then you only need to touch the pedal.
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Old Jul 8th, 2006, 20:08   #17
paul g
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Exclamation To Cruise or Not to Cruise

Lets share a Volvo secret. There is on later cars an on board computer. Not the MPH/MPG/Fuel left variety. No this one relates to speed at time of impact (among other things). Volvo say in their booklets ' we do not without consent reveal the content of these computers Unless.....'.

The unless relates to a court order issued at the magistrates/crown court (depending on offence) and is to do with the police asking for information relating to those statistics which are on the computer which only Volvo can look at with their BIG computer.

ERGO, if you travel with the cruise on either in town or not and you are there or there abouts speed limit wise (normally +/- 3%) then the risk of being prosecuted for an offence where speed is to blame is reduced, since you can prove that you were within the law.

I use cruise on the motorway at about 74mph.

I do not use it in London since the average speed is 8mph.
And I have seen the results of many nasty crashes. Car versus flesh either inside or outside - car wins and gets fixed/written off. Flesh....?
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Old Jul 11th, 2006, 03:36   #18
Philip Fisher
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Default Just to add my two penneth

And just a comment from me,

I often use cruise in 30's. Drive with gusto on the country road, brake to 30 in the village and nudge the cruise on, tootle through at absolutely no more than 30 and then accelerate out again at the 60 limit. No stress, no worry about cameras etc... Oh, and I rarely have to brake and turn it off as all the traffic is behind me and the cars in front dissappear off at 40...

It is also fantastic for traveling through motorway roadworks that are at either 40 or 50 and protected by SPECS cameras. M74 just outside Glasgow is a good example, 40mph after you have scooted up from England on a wide open motorway is really difficult without cruise.
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