Cruise Control when towing, is it OK to use?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
H

HomerMarge

Mar 14, 2005
420
0
0
Hi All

Is it OK to use cruise control when towing? I have a Rover 75 V6 and will tow for the first time in the morning! Thanks
 
M

MikeP

Mar 14, 2005
755
0
0
Using cruise control when towing is great, provided (a) your car is powerful enough and you are in the correct gear for cruising and (b) there is space ahead of you on the road. I can drive 400 miles in a day (with sensible breaks) and not have aching back or legs.
 
H

HomerMarge

Mar 14, 2005
420
0
0
Using cruise control when towing is great, provided (a) your car is powerful enough and you are in the correct gear for cruising and (b) there is space ahead of you on the road. I can drive 400 miles in a day (with sensible breaks) and not have aching back or legs.
Click to expand...
Hi Mike it's 2 litre V6, with CC so hopefully should be OK by the sounds of it then. thanks
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Cruise is great for long motorway journeys and for keeping to speed limits on all roads.You have to look ahead of course its no good expecting to pull a ton of caravan up a steep hill without changing down a gear.Keep an eye on the rev counter and try to keep at peak torque (60-65 in 6th gear on my car)

The biggest temptation is to not cancel it when approaching slower vehicles and hang on to the last minute before pulling out when vehicles overtaking you dictate.
 
J

joeby

Aug 28, 2005
1,318
1
0
i really love cruise control in my ford mondeo TDCI just keep to about 60MPH in 6th ,and going downhill it maintains an even speed
 
D

Dave_5040181

Mar 14, 2005
129
0
0
No problem using cruise control whatsoever, not only is it more fuel efficient, you can *** into the caravan and have a brew if you are on a long straight stretch. Happy 'vanning !
 
R

RogerL

Nov 6, 2005
8,493
2,977
30,935
Cruise control is very good when towing, particularly with an automatic, as you don't have to re-engage cruise control each time a different gear is selected. It's fairly common to get a small improvement in fuel economy with cruise control, both towing and solo.
 
M

MONKEY1

Aug 28, 2005
603
0
0
In answer to one post - cruise control is NOT more economical than a good driver because a good driver is able to read the road and determine speed, direction, changes in level, and anticipate obstructions something that cruise control doesn't do.

What cruise control does is make heavy footed drivers with poor road-craft drive more economical but not really a better driver.

In answer to a question cruise control costs about
 
R

RogerL

Nov 6, 2005
8,493
2,977
30,935
Monkey - even good drivers can expect a slight improvement in fuel economy when using cruise control although not as much as heavy footed drivers! A good driver also knows when to disengage the cruise control and vary the controlled speed.
 
Lutz

Lutz

Mar 14, 2005
10,035
862
40,935
Even if the improvement to fuel economy is not very much, it does make long monotonous journeys on relative flat roads a lot more comfortable for the leg and ankle.
 
M

MONKEY1

Aug 28, 2005
603
0
0
Roger,

There is quite a lot of evidence to prove my point. Audi back in the Mid 90's done a lot of test with a A4 1.9 tdi to prove that the driver is clever than electronics. At a similar time test engineering company Ricardo and MAN truck proved the point in a three month test with two trucks plying the same route every night just to prove the point they sampled by choosing different drivers and trucks just to make sure consistently the drivers who didn't use cruise where the most economical.

I use the Cruise control on both our cars a lot - more to avoid fatigue than anything else but it can be counter productive with a caravan because the car is more susceptible to charges in road gradients

Regards MH
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Monkey there are statistics etc etc

The Caravan Club 20 years ago tested an outfit with and without using cruise control and found an improvement in fuel consumption with cruise engaged.

I based my decision to buy and fit one on those results secure in the knowledge that the Caravan Club is always right.

Now you are telling me that some insignificant German truck company would dare to doubt the findings of THE CARAVAN CLUB.

They carried out their tests on one afternoon when the Germans needed three months.Is this Teutonic efficiency I ask myself.

So the last 20 years of driving with the ability to rest the right leg and shuffle in the seat while remaining rock steady on the desired speed AND SAVE FUEL have been based on false evidence.

You'll be saying that there's no Santa Claus next

But then with a German name they wouldn't dare say that.

Would they M.A.N
 
M

mcghee

Nov 1, 2005
1,001
0
0
cruise control isnt really meant to save fuel,its there to reduce driver fatigue.my own opinion is that cruise can only work properly in an automatic.
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
cruise control isnt really meant to save fuel,its there to reduce driver fatigue.my own opinion is that cruise can only work properly in an automatic.
Click to expand...
And on a road devoid of other traffic that makes you have to brake with/without automatic thus cancelling cruise anyway.
 
M

MONKEY1

Aug 28, 2005
603
0
0
Monkey there are statistics etc etc

The Caravan Club 20 years ago tested an outfit with and without using cruise control and found an improvement in fuel consumption with cruise engaged.

I based my decision to buy and fit one on those results secure in the knowledge that the Caravan Club is always right.

Now you are telling me that some insignificant German truck company would dare to doubt the findings of THE CARAVAN CLUB.

They carried out their tests on one afternoon when the Germans needed three months.Is this Teutonic efficiency I ask myself.

So the last 20 years of driving with the ability to rest the right leg and shuffle in the seat while remaining rock steady on the desired speed AND SAVE FUEL have been based on false evidence.

You'll be saying that there's no Santa Claus next

But then with a German name they wouldn't dare say that.

Would they M.A.N
Click to expand...
John let me guess the CC took the van round Millrook (test bowl) a few times and claim to that conclusion.. oh well one born every minute.

Oh and it's St Nicholas not santa that's king of the road !!
 
W

WatsonJohnG

Mar 14, 2005
4,638
0
0
Monkey there are statistics etc etc

The Caravan Club 20 years ago tested an outfit with and without using cruise control and found an improvement in fuel consumption with cruise engaged.

I based my decision to buy and fit one on those results secure in the knowledge that the Caravan Club is always right.

Now you are telling me that some insignificant German truck company would dare to doubt the findings of THE CARAVAN CLUB.

They carried out their tests on one afternoon when the Germans needed three months.Is this Teutonic efficiency I ask myself.

So the last 20 years of driving with the ability to rest the right leg and shuffle in the seat while remaining rock steady on the desired speed AND SAVE FUEL have been based on false evidence.

You'll be saying that there's no Santa Claus next

But then with a German name they wouldn't dare say that.

Would they M.A.N
Click to expand...
Is nothing sacred.

Seriously you have a very good point.At least once in the last 20 years I have been caught out through lack of foresight in the wrong gear at the foot of one of those long French motorway hills and lost that vital momentum.

Or was it twice ???

Couldn't resist the heresy of thinking that maybe the CARAVAN CLUB got it wrong.

But surely not

You had better watch out for Black Peter
 
M

MONKEY1

Aug 28, 2005
603
0
0
Monkey there are statistics etc etc

The Caravan Club 20 years ago tested an outfit with and without using cruise control and found an improvement in fuel consumption with cruise engaged.

I based my decision to buy and fit one on those results secure in the knowledge that the Caravan Club is always right.

Now you are telling me that some insignificant German truck company would dare to doubt the findings of THE CARAVAN CLUB.

They carried out their tests on one afternoon when the Germans needed three months.Is this Teutonic efficiency I ask myself.

So the last 20 years of driving with the ability to rest the right leg and shuffle in the seat while remaining rock steady on the desired speed AND SAVE FUEL have been based on false evidence.

You'll be saying that there's no Santa Claus next

But then with a German name they wouldn't dare say that.

Would they M.A.N
Click to expand...
Nice one John !!
 
W

Windrush1

Mar 14, 2005
44
0
0
Hi Paul and Ruth,

I have a Rover 75 Tourer 2.0CDTi Connoisseure SE and tow a Baily Senator Indiana and have found that I do get more MPG when the cruise control is switch on so when ever possible I use it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom