Cruise Control Or Not!

[flyboyprowler]

On several recent long trips, I sat back, put the cruise control on, made a sandwich and had a cup of coffee!! Not content with just letting me doze the car dropped a couple of gears on the slightest incline, and nearly woke me from my slumbers!!

But seriously, should the cruise control on the 4.3 petrol auto be smooth, or do they have a habit of dropping a couple of gears when the going gets a little tough. My BMW was a LOT better!

[Big Kev]

On several recent long trips, I sat back, put the cruise control on, made a sandwich and had a cup of coffee!! Not content with just letting me doze the car dropped a couple of gears on the slightest incline, and nearly woke me from my slumbers!!

But seriously, should the cruise control on the 4.3 petrol auto be smooth, or do they have a habit of dropping a couple of gears when the going gets a little tough. My BMW was a LOT better!

Unlike your human self, the car can't see it's approaching an incline, Ainz. You would (should....?) make a conscious decision to increase speed to allow for said incline, and that's what your automatic gearbox is doing....changing down to allow for current conditions, coz nobody forewarned it to do so by increasing throttle opening.

Sorry if that sounds simplistic or patronising....snot meant to be either.

Big Kev

[bothwell_buyer]

I'd perhaps set the cruise speed at more than 15mph.

[Davrav]

On several recent long trips, I sat back, put the cruise control on, made a sandwich and had a cup of coffee!! Not content with just letting me doze the car dropped a couple of gears on the slightest incline, and nearly woke me from my slumbers!!

But seriously, should the cruise control on the 4.3 petrol auto be smooth, or do they have a habit of dropping a couple of gears when the going gets a little tough. My BMW was a LOT better!

Unlike your human self, the car can't see it's approaching an incline, Ainz. You would (should....?) make a conscious decision to increase speed to allow for said incline, and that's what your automatic gearbox is doing....changing down to allow for current conditions, coz nobody forewarned it to do so by increasing throttle opening.

Sorry if that sounds simplistic or patronising....snot meant to be either.

Big Kev

Yup, having recently driven through those Rocky Mountains I found he car [subimitzi Shoutlouder] constantly hunting for lower gears as soon as an incline appeared. Manual gear changing proved to be way more efficient on the uphill bits and a lot more reassuring on the [very long] downhill twisty bits.

[flyboyprowler]

On several recent long trips, I sat back, put the cruise control on, made a sandwich and had a cup of coffee!! Not content with just letting me doze the car dropped a couple of gears on the slightest incline, and nearly woke me from my slumbers!!

But seriously, should the cruise control on the 4.3 petrol auto be smooth, or do they have a habit of dropping a couple of gears when the going gets a little tough. My BMW was a LOT better!

Unlike your human self, the car can't see it's approaching an incline, Ainz. You would (should....?) make a conscious decision to increase speed to allow for said incline, and that's what your automatic gearbox is doing....changing down to allow for current conditions, coz nobody forewarned it to do so by increasing throttle opening.

Sorry if that sounds simplistic or patronising....snot meant to be either.

Big Kev

Agree entirely, but without cruise the car seems to cope ok, and when maintaining a set speed up an incline, may only drop one gear, if at all. In cruise, it sometimes drops two gears, so much so that I really don't want to use it unless on the flat, or going downhill. My throttle management is better than the computer!! Ah ha

[Big Kev]

On several recent long trips, I sat back, put the cruise control on, made a sandwich and had a cup of coffee!! Not content with just letting me doze the car dropped a couple of gears on the slightest incline, and nearly woke me from my slumbers!!

But seriously, should the cruise control on the 4.3 petrol auto be smooth, or do they have a habit of dropping a couple of gears when the going gets a little tough. My BMW was a LOT better!

Unlike your human self, the car can't see it's approaching an incline, Ainz. You would (should....?) make a conscious decision to increase speed to allow for said incline, and that's what your automatic gearbox is doing....changing down to allow for current conditions, coz nobody forewarned it to do so by increasing throttle opening.

Sorry if that sounds simplistic or patronising....snot meant to be either.

Big Kev

Agree entirely, but without cruise the car seems to cope ok, and when maintaining a set speed up an incline, may only drop one gear, if at all. In cruise, it sometimes drops two gears, so much so that I really don't want to use it unless on the flat, or going downhill. My throttle management is better than the computer!! Ah ha

.....me too, and the OBC drops a couple of mpg whilst on Cruise Control.....and as for Davrav's Bitsy Mooshi in Canada.....try a 1.8 automatic Corolla up the Rockies.....not funny. The road was lined with rice puddings all laughing BECAUSE THEIR SKIN WAS UNDER NO THREAT WHATSOEVER........

Upgrading Next Time Kev.