cruise control

[bosbax]

Just wondered if anyone has ever fitted an after market cruise control to their Surf or even had any dealings with one (any recommendations appreciated).We use the Surf for regular runs down to Southern Italy and then onwards to Greece and Crete via ferries, and i reckon it might not be a bad idea just to take the strain off the right knee.Richie.

[Maverick]

Yep

I've got the 12v electronic unit(can't remember where from), and to be honest I very rarely use it. If there is any form of incline it will hold the vehicle in gear until it's struggling and the apply the thottle so quickly that the truck goes down two gears, and then sits there reving its guts out heating up the tranny until either you reach the top or switch the unit off. The only time it's of any use is when you're slip streaming a lorry at 53 on an absolute level road.

As you might have guessed I'm not very impressed, and to cap it all I get better fuel figures driving manually.

[bosbax]

Yep

I've got the 12v electronic unit(can't remember where from), and to be honest I very rarely use it. If there is any form of incline it will hold the vehicle in gear until it's struggling and the apply the thottle so quickly that the truck goes down two gears, and then sits there reving its guts out heating up the tranny until either you reach the top or switch the unit off. The only time it's of any use is when you're slip streaming a lorry at 53 on an absolute level road.

As you might have guessed I'm not very impressed, and to cap it all I get better fuel figures driving manually.

Thanks Maverick,met a guy on the ferry earlier this who said very much the same thing,when he enquired through a specialist installer he was told it would cost in excess of £600 to install a more sofisticated piece of kit.Looks like i'm going to have to beef up the right leg a bit more.Richie.

[Dust]

DIdn't some Surfs come with CC stock? COuldn't you just find a way to wire the stock stuff in?

[bosbax]

DIdn't some Surfs come with CC stock? COuldn't you just find a way to wire the stock stuff in?

I think you are right,it was offered as an option when new but i have never seen any in the UK fitted as standard on a 3ltr intercooled.Richie.

[SoundsDigital]

With the Surf having an electronic injection pump rather than a throttle and an electronic speedo, I would have thought it possible for an electronics whizz to manage to make something up. I would be fairly confident that I could interface the pump and speedo to a pc and write a program to do the job, but I don't really fancy having to keep the truck connected to the PC.

[Apache]

I doubt it's that straightforward. You'd need to take into account engine load too.

Had cars on hire with CC and its practically useless in the UK.

[Scorpion]

Unless you're on the motorway and the traffic is very light (like about 2 a.m.) then it's almost a waste of time engaging cruise control.

[dsapsfo1]

My Z has got cc and whilst it can be great, the one thing I noted is that my fuel economy is actually worse on cc. This surprised me, but has been confirmed by a couple of others I've talked to about it......

[Brummie]

I found the same on my old car. I think this is because it uses the brakes to keep to the set speed when going downhill where you or I would just lift off then gently apply the accelerator as the speed began to drop. When we are driving manualy we drive "around" the required speed not to within 2mph as the cruise control does.

[soramad]

now this is strange, as my soarer has cruise control which i normally engage when on the motorway set at a speed i will not divulge here, i usually only have to disengage it for road works and i do'nt see any difference in mpg, when on the motorway i wish my surf had an original cc fitted !