Madcaravanner Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Generally YES as we are looking to make savings on our consumption anyway Cruise control does make an awefully big difference for example a trip to York around 45 miles mostly Motorway / dual carriage way driving 62 mpg there and 54 mpg backthe difference being the trip out I was able to use cruise control for 95% of the trip and keep to a average 65mphlooking to remap the car for towing to improve it's 35/45 mpg with the van on AND I'll not be doing French motorway speeds for a while since their fuel prices have matched oursBUTI must ask if anyone can work out why in the UK diesel costs more than unleaded and abroad Unleaded costs more than diesel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Things are getting better local Morrisons to-dayUnleaded £1.10/9 Diesel £1.22/9 ltr this time last year diesel was 94.9p ltr so a long way to go yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 djchapple - 2008-07-26 8:22 PM If you use cruise control to drive at similar speeds to those you normally use then it may not help with fuel consumption. However if you use cruise control to limit your speeds to a lower vale then it will help significantly with consumption. I find that without cruise control I end up at a speed of 70+ mph on the motorways as I just let the speed creep up and up as I notice all the cars going by me at speeds of 20 - 40 mph faster. If I set the cruise control to 65 mph so (hopefully) that I am not continually accelerating and decelerating the journey is less fraught and more economical. I also find it useful on those long uncluttered roads with lower speed limits enabling me to drive without worrying about excessive speed. However, that is not really the effect of cruise control on fuel consumption, it is the effect of driving more slowly overall that you are allowing the the cruise control to impose. For what it's worth, my impression of the cruise control on the new Transit, which is my only experience of cruise control, is that it may benefit fuel consumption when traffic is relatively free flowing and light (that rules out the M6: no dammit, most of the UK!), and when there is little wind and few gradients. Where traffic is heavier, and you have to keep slowing in lane, I think much of the advantage is cancelled by needing to brake more rather than just backing off earlier. If you encounter a headwind, or a gradient, the cruise progressively "floors the pedal", whereas under your own control, you'd shift down and use a lighter throttle in a lower gear. It has its moments, but for the amount of time it is usable, I think it is a bit of a gimmick and probably has little real benefit to economy. On non-motorway type roads it is seldom usable, because you have to actively drive the vehicle up and down hills and round bends and roundabouts. On the above basis, I wouldn't expect the cost of retro-fitting to be recovered in saved fuel, but ours came with it, so the same is true in reverse, if you see what I mean! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 The only difference it has made to us up to now, is that we are watching our speed a bit more, in the motorhome, but have carried on as normal otherwise, the difference it may make next year is whether we decide to stay in the UK or go abroad, we usually do one year in the UK next on the continent if fuel stays at a constant price for a while will probably go abroad next year but if we have more price hikes, will rethink our plans. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 kelly58 - 2008-07-25 7:47 PM Its a pity domestic oil prices cannot drop by 50% at least because a rise from 17.5 p ltr to 65.0p ltr in 4 years really hurts as we use about 3000 ltrs a year " ouch "http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/images/emoticons/icon_sad.gif 3000 ltrs a year! that sounds a large amount, is that just for a house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 It's made no difference to us and I am damned if I am gonna let an unelected and unelectable Prime Minister spoil or disrupt my way of life that easily! I fitted cruise control to reduce the dreaded Ducato ankle ache on a long haul and to make life generally more relaxing on motorways. If I do get more mpg, and I'm not convinced that I do, it is a bonus - but I find it much easier to cruise at a lower speed with it engaged that I would drive without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Hi ColinIts for a large 3 bed bungalow with 11 rooms in total that is well insulated the boiler is for all our hot water and heating,but this winter we are going to have to turn things back a bit more to save on oil, the lounge used to have a coal fire which we have removed and replaced it with an open gas fire run on bottled gas @ about £39 a refill.Still we will be getting £250 heating allowance from the government so every little helps.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Well that figure got me looking at my calcs! the new bungalow is detached 4 bed and estimated oil usage is less than 1000litre, but insulation exceeds latest requirements and boiler is highest rated combi, speaking to a friend, they had old boiler replaced by new high efficiency one and reacon on saving about a third. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Well I am certainly glad to have gas not oil! Our Gas AND Electricity combined cost comes in at less than £1100 per annum and that is for a five bedroom three reception room chalet bungalow. I am also glad I had the foresight to have cavity wall insulation put in and to have the loft well insulated (though we could probably put more in there) the boiler although 18 years old was a cutting edge 'Condensing Boiler' and has been extremely economic. I believe the biggest savings are due to the control system that I installed which does not just switch on time, but also temperature inside and out of the building. Heating is not a difficult concept, you just need to remember that what you burn is only replacing what you throw away into the atmosphere, so if you could stop ALL heat from leaving the building then you would only have to heat it up once and it would stay warm forever so not using any fuel at all after the initial burn and therefore no cost, insulation aims to achieve as close to this as possible. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 We haven't had a winter yet so time will tell how much the 'super' insulation works, but at moment it seems to stay at stable temp until tv is switched then have to open window to let heat out! Also got a nifty remote contol for boiler, can be in any room and open TRV and then tell boiler to switch on and set temp required, now if only had a remote for all the rads I could be playing for hours with it (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bear Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 What's the cost of freedom ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Big Bear - 2008-08-17 6:19 PM What's the cost of freedom ! Priceless - as long as you can afford it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter42 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I must answer 'Yes'. Although I have visited Spain, Portugal and France so far this year, I find that I have curtailed journeys in this very expensive country. Although, because of conversion rates and fuel prices, the other countries are not cheap to visit anymore, they are not so expensive as dear old 'rip-off' Britain. So instead of journeying a 100 miles to attend a weekend Meet or Rally, I am spending more time at home. If the weather was a little better I could spend the time pottering around the garden but even that 'pleasure' is denied me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROON Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Driving back from Worcester I passed a small garage, in a line of traffic, so I couldn't pull in quickly enough and deisel was 7p cheaper than on the motorway..... It stinks that if a small garage can sell it for that price the motorways take advantage and charge what they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 nope. the cost of fuel will not stop us doing what we love. don't dream it live in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 nope. the cost of fuel will not stop us doing what we love. don't dream it live in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza454 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 ROON - 2008-08-19 3:11 PM It stinks that if a small garage can sell it for that price the motorways take advantage and charge what they can. Captive Audience or Market Dynamics - take your pick... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horse444 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 :-D (>) onwards, it wont stop us either, although I do notice that diesel is coming down a little, I also would not pay motorway prices,pulled off at next junction into village of Lockerbie and saved 11p a litre >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 This poll has now closed. Thanks to everyone who took part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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