Is it worth getting Adaptive Cruise Control?

[IHughes]

Those are some great opinions, and Gabbo has highlighted an important factor: here in Spain you keep your car for at least 10-15 years!! The economy doesn't allow people to buy or exchange cars frequently and they're quite pricey second hand. It's actually cheaper in a sense to buy new than second hand for us as there are many government aids to buy a new car, and the second hand market isn't large.

So we'll probably add more extras just because we'll be using them for 15 years al least! Our previous car was 11 years old and we're only buying a new one because they crashed into us!

I wish we could do an extended test but we had to wait 4 months just to SEE a vrs and we had to drive over an hour to test drive an estate vrs! Here in Spain it isn't possible to drive the car longer than 5-10 minutes!! The car they had didn't have any extras either, just the DSG.

[themanwithnoaim]

Neither CC or ACC allow the car to "Coast" when Eco Mode is selected, on the petrol model I see this feature adds about 3 or 4 to the MPG on a decent run IMO.  Some the TDI guys on here state they don't see this benefit but, if your choosing the TDI I'd bet its for the fuel economy, I just flick the CC off when I see traffic slowing on the motorways and allow the car to "Coast".  Coasting disables the running gear from the engine and allows the car to free-wheel removing the engine braking, arround town you see very clearly the effects as you gain ground on cars in front off you that have lifted for the gas.

 

From what you've said I'd not bother with the ACC and put the money toward the parking assist instead, sounds like you'll use it more often.

 

Regards

T

[jlwah]

With regard to adaptive cruise control only, are there any manual Octavia 3 drivers with this option that could comment on how useful/effective it is?

 

Also, has anyone that's specified it in the UK advised their insurance company of its fitment AND got a reduction in premium as a consequence? VW Golfs (SE and above which get ACC as standard) seemed to drop in insurance groups as a result of it.

 

e.g. Octavia 1.4TSI Elegance is rated as group 19E, Golf GT 1.4 TSI is 17E.

[JoseDB]

With regard to adaptive cruise control only, are there any manual Octavia 3 drivers with this option that could comment on how useful/effective it is?

Also, has anyone that's specified it in the UK advised their insurance company of its fitment AND got a reduction in premium as a consequence? VW Golfs (SE and above which get ACC as standard) seemed to drop in insurance groups as a result of it.

e.g. Octavia 1.4TSI Elegance is rated as group 19E, Golf GT 1.4 TSI is 17E.

They only drop the premium if it's standard. Tried on my Audi SQ5 that had it.

[Farsider]

With regard to adaptive cruise control only, are there any manual Octavia 3 drivers with this option that could comment on how useful/effective it is?

 

Also, has anyone that's specified it in the UK advised their insurance company of its fitment AND got a reduction in premium as a consequence? VW Golfs (SE and above which get ACC as standard) seemed to drop in insurance groups as a result of it.

 

e.g. Octavia 1.4TSI Elegance is rated as group 19E, Golf GT 1.4 TSI is 17E.

 

I have it on my TSi manual. Works fine. When you drop the clutch, it cuts out allowing you to change gear. Then it re-engages again.

 

Personally, I only use ACC on dual carriageways, motorways or roads that don't have a junctions every minute as it doesn't detect stationary cars (like cars stopped at lights)......but its excellent and I'm so glad I got it as an option.

Edited 21 August, 2014 by Farsider

[toni8b]

I forgot to choose this option when ordering and now my car is useless.

[Gabbo]

With regard to adaptive cruise control only, are there any manual Octavia 3 drivers with this option that could comment on how useful/effective it is?

 

Also, has anyone that's specified it in the UK advised their insurance company of its fitment AND got a reduction in premium as a consequence? VW Golfs (SE and above which get ACC as standard) seemed to drop in insurance groups as a result of it.

 

e.g. Octavia 1.4TSI Elegance is rated as group 19E, Golf GT 1.4 TSI is 17E.

 

I have it on the manual vRS TDI & I love it.

I use it every 90% of the time I spend driving the car on the highway and A & B-roads.

 

However, like I said in a previous post, if you've never used ACC before, I would recommend trying it because its a bit like the maramite of the cruise control world (although it seems the majority of people on the forum who have it think its great).

[andyvee]

With regard to adaptive cruise control only, are there any manual Octavia 3 drivers with this option that could comment on how useful/effective it is?

 

Also, has anyone that's specified it in the UK advised their insurance company of its fitment AND got a reduction in premium as a consequence? VW Golfs (SE and above which get ACC as standard) seemed to drop in insurance groups as a result of it.

 

e.g. Octavia 1.4TSI Elegance is rated as group 19E, Golf GT 1.4 TSI is 17E.

Isn't that because it has Front Assist rather than the fact it has Adaptive Cruise?

[mikaeld]

Now we have to decide what do to about the Kessy, ACC and Park assist. The park assist are some extra sensors in front and you get an image on the satnav showing the direction you're heading right?

 

 

It's a little more than that. It parks the car for you. The only thing you have to do is regulate the speed, steering input is done by the car. Have a look on YouTube.

 

Also: you get some sensors at the side of the car (above each wheel, I think). I guess you're only able to get those if ordering the park assist? Even though I've only used the park assist once (oh, that was a fun and really useful experience, btw :-) ) I'm very happy to have sensors all round when parking or driving somewhere cramped.

[Yogi-Bear]

Also: you get some sensors at the side of the car (above each wheel, I think). I guess you're only able to get those if ordering the park assist? Even though I've only used the park assist once (oh, that was a fun and really useful experience, btw :-) ) I'm very happy to have sensors all round when parking or driving somewhere cramped.

 

That's correct - specifying front+rear parking sensors gets you 8 sensors... 4 at the front and 4 at the rear.  Park Assist gets you 12... the additional ones being 2 on each side on the wheel arches.  They are how the system scans for a space to park in as you drive along.

[jlwah]

Isn't that because it has Front Assist rather than the fact it has Adaptive Cruise?

But doesn't ACC include Front Assist?

[sworrall]

But doesn't ACC include Front Assist?

yes it does

 

ACC is one of the best options I chose on my car and I wouldnt be without it.  Not sure if I'd spec it on a manual but definitely on a DSG

[andyvee]

But doesn't ACC include Front Assist?

Yes it does, but you can have FA without ACC.

 

My understanding is that the insurance grouping was lowered because of FA, not because of ACC.

[jlwah]

Yes it does, but you can have FA without ACC.

 

My understanding is that the insurance grouping was lowered because of FA, not because of ACC.

That sounds about right.

 

So FA gives sweet FA in the way of insurance reduction unless it's fitted as standard.

[Tomski]

Can the ACC bring the Octavia to a complete stop in a traffic jam on the highway?

[sworrall]

Can the ACC bring the Octavia to a complete stop in a traffic jam on the highway?

yes as long as the car in front was moving when it came to a stop and was being tracked. If you come upon stopped traffic around a corner the acc will carry on as it assumes it's a stationary car parked on the side of the road.

[Tomski]

yes as long as the car in front was moving when it came to a stop and was being tracked. If you come upon stopped traffic around a corner the acc will carry on as it assumes it's a stationary car parked on the side of the road.

 

Thx

 

will it automatically follow the car in front when traffics gets going again, or will it have turned off completely after coming to a full stop?

[sworrall]

when it stops it gives you a couple of seconds before it says "apply the brake" then cancels ACC.  As soon as you move off you can pull back the acc stick to re-enable your last speed, say 70mph and it will trundle in traffic tracking the car in front.

 

I think the newer Audi systems have a traffic mode which will stop you and restart itself on DSG with ACC. Not on the octavia though :(

[nrvous]

After a full stop it will turn off after a few seconds and asks you to press a break pedal (at least with DSG).

 

 

Thx

 

will it automatically follow the car in front when traffics gets going again, or will it have turned off completely after coming to a full stop?

[JoseDB]

I can confirm on my STronic Audi it comes to a stop and keeps the brake on indefinitely- however it only auto pulls away if stopped for less than 3 seconds, otherwise you have to pull the stalk (or blip the throttle) like on the Octy. So you are only missing out on not having to hold the brake, as driver intervention is still required to pull away again.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WayTooTall]

With regard to adaptive cruise control only, are there any manual Octavia 3 drivers with this option that could comment on how useful/effective it is?

 

Also, has anyone that's specified it in the UK advised their insurance company of its fitment AND got a reduction in premium as a consequence? VW Golfs (SE and above which get ACC as standard) seemed to drop in insurance groups as a result of it.

 

e.g. Octavia 1.4TSI Elegance is rated as group 19E, Golf GT 1.4 TSI is 17E.

Got my car second hand and it came with ACC. Not sure I would have bought if the car was new, but it is a step up from normal cruise.

 

I tend to use it on stretches of road with average speed cameras, of which I find myself on a fair few.

 

Just have to keep half an eye on the engine revs incase I need to change gear.

 

Also found out you can force the car to go faster if required, and the ACC will stay engaged when you take your foot of the gas. Useful if there is traffic you need to accelerate to get past.

[Coops]

Yes it only disengages if you brake.

[bytterga]

I have acc and its a manual gearbox. works as good as expected for a manual car,not that much of a hassel pressing the clutch and move the stick when needed.

i will not buy cars without aac that's for sure.

[pickard]

Did not spec the ACC, hated it on the test drive (slow to react and dumb decision making). But then, I spec'd against all assistants (and I am having two more systems killed upon delivery by the dealer), I just hate them. I would have spec'd out even the rain sensor if I could, I can tell when it's bloody raining.

[GoneToBeemer]

The amount of motorway miles I do, I wouldn't have another car without it - it's an excellent thing to have. I would say it works best with an auto box though.