Your real world opinion of Distronic PLUS and Adaptive Cruise Control?
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Your real world opinion of Distronic PLUS and Adaptive Cruise Control?
I've read a lot of PR releases, but have not seen many real world reports regarding distronic Plus and adaptive cruise control.
Is it effective in stop/go driving? Does is it really take over the acceleration / stop function in a effective way?
Also, in highway driving does the adaptive cruise control work like it should or are there annoyances (e.g. lag)?
Bottom line: what are the limitations/annoyances you have found?
Thanks.
Is it effective in stop/go driving? Does is it really take over the acceleration / stop function in a effective way?
Also, in highway driving does the adaptive cruise control work like it should or are there annoyances (e.g. lag)?
Bottom line: what are the limitations/annoyances you have found?
Thanks.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,034
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From: Toronto
MY17 E43 Matte Selenite/Macchiato Beige, MY16 GLE350d Tenorite/Crystal Grey, MY17 B250
On my coupe, DISTRONIC PLUS is occasionally awkward with the brakes when coming to a stop in congested traffic - it will grip them too hard and then release them suddenly. This happens only rarely, and it is not dangerous (it doesn't do it 2" from another car, for example), it's just mildly annoying. Other than that, it truly does work amazingly well in stop-and-go traffic.
The only other "issue" I've encountered is if you're using it on two-lane roads when flowing with traffic (not stop-and-go), if you encounter a stop sign and you rely on the DISTRONIC to accelerate, it does so very slowly/cautiously. Not a bad thing, but too slow for my liking.
On the highway at highway speeds it is brilliant - I have not encountered any annoyances whatsoever.
It is truly an amazing system and I would not buy another vehicle without it!
The only other "issue" I've encountered is if you're using it on two-lane roads when flowing with traffic (not stop-and-go), if you encounter a stop sign and you rely on the DISTRONIC to accelerate, it does so very slowly/cautiously. Not a bad thing, but too slow for my liking.
On the highway at highway speeds it is brilliant - I have not encountered any annoyances whatsoever.
It is truly an amazing system and I would not buy another vehicle without it!
Last edited by YYZ-E55; Oct 3, 2010 at 05:16 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 265
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From: Bay Area
2020 GTR Roadster, 2020 GT63S
I had Distronic Plus on my S63 and I loved it. When that lease was up, I picked up the Launch Edition E550 and I love it. The ONLY thing missing on the LE is the Distronic Plus (I understand they never put that on any model LE's).
Though occassionally a little "jerky", overall performance is very, very good. I learned to trust it and it was amazing on the freeway and really good in stop and go traffic.
Though occassionally a little "jerky", overall performance is very, very good. I learned to trust it and it was amazing on the freeway and really good in stop and go traffic.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 10
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From: Marietta, GA
2011 E550 Coupe
I have an E550C on order and the hardest decision has been whether or not to get the Distronic package. I like and wanted the Parktronic sensors, but I almost never use cruise control and in the rare instances where I might, I really don't like the idea of my car overriding my inputs and doing something else instead. In the end, I decided to pass. But I really wish I had been able to get just the parking sensors without all the rest.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 68
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From: London, England
E350
Remember that PreSafe Brake relies on Distronic Plus being fitted as the former uses the latter's sensors. So you'll lose the emergency collision alert and differential and autonomous braking (by differential braking I mean it compensates for insufficient braking in an emergency). Even though I would rarely use Cruise Control in any of its forms here in London, PreSafe Brake was the key to me specifying it.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 72
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2010 E350 Coupe, 2010 GL350 Bluetec
Remember that PreSafe Brake relies on Distronic Plus being fitted as the former uses the latter's sensors. So you'll lose the emergency collision alert and differential and autonomous braking (by differential braking I mean it compensates for insufficient braking in an emergency). Even though I would rarely use Cruise Control in any of its forms here in London, PreSafe Brake was the key to me specifying it.
I like the system but I also think it only worths the extra money linking with the PreSafe Brake.
I am still buliding up my confidence to the system. It doesn't slow down as early as I am used to. I like to brake gently and keep distance, So it gets me a little nervous when the traffic in front of me suddenly slows down. I tried to let it brake itself a few times and it comes to full stop no problem. I find it could be dangerous, to me at least, using it on raods and streets with traffic lights, stop signs, bikes, pedestrians and etc. So I only use it on the highway. I think the sensor is still working with the PreSafe Brake when the Distronic Plus is deactivated. Again the value of it for additional safety.
It's almost perfect on the highway when I adjusted it to my optimum "Minimum Distance". I said "almost" because I find it doesn't work perfectly in "stop-and-go" traffic. It doesn't accelerate as fast from full-stop to keep up with the flow and leaves space for the cars to cut in. Which is not too bad but probably gets the vehicle behind me not very happy thinking I drive like a grandma. On the other hand, it accelerates faster than I can be relaxed under the situation happens sometimes, that it's clear in front of me only on my lane but the lanes on my sides are relatively a lot slower. So although it works in stop-and-go traffic, I don't use it in that situation. I find it works the best for long highway trips in non-stop traffic flow at the speed limit down to maybe 30 mph.
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Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 68
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From: London, England
E350
+1.
I like the system but I also think it only worths the extra money linking with the PreSafe Brake.
I am still buliding up my confidence to the system. It doesn't slow down as early as I am used to. I like to brake gently and keep distance, So it gets me a little nervous when the traffic in front of me suddenly slows down. I tried to let it brake itself a few times and it comes to full stop no problem. I find it could be dangerous, to me at least, using it on raods and streets with traffic lights, stop signs, bikes, pedestrians and etc. So I only use it on the highway. I think the sensor is still working with the PreSafe Brake when the Distronic Plus is deactivated. Again the value of it for additional safety.
It's almost perfect on the highway when I adjusted it to my optimum "Minimum Distance". I said "almost" because I find it doesn't work perfectly in "stop-and-go" traffic. It doesn't accelerate as fast from full-stop to keep up with the flow and leaves space for the cars to cut in. Which is not too bad but probably gets the vehicle behind me not very happy thinking I drive like a grandma. On the other hand, it accelerates faster than I can be relaxed under the situation happens sometimes, that it's clear in front of me only on my lane but the lanes on my sides are relatively a lot slower. So although it works in stop-and-go traffic, I don't use it in that situation. I find it works the best for long highway trips in non-stop traffic flow at the speed limit down to maybe 30 mph.
I like the system but I also think it only worths the extra money linking with the PreSafe Brake.
I am still buliding up my confidence to the system. It doesn't slow down as early as I am used to. I like to brake gently and keep distance, So it gets me a little nervous when the traffic in front of me suddenly slows down. I tried to let it brake itself a few times and it comes to full stop no problem. I find it could be dangerous, to me at least, using it on raods and streets with traffic lights, stop signs, bikes, pedestrians and etc. So I only use it on the highway. I think the sensor is still working with the PreSafe Brake when the Distronic Plus is deactivated. Again the value of it for additional safety.
It's almost perfect on the highway when I adjusted it to my optimum "Minimum Distance". I said "almost" because I find it doesn't work perfectly in "stop-and-go" traffic. It doesn't accelerate as fast from full-stop to keep up with the flow and leaves space for the cars to cut in. Which is not too bad but probably gets the vehicle behind me not very happy thinking I drive like a grandma. On the other hand, it accelerates faster than I can be relaxed under the situation happens sometimes, that it's clear in front of me only on my lane but the lanes on my sides are relatively a lot slower. So although it works in stop-and-go traffic, I don't use it in that situation. I find it works the best for long highway trips in non-stop traffic flow at the speed limit down to maybe 30 mph.
If I were ordering again, I would still have it even as a stand alone but, as I've said, the PreSafe Brake aspect was all it needed to sell it to me.
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Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 77
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From: NY Long Island
2010 E 550 Coupe
I have it on my 2010 e550 coupe and honestly I don't trust it in stop and go traffic over 40mph, I had my friend in the car and we were playing around with it and at times I thought the car came up too quickly on other cars before braking, even with it set at the maximum distance, On the highways it's awesome I've taken the car on a few long road trips and really liked it. One annoying thing is the flashing red light on the dash and the beeping when your too close to another car, I live in long island and sometimes normal driving in LI doesn't agree with the cars computer.
