Distronic Cruise - who has it? Pluses and Minuses?
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Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 133
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Distronic Cruise - who has it? Pluses and Minuses?
Those of you who have this option: Just how well does it work? Would you get it again?
I've been thinking about this one, and I have to admit, I have never used regular cruise control systems because of the problem that this option seems to fix: I am normally, contantly putzing with it because I usually catch up to cars and have to back off, so the result is I never turn cruise on.
This feature seems to solve that problem. I can set a speed and a comfortable following distance. If it works well, this sounds ideal for longer trips.
The risk is that it doesn't work well and I end up not using it either. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would just get it, but at $3k, I need to think it over.
My salesman keeps talking me out of it by giving the example that if you leave a space in front of you, people will be constantly cutting you off and you keep falling back and back and back, never even reaching your set cruising speed.
With all I'm hearing, I am beginning to wonder if he's trying to talk me out of it because it's another feature you can't get. I'm assuming someone on this board has it... how is it? Is it worth three grand?
-NavNut
I've been thinking about this one, and I have to admit, I have never used regular cruise control systems because of the problem that this option seems to fix: I am normally, contantly putzing with it because I usually catch up to cars and have to back off, so the result is I never turn cruise on.
This feature seems to solve that problem. I can set a speed and a comfortable following distance. If it works well, this sounds ideal for longer trips.
The risk is that it doesn't work well and I end up not using it either. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would just get it, but at $3k, I need to think it over.
My salesman keeps talking me out of it by giving the example that if you leave a space in front of you, people will be constantly cutting you off and you keep falling back and back and back, never even reaching your set cruising speed.
With all I'm hearing, I am beginning to wonder if he's trying to talk me out of it because it's another feature you can't get. I'm assuming someone on this board has it... how is it? Is it worth three grand?
-NavNut
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles
2003 E500, 2000 CLK430
My E500 came with distronic and I have used it since November. It is a good option. You can adjust the distance you want to maintain from the car in front of you. It works great. It is pricey but I think it is worth it if you like to use cruise control. My only complaint is I wish I could select a distance a little shorter than what the system allows.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 295
Likes: 1
From: Long Island
2018 GLC 300 4Matic
Those of you who have this option: Just how well does it work? Would you get it again?
I've been thinking about this one, and I have to admit, I have never used regular cruise control systems because of the problem that this option seems to fix: I am normally, contantly putzing with it because I usually catch up to cars and have to back off, so the result is I never turn cruise on.
This feature seems to solve that problem. I can set a speed and a comfortable following distance. If it works well, this sounds ideal for longer trips.
The risk is that it doesn't work well and I end up not using it either. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would just get it, but at $3k, I need to think it over.
My salesman keeps talking me out of it by giving the example that if you leave a space in front of you, people will be constantly cutting you off and you keep falling back and back and back, never even reaching your set cruising speed.
With all I'm hearing, I am beginning to wonder if he's trying to talk me out of it because it's another feature you can't get. I'm assuming someone on this board has it... how is it? Is it worth three grand?
-NavNut
I've been thinking about this one, and I have to admit, I have never used regular cruise control systems because of the problem that this option seems to fix: I am normally, contantly putzing with it because I usually catch up to cars and have to back off, so the result is I never turn cruise on.
This feature seems to solve that problem. I can set a speed and a comfortable following distance. If it works well, this sounds ideal for longer trips.
The risk is that it doesn't work well and I end up not using it either. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would just get it, but at $3k, I need to think it over.
My salesman keeps talking me out of it by giving the example that if you leave a space in front of you, people will be constantly cutting you off and you keep falling back and back and back, never even reaching your set cruising speed.
With all I'm hearing, I am beginning to wonder if he's trying to talk me out of it because it's another feature you can't get. I'm assuming someone on this board has it... how is it? Is it worth three grand?
-NavNut
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 118
I wanna have it retrofitted in my car for years now. Just think about driving long distances on the freeway how much more convenient the drive will become.
I even drive with cruise control in traffic (although I have to turn it on and off constantly) but the gas mileage becomes so much better and I'm quite addicted to improve my mpg constantly with every tank.
So if you would ask me, go for it!
I even drive with cruise control in traffic (although I have to turn it on and off constantly) but the gas mileage becomes so much better and I'm quite addicted to improve my mpg constantly with every tank.
So if you would ask me, go for it!
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 978
Likes: 3
From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
Those of you who have this option: Just how well does it work? Would you get it again?
I've been thinking about this one, and I have to admit, I have never used regular cruise control systems because of the problem that this option seems to fix: I am normally, contantly putzing with it because I usually catch up to cars and have to back off, so the result is I never turn cruise on.
This feature seems to solve that problem. I can set a speed and a comfortable following distance. If it works well, this sounds ideal for longer trips.
The risk is that it doesn't work well and I end up not using it either. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would just get it, but at $3k, I need to think it over.
My salesman keeps talking me out of it by giving the example that if you leave a space in front of you, people will be constantly cutting you off and you keep falling back and back and back, never even reaching your set cruising speed.
With all I'm hearing, I am beginning to wonder if he's trying to talk me out of it because it's another feature you can't get. I'm assuming someone on this board has it... how is it? Is it worth three grand?
-NavNut
I've been thinking about this one, and I have to admit, I have never used regular cruise control systems because of the problem that this option seems to fix: I am normally, contantly putzing with it because I usually catch up to cars and have to back off, so the result is I never turn cruise on.
This feature seems to solve that problem. I can set a speed and a comfortable following distance. If it works well, this sounds ideal for longer trips.
The risk is that it doesn't work well and I end up not using it either. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would just get it, but at $3k, I need to think it over.
My salesman keeps talking me out of it by giving the example that if you leave a space in front of you, people will be constantly cutting you off and you keep falling back and back and back, never even reaching your set cruising speed.
With all I'm hearing, I am beginning to wonder if he's trying to talk me out of it because it's another feature you can't get. I'm assuming someone on this board has it... how is it? Is it worth three grand?
-NavNut
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 451
Likes: 44
2007 E350; 2018 GLE350
I don't have Distronic on my '07 E350. But we had it (by a different name, of course) on a former car: a 2005 Toyota Avalon. It took a little getting used to, but I came to love it. It's a good safety device: set the time interval you want to maintain from the vehicle ahead of you ... such as 2 secs, 3 secs, or 4 secs. The system did a great job of maintaining the selected time interval. Downside: usually, the car's slowing down was so subtle I didn't detect it until I glanced down at the speedo and realized that I was now following along (for instance) at 67 mph instead of the 78 mph I had set on the cruise control. Distronic is going to help a lot of MB drivers avoid tail-gating vehicles ahead of them.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Diesel Benz, I know that both could be considered correct. What I tried to say is that you don't enter a time as a measurment to the vehicle in front of you but rather meter/yard/feet or whatever.
Sorry for the confusion.
What I tried to say is that you don't enter a time as a measurment to the vehicle in front of you but rather meter/yard/feet or whatever.Sorry for the confusion.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 451
Likes: 44
2007 E350; 2018 GLE350
Depends on the interpretation, I guess both can be considered correct. Distronic actually keeps a distance that you travel in a given time at the current speed. The time is at least on my 221 from 1 to 2 seconds. Distronic Plus applies a fixed distance when it stops the car behind one ahead, otherwise the "1 to 2 second" distance would be a bit too small.
We're talking the same thing here. It's a good system. I wish it were on our E350, but I can still count potatos ....
