Do you use the speedtronic limiter?

[Dieselman]

This is exactly what I do too. So I'm an occasional user of the limiter.

I normally set cruise for these, but use limiter if in a town where I don't know the area, so can concentrate more on other things.

 

[Dave Richardson]

Usually only when going through average speed camera sections, leaves you able to concentrate

 

[Tan]

I used the speed limiter function a lot on my cars that had it, but don't real use regular cruise control all that much.

 

[AMGeed]

Never used cruise control or speed limiter in the 12+ years I've owned Mercedes cars.
Never found the need for either.

 

[guydewdney]

Usually only when going through average speed camera sections

Aol
Me too
/aol

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

For average speed sections, e.g. 50mph on motorway, I find use of cruise control ideal to use, as:

1. the traffic is all mostly travelling around the same speed
2. CC allows fine control of +/- 1mph to enable me to exactly tune the speed of the car to the prevailing speed being driven at by the car in front: my car doesn't have distronic
3. I can rest my legs by taking them off the accelerator

I can see how speedtronic would be good in 30/40mph limit areas like cities, where one can concentrate on the road ahead, without fear of exceeding the limit.

 

[Colin_b]

I use cc a lot. The ability to fine tune it by +/- 1 mph improves ones ability to read the road ahead. The speed limiter just annoys me, it always seems to kick in at just the wrong time.

 

[johnsco]

I use the limiter in average speed sections and in strange towns.
It surprised me when I bought my first E-Class that the previous owner referred to it but said that he'd never really worked it out.
It took me all of 5 minutes .......and I'm no genius.
Quite a neat idea.
I always feel I'm a sitting duck in strange towns where the limits change a lot.
Very useful.
Mrs J. doesn't like it.

 

[Troon]

The limiter is brilliant. When I bought my car (first MB), I thought I'd never use it and just use cruise like I always had before.

Oh no. Other than on empty French autoroutes, I've not used cruise since, but the limiter is on most of the time — certainly in all urban areas. It means I can concentrate on driving and maintaining a safe speed without also monitoring the speedo to make sure I don't exceed the legal limit.

It's much better in normal traffic conditions to be able to drive at 0 ≤ my speed ≤ set speed than set speed ≤ my speed ≤ Vmax.

 

[camerafodder]

I normally set cruise for these, but use limiter if in a town where I don't know the area, so can concentrate more on other things.

I can see your logic but I prefer not use cruise when the traffic gets bunched up.

 

[IanMSpencer]

I can see your logic but I prefer not use cruise when the traffic gets bunched up.

Driving out today it also dawned on me that the other thing it is good for is that urban roads have bends, junctions and speed bumps, not just traffic. Obvious really but CC discussions do focus on long motorway drives not typical drives.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

As a result of this poll, my awareness of the utility of the speedtronic limiter has increased, and I am now using it, so thanks for the poll IanMSpencer!

 

[stereophoney]

When I had it I started using it all the time in 30 & 40mph sections, so much less stressful when you don't have to keep an eye on your speed, and with engine braking downhill don't even have to worry about that. I miss it now I no longer have a Merc.

 

[HP1]

I used the speed limiter for the first time recently; I had a puncture and used the space saver which is limited to just 50mph.

 

[artyman]

I don't use the limiter, but stick the cruise on 30mph if the traffic is heavier than that then the limiter isn't required in any case.

 

[baxlin]

I use the limiter a lot, unlike cruise you are still in full control of the car .

I disagree, I think with CC you are still in control, a slight tap - or more if in an emergency! - on the brake switches it off, slight tap on the stalk (at least on my W204) adjusts the speed, and you can accelerate through its setting.

With the limiter, if you need to accelerate out of a problem, you can't. I used it once, and never felt so out of control of the car in over 50 years driving. So never again!

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

I disagree, I think with CC you are still in control, a slight tap - or more if in an emergency! - on the brake switches it off, slight tap on the stalk (at least on my W204) adjusts the speed, and you can accelerate through its setting.

With the limiter, if you need to accelerate out of a problem, you can't. I used it once, and never felt so out of control of the car in over 50 years driving. So never again!

Interesting perspective and one that I have noticed too: it makes accelerating out of trouble impossible without disabling the limiter first, which takes time, so the quickest way out of trouble is to brake.

One way out of this is to set the limiter a few mph above the limit in force, but this kind of defeats the object of staying within legal speed limits. Using cruise control set to the limit and hanging a good distance back seems preferable perhaps if conditions allow this.

Have frequent users of the limiter encountered this situation of not being able to accelerate out of trouble and, if so, what is their method of handling this situation?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Kickdown

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Kickdown

That's true, I forgot about kickdown overriding the limiter.

 

[Deadhead]

I disagree, I think with CC you are still in control, a slight tap - or more if in an emergency! - on the brake switches it off, slight tap on the stalk (at least on my W204) adjusts the speed, and you can accelerate through its setting.

With the limiter, if you need to accelerate out of a problem, you can't. I used it once, and never felt so out of control of the car in over 50 years driving. So never again!

Not so. Press the throttle past the kickdown point and you can go past the limited speed. There is a warning beep.

My problem is that I've just switched from a S211 to a new E220 S212 and they've swapped the levers around. So I keep trying to indicate with the speed limiter.