<p>I just got back from Thanksgiving with D2 near her college, and am kind of steamed at the rental car company. I realized after driving away from the rental location that the car had no cruise control. It was an economy model, which is what I rent about 90% of the time, and from a large “name brand” rental company. We were driving several hours away, so this was a pretty major pain. Talked to them when I returned the car, and the guy at this location said economy cars for this company and location never have cruise, I would have to upgrade to get it. We have rented a LOT of cars while college visiting and on other trips in the past few years, and this sure hasn’t been my experience. It only happened once before when I rented from Fox (which I consider to be a one-off company from the big 5-6 names you usually see in airports), so I took Fox off my list after that.</p>
<p>It seems to me that just because I rent a fuel efficient car that is only as big as I need for traveling around doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want it to have cruise control… :(</p>
<p>The same model car from another rental car company might not have cruise control either.</p>
<p>It depends on what the option packaging on the car model is. If cruise control is not standard on that model, it may not be present if you get that car model as a rental car. About the only thing that is pretty much assured in US rental cars is automatic transmission, since they do not want people renting their cars to learn how to drive manual transmission.</p>
<p>This happened to me once so I always check to see if the car I rent has cruise control. Originally, it was really my fault because I didn’t check.</p>
<p>I didn’t even know that cars were made anymore w/o cruise control. I thought it had become a standard item.</p>
<p>That must have been one bare-bones car. I wonder how much the company “saved” by leaving out that option?</p>
<p>My H is a big cruise control user, and only in the last couple years have I started using it for highway driving.</p>
<p>I think that those who live in more traffic-y areas probably don’t use it, but when you’re often in open highway, it is useful. If that company mostly serves people who will mostly only be driving around town (dealing with frequent signal lights), then I guess they thought no one would really need it.</p>
<p>Ah… I think I figured out what happened. I misspoke in my first post, what I rent about 90% of the time is a compact car (one step up from economy). And that is what I paid for this time, I just checked my paperwork. The desk person said, “Just take any car in spaces B1-B30.” There were only three cars in that range of spaces (in slots B1, B2, and B3). I took this one from B3. But based on the comments from the guy when I returned it, I think it was actually an economy class car (not compact). So I paid for a class up, but ended up with the lowest class car – which may very well not have cruise control. So it is still annoying. </p>
<p>Oldfort, maybe you don’t drive outside the city much. Cruise helps you maintain a steady speed and you get better gas mileage when you use it. Also… it is annoying as h*** to drive with cruise on a highway when others aren’t using it – you know those people who repeatedly pass you, then you pass them back? In your case, they are probably using cruise and you are not – they are keeping a steady speed on uphill and downhill stretches or when changing the radio station. You wouldn’t use it much if you drive a lot in a large city with tightly packed traffic and a lot of stop & go, or when weather is bad or the road is icy. But outside that it is one of the great improvements on the automobile.</p>
<p>No, we drive 200+ miles to D2’s school all the time. I usually pass people because I am driving faster. What drives me crazy is when people use cruise control (65 mph) and insist on driving on the left lane. The are usually older drivers. I tend to be a faster driver and will speed up to go with the traffic, or slow down quickly if necessary.</p>
<p>I would only consider using cruise control if I was driving over 400 miles, going out of state, etc. I drive a long stretch home from college at least once a month and, although half of it is pretty barren road, I do not use cruise control. Don’t care for it. Some family members stand by it.</p>
<p>Completely ditto what oldfort said. </p>
<p>(And those who drive the speed limit in the left lane annoy me to tears. And then they wonder why everyone is “pushing”, rushing past them or cutting them off…:rolleyes:).</p>
<p>Oldfort, if you drive fast, cruise is a good way to make sure you don’t go too fast and get a ticket… you can set it at the speed you want (say, 8 or 9 over the speed limit) and be sure that a downhill stretch doesn’t push you up over the limit enough that you get pulled over. And… how would you have any idea if the people in the left lane are using cruise control or not? Doesn’t seem to me that the two things are related.</p>
<p>Niquii77, what is the magic of 400 miles or a state line? Those seem like arbitrary markers – if you can improve your gas mileage and reduce your chances of a ticket, seems silly to not use it in other situations.</p>
<p>They are not arbitrary markers. 400 miles is around the number of mile were I feel restless and uncomfortable. The state line suggest I’m going out of state and therefore, is well over a distance were it makes sense to speed/lane hop. </p>
<p>I don’t care about gas mileage when I’m only going about 200 miles home. I’m fine with how I drive and the gas mileage I get from it. Haven’t gotten a ticket yet, but, perhaps when I do, my ways will change. Until then, I will drive 15-20 over the speed limit without cuise control.</p>
<p>Knock on wood, I have never received a speeding ticket. It is not hard to figure out which car is on cruise control. It goes the exact same speed no matter how the traffic is moving, even when it is trying to pass other cars, it is still going the same speed. I am also not so worried about gas mileage when I need to get some where.</p>
<p>Um… you can still “speed” and “lane hop” with cruise on. Although 15-20 over is asking for a ticket in most places, and it may be too fast to use cruise safely since you likely have to do a lot of weaving around other cars – you can certainly easily lane change with cruise on to pass cars in either lane, but being automatically set on going 20 over the speed limit does sound dangerous. Of course, it is dangerous to drive 20 over period… And you must have unlimited funds if you don’t care about your gas mileage except when you are on long trips…</p>
<p>right. While using CC, you can speed up to pass a car and it doesn’t interfere with your CC settings. As soon as you’ve taken your foot off the gas pedal (to speed up and pass), your car resumes to the CC speed. Of course, if you touch the brakes, then CC is turned off. </p>
<p>I’ll use CC now anytime I’m on “open highway” and have at least 30 minutes of driving.</p>
LOL we need to find other abbreviations!! I read the “cc” as “college confidential” and had to read it twice to figure out you weren’t recommending speeding up while on college confidential! (or community college or cruise critic, the cruiseship forum… )</p>
<p>My husband always uses cruise control when we travel. I NEVER use it. I consistently get much better mileage than he does. (he agrees with me about this)</p>
<p>It is not that hard to maintain a constant speed using your foot!</p>
<p>Intparent…it might be too late, but if you have the paper work, maybe the company will refund the difference in the economy/compact rental. Of course…it really was not their fault!</p>
<p>I bought my car in 2011- it is a 2010 and it was formerly used as a rental car (btw, great path to go in case anyone is looking to buy a used car in the future, but I digress)</p>
<p>It has no cruise control. I’ve honestly never noticed because even on my previous car which did have cruise control, I never used it. I make long trips all the time and I much prefer to be in control of the speed.</p>