[BuckyFan]

Once I get up to speed on my way into work on the highway, as long as traffic isn't completely stopped, I try to drive almost the entire way using just the cruise control.

I'll lock it in, and if I find myself starting to come up on someone too fast, I turn the CC off so that I coast up to them instead (I wish there was a coast button) Usually this kills off enough speed so I don't need to hit the breaks.

I then turn the CC back on and hit set to set it at whatever speed I'm now at. When the chance comes to accelerate again, I do so with the + button on the steering wheel. I've noticed that I get from 5-10mpg more instant fuel economy accelerating this way instead of using my feet. Same thing goes if say, I'm trying to pass a truck. I'll get up close behind him, move over, hit the + button for 3 clicks or so, and then 20-30 seconds later I'm past him with still good mpg.

Give this a try the next time you're on the highway guys and gals, I think it will result in better fuel economy.

 

[mizzouman_2000]

I use the cruise 95% of the time, I'd say. You should be able to "coast" by holding the "-" button... that's how most other cruise control systems I've ever used worked.

I don't know that I use the cuise buttons as religiously as you, but I think that I can get better economy using the 'resume' to get back to speed than my foot. Plus, I'm just too lazy to hold my foot on the accelerator if I don't have to.

I like the way my Bu resumes cruise control. If my set point is 60 and I had to slow down to 40, I can hit resume and almost every time it's a nice, smooth, gentle acceleration... it seems to peak at about 3000 RPM. Not like other cars where it acts like it needs to get the speed back within 2 seconds and guns the throttle. On rare occasion it'll gun it, but it's momentary.

 

[barhoc11]

I like to do this too but I wish that this car had a 'cancel' or 'coast' control so I didn't have to either hit the break or turn off cruise control. If every highway in the metro detroit area wasn't under construction I think my mpg would be decently higher than it is now but by far the easiest was to improve gas mileage is to use the cruise control.

 

[USA1fan]

I also use the cruise for most of my drive (~24 miles of the 31, anyway). I also bump up / down depending on the speed zones and such, but will use my foot on the throttle for a pass if needed, or use the brake (tap) to disengage for a few seconds until I *can* make a pass, then use the resume function to return to the set speed. Like mizzouman_2000, I've found that the 'bu doesn't scare you when you resume from a much lower speed either, and I love it!

 

[mizzouman_2000]

Do the Bu's with a V6 respond the same when you resume cruise? I didn't know if it was an intentional strategy that was designed to operate that way or if it was something to do with the HP of the 4 cylinder. If the V6 does the same, then I'd guess that it was an intentional design.

 

[USA1fan]

It's intentional. And cool. The 2004 V6 we used to have liked to downshift a gear if you were going more than 5 mph less than the cruise's memory when you hit the Resume button, so the 2008's behavior surprised me, but in a very good way.

 

[FenwickHockey65]

I use cruise occasionally, on long trips. I've gotten as much as 35 MPG when I first got the car, now driving long distances with cruise gets me around 32 MPG.
And there is a cancel button, isn't there? It's on my '07 Malibu.
My Malibu guns it every time to get up to speed. It's actually kinda fun to do when nobody's in front of you. I've hit it on accident one time on a surface street and damn near had a heart attack.

 

[mizzouman_2000]

I confirmed that pressing and holding the (-) button will coast until you let go.

 

[USA1fan]

Your 07 has a cancel button, Fenwick? My 04 didn't (different wheel, I know), and the 08's don't. The Avalanche had one though.

 

[BuckyFan]

I confirmed that pressing and holding the (-) button will coast until you let go.

It doesn't coast, it just drops your speed. I tried it on the way into work this morning. When I let go, I stayed at 60mph and never went back to the 65mph I was doing before I touched the thing.

 

[mizzouman_2000]

It doesn't coast, it just drops your speed. I tried it on the way into work this morning. When I let go, I stayed at 60mph and never went back to the 65mph I was doing before I touched the thing.

Maybe your definition of coast is different than mine... I've never known a 'coast' button that resumes to the previous set speed once released. All buttons I've ever seen labled 'coast' would set the current speed as the target speed once the button was released.

 

[Gromit]

I drive about 146 miles round trip daily. All but about 6 miles is on surface streets. The rest highway and against traffic. So, I can just about set it at 72 and drive for an hour each way. The ride home is tougher, but I can still manage a good stretch on cruise.

Best day so far has been 32.5. Worst day was today 28.3 (freeway down from 3 lanes to 1 lane on the way home and I sat/crawled for about 30 minutes). Still, the car only has about 1,500 miles on it - after 2 weeks.

[EDIT: I said above All but about 6 miles is on surface streets.
What I meant to say was Only 6 miles is on surface streets.
The rest is highway and against traffic.

 

[BuckyFan]

I drive about 146 miles round trip daily. All but about 6 miles is on surface streets. The rest highway and against traffic. So, I can just about set it at 72 and drive for an hour each way. The ride home is tougher, but I can still manage a good stretch on cruise.

Best day so far has been 32.5. Worst day was today 28.3 (freeway down from 3 lanes to 1 lane on the way home and I sat/crawled for about 30 minutes). Still, the car only has about 1,500 miles on it - after 2 weeks.

4 cylinder or 6 cylinder?

 

[Gromit]

Oops. sorry, should have told you it's a 4 cylinder LTZ with the 6 speed auto. More than enough pep for my type of driving. See my edit above, too.

 

[Malibooboo]

I use cruise whenever and wherever I can, for at least 80% of my driving.

 

[Malo83]

I use cruise whenever and wherever I can, for at least 80% of my driving.

Same here went on a 422 mile trip to LA last week and I averaged a low of 27.1 to 31.5 with the V6