Originally Posted by Rudy' post='471273' date='Sep 19 2007, 02:10 AM

Why can't you get ACC on your car?

Originally Posted by JSpira' post='471527' date='Sep 19 2007, 01:39 PM

Not available with the standard transmission.

Originally Posted by Rudy' post='471643' date='Sep 19 2007, 04:33 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot all about those old-fashioned gizmos...

Originally Posted by JSpira' post='471650' date='Sep 19 2007, 04:43 PM

Ja, well, I liked ACC on the 550i I had in July for 10 days. But I couldn't stand all that automation with the slushbox.

Originally Posted by Rudy' post='471654' date='Sep 19 2007, 04:48 PM

Yeah, but it wasn't a SAT...

Originally Posted by JSpira' post='471845' date='Sep 19 2007, 10:54 PM

I know. A BMW NA exec. said something similar to me on the phone yesterday... what was it. Oh: "Thank G-d you ordered a standard transmission". Ja, that was it.

Originally Posted by Rudy' post='471182' date='Sep 18 2007, 11:19 PM

I use active cruise all the time in rush hour traffic. It works very well but once in a while it kind of freaks me out and I use the brake earlier than the car would just to prevent a sudden deceleration -- I'm worried about the guy behind me that doesn't have active cruise and is likely texting someone and not paying attention to me! Overall, it's a pretty great feature for stop and go traffic (or even steady traffic that's congested.) I'd rank it high on my favorite feature list. One other side benefit I've found is when you're completely stopped, you can activate the system then take your foot off the brake without the car rolling forward. I've driven manuals (and SMG) cars all my life so I'm not used to having to keep the brake on with more than slight pressure to remain stationary. (The SAT seems to require a significant amount of brake pressure to hold the car still -- not sure if it's an idle thing or something with the way the clutch/torque converter works on the car.)

On the open highway, I'd love to be able to switch off the active part of the cruise because I'm used to managing things myself. Now, I have to anticipate things a little differently on the highway. For example, normally I stay in the right lane until I approach a slower moving car. I'll then move over to the left lane and once I'm clear of the car I just passed, I pull back into the right lane -- even if I'll be approaching another slower moving car in that lane in a short while. With ACC, as soon as I pull into the right lane again, depending on the distance to the next car I'm going to pass, it might start to slow me down right away. Also, in the example of me approaching the first car I intend to pass, the system might slow me down earlier than when I'd normally change into the left lane. I'm trying to learn or anticipate the distance that it will start to slow me down so I can begin my lane change a bit earlier. Unfortunately, I haven't had too many highway trips to practice this just yet.

With regard to the lane departure warning system, I leave it activated all the time now and have learned to ignore it when I'm paying attention to the road but every once in a while, if I'm fiddling with something and not paying 100% attention (like grabbing something one of my kids dropped on the floor, etc.) it'll vibrate and remind me to check out what's going on. I do often times make extended road trips and drive after long work days, etc. so I think that as an insurance against driver fatigue, it's worth the price -- even if it only saves me one time! On the other hand, if I'm not tired but just need a little hand massage, this option provides much needed relief.

Again, just to emphasize, I'm not one to start reading the newspaper or check my email while motoring down the road but the combination of these two options is a nice little security blanket for the occasional times when something takes your full attention away from the road...

Originally Posted by westcoast550' post='471855' date='Sep 19 2007, 11:27 PM

Like one of the dead hookers in the trunk that starts moaning ??

Bah hahaha