yaro1

I went to my dealer today to pick up my RX from service, and I stopped in the showroom to ask some questions about special-ordering my IS. As we were talking, I asked about the radar cruise control, and she said it is a dealer-installed option that involves taking apart the dash.

That sounds like a load to me. Isn't it a factory option that comes bundled with the Pre-Collision System?

(on a side note, is PCS/Radar cruise control even worth it?)

Thanks,
Yaro
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PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Radar Cruise and Pre-Collision are FACTORY installed, not dealer installed.

The system involves an integration of VDIM, seat belt tensioners, brakes, traction control, and cruise control. To have it done at the dealership will cost thousands of dollars more than having it intalled factory.

If you want it and you're doing a Special Order, you MUST get the Radar Cruise factory-intalled. Otherwise, you won't be able to add it later without excessive $$$.


ON A SIDE NOTE: Radar Cruise is worth it if you drive in open highways most of the time. It's not useful in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Which part of Jersey are you from?

yaro1

Yeah, thats exactly what I thought. I'm special ordering my car anyway, since I need Mark Levinson and the other goodies we are denied in NJ. I just couldn't understand how the dealer would be able to do such advanced work to install the DRCC. It just seemed too fishy, so I asked.

Then again, I was only talking to a sales assistant, not even my normal salesman since he was off today. I always take what they say with a grain of salt, but she seemed very confident in what she was saying, so it made me quesiton.

I'm from Northern Jersey, Passaic County, ~20 min from NYC. However, I often find myself on highways and cruse-controllable roads, and I think it might be nice to have that feature.

2 more Qs:

• Does the cruise control apply brakes to maintain speed when going downhill?
• Will it interfere with radar detectors?

Thanks for the quick response.

AM1

iTrader: (6)

the radar cruise control is not worth the $$$ IMO. it only works good without a lot of slowing down/braking when there is a lot of open highway with few cars. it is impossible to use on crowded highways or heavy traffic.

yaro1

But wait, isn't the point of the system to work in moderate but moving traffic. I'm talkign about dense traffic moving at about 50-60 mph on a highway.

If it doesn't work there, then where does it work?

TimboIS

Radar Cruise and PCS is definitely worth it. When is an added safety feature not?!?

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

*It will either decrease throttle or apply brakes, whichever is necessary depending on the grade of the hill.

*As far as I know, it should not affect radar detectors...

Lexustom

I can answer the first question. It does not always apply the brakes. On long downhill stretches it just down-shifted. Sometimes from 6th to 5th and sometimes even to 4th for a bit of time. I was amazed at how smoothly it controlled my speed. I have used it in moderately heavy (but moving 55 to 70 depending on the lanes, etc) in So. Cal. traffic and it (radar cruise) is truly amazing. I am SO glad I bought it. Plus, in the very remote chance of impending doom (as in a horrible crash) I have the added security that my Lexus will do it's best to save me!

I will say it has taken some "getting used to " however in that it does NOT act like the regular cruise.

Buy it, you'll love it. In MHO.

yaro1

True. However, $2850 is a lot to drop for a safety feaute I hope to never use.

Thanks. I had a IS250 loaner car, and I noticed it downshift on declines, but even that wasn't enough to keep the speed within where I wanted it. I had it set to 42 in a 40 zone, but it went up to over 50, even in the lower gears.

Thanks for your opinion. I know it is a relatively new technology (3 years?), so I was wondering if it had become useful and reliable yet. It appears so.


On a side note, I think I can imagine how PCS could help: My cousin had an '89 Mustang, and she hit somebody who ran a stop sign, and the stress of the seatbelt caused her severe chest discomfort and some trouble breathing later on. If she had PCS, ideally the system would have detected an impending collision, the seatbelt would have retracted, and she wouldn't have been so beat up by the seatbelt (thought it did save her life).

Interesting...

TimboIS

That's likely because it was a 250 and not the Radar Cruise Control.

CWS

Just a guess, but that "assistant" may have been repeating what he/she heard about installing the XM radio, instead of PCS/DRCC. That involves disassembling the dash, I was told.

AM1

iTrader: (6)

the reason i said the cruise is hard to use in traffic cuz suppose there's a car in front of you and you want to cruise at 70 mph, the car to make sure you are at a safe distance will slow you down. soi if say you want to drive close to the car in front of you and the car doesn't think its safe it wont let you do it without you slowing down or urning the system off. thats why it works good when there's little traffic around you.

TimboIS

Huh? The whole point of radar cruise is so that it WORKS when there are cars in front of you. If there weren't you'd just use thye generic cruise. FYI, there is a button that lets you control the distance.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

I have radar cruise on my 05 LS430 Ultra and it had no effect on the Valentine One in the LS400 my wife was driving on the highway beside and directly in front of me.

flipside909

1) It does to a certain extent but it isn't as fast reacting (as other cruise systems on different manuf.) nor will it downshift to slow you down.

2) The newer Radar Cruise will not, but the older Laser Cruise systems in Lexus and Toyota (older LS, Avalon, Sienna, including various Infiniti models) will cause your V1 to go off. Also if you happen to put your V1 directly in front of your Lexus Navigation Screen or inline (i.e. if you have it remotely installed like the rear window using the remote display) with it, it will trigger the LASER band.