Aftermarket cruise control... anyone?
 

Hey guys,

Well, me and my friend bought base models (comes with manual gear and no cruise control, push start, leather seats, etc.) and are looking for an alternative solution to get a cruise control since we do a lot of highway trips (about 150 kilos per day!) anyone tried fitting an aftermarket cruise control to any car not only an 86? I heard they were unreliable and cause a lot of issues :confused0068:.

most likely this will void your warranty.
I suggest you to sale and get the higher spec.

Don't care about the warranty really, but does it really work like a stock one as in reliability?

There's only one spec that comes manual and that's the one I got and I don't want an automatic.

I didn't even know know this car came without cruise control? I have a manual frs as well. Was that really a dealer added option? I never really use it tho too boring even on road trips unless I'm going really far like 1k miles +

You may find with a little shopping you can buy the factory pieces plug them in and get factory cruise for less than $100

The cruise in these cars looks identical to what my Yaris now has. The yaris didn't come with cruise. I had to buy the plastic cover for the steering wheel, the stalk, and the clutch switch to disengage and that was it. Came to less than $100. Everything was plug and play.

Now the big thing will be if the ECU on the car in your country is already programmed for cruise control. The yaris in Canada was, but in EU it wasn't.

This is a link to what was done for a Yaris, and absolutely no guarantees it would work for you in an FRS....
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33750

Yeah the specs you guys have are absolutely amazing! We get 3 specs which is the full option (whole package) second option which excludes the push start and other little things and the base model which is the only model that comes as a manual which nearly has nothing from the higher options, including cruise control. Well, I got used to cars that have cruise control and I think it comes handy sometimes :thumbup:

Thank you! something to start on! I'll have to get back to the dealer and ask about the ECU matter though.

Consider getting a CC that works with thumb buttons on the wheel rather than the stalk type. It seems a minor point I know, but with our super sharp steering, the hand movement to waggle the stalk interferes, I think because it is an angular movement and too much like a steering wheel movement.

I fitted an aftermarket elcheapo CC to my previous car which had buttons down on the console by the gear lever and surprisingly, even that is better than the stalk. In that car I got used to using CC everywhere, even around town but after 5 weeks in the '86 I still curse it.

Just in case you think I'm petty over this, the only negative thing my son said when he drove the '86 was "gee dad, why didn't they put CC buttons on the wheel like my Honda?"

Thank you for the info! I think the ones near the gear level is much better, will look into it more.

If you're in conditions that require sharp steering inputs, I'd advise against running them on CC.

i.e. turn it on after the road straightens out. turn it off *before* you get to the tight corners.

Couldn't agree more, heard lots of incidents and accidents happening from CC.

I absolutely agree but it is precisely at the straight-ahead that I have a problem.

A little quirk of the EPS (electronic power steering) can be a feeling at straight-ahead that the wheel is slightly stiff. Usually at this time both hands are sensing this and acting oppositely on the wheel. Then when I engage CC I have to let go one hand and the other gets a chance to do its thing unopposed, the stiffness releases and direction changes. For me at least this is not smooth. Something like turning a tap when it suddenly opens.... overcoming stiction is the term for it.

It is nothing to do with caster or camber and I would not change them in an attempt to alleviate.
Don't get me wrong.. overall I think the steering on our cars is GREAT.

There has been much feedback from people saying they have no problem with either the stiffness feeling or with a CC lever so it is no biggie.