Did you spec ACC for your new car?

[Snoopy]

I did not go for it. ACC I ruled out as it will be very costly to replace when the dampers start to go soft around the 50,000 miles more than likley, i will own this car 10+ years i hope and the added complexity and cost i decided i did not need especially as in years to come i will do my own mechanical work on it. I have in the past had to convert friends cars from self leveling suspension etc to 'normal' suspension due to the cost of replacing like with like. So i went the cheap and simple way.

[mac7]

Snoopy, do you have any info regarding the replacement cost of the ACC dampers in relation to the standard ones? I intend to keep my car for several years or more so this might affect me also.

[Snoopy]

Not at the moment no sorry. Anyone with an up todate copy of ETKA may have this info for you.

[Rolfe]

I've read that ACC is working all of the time regardless of which of the three settings your in.
'Normal' setting is active, when you push on the system will switch temporarily to 'Sport' and then back to 'Normal'; the system cant be turned on or off.

So, why have the "sport" and "comfort" settings at all?  If the car is going to choose the appropriate one from "normal" all on its own?

Big success for the ACC yesterday.  Took mother out for the afternoon to a garden centre 65 miles away.  No complaints about the ride, she said it was very comfortable and fell asleep on the way there.  Previously, she would have refused to come on such a long drive.

She even noticed the lit-up "comfort" setting on the switch - which was quite surprising as the reason she has a blue badge is that she's partially sighted.

Of course I don't know that the same effect wouldn't have been achieved with a new GTi without the ACC, but I intend to chalk up one for the ACC anyway.

Rolfe.

[mac7]

So, why have the "sport" and "comfort" settings at all?  If the car is going to choose the appropriate one from "normal" all on its own?

Some of us will want to fix it in sport mode for optimum handling when having a blast on a track, for example. As for comfort mode...

Took mother out for the afternoon to a garden centre 65 miles away.  No complaints about the ride, she said it was very comfortable and fell asleep on the way there.

...think that says it all  ...

She even noticed the lit-up "comfort" setting on the switch

...but I wonder if there was a psychological effect at work too?! 

[Rolfe]

On the last one, not as such - she didn't see it until the way back, after it had got dark.  She often asks about little things she spots, but can't put into context.  I was just surprised she'd noticed such small print.

The big contrast waas between the new car and the 11-year-old Peugeot.  Which I didn't notice as bumpy, but she did.  In spades.

I suspect she might have reacted just the same in a non-ACC Golf, but I wasn't taking any chances.

If the "normal" setting is so dynamic, would that be why it's so hard to tell one setting from another?

Rolfe.

[JellyCat]

Dealer advised:

The normal is supposed to drive like normal "non-ACC" GTI set-up, however this is the only setting which then switches automatically to a sport-ish settings as needed, then goes back to normal GTI.

The comfort is supposed to be a little softer than normal for motorway \ longer drives and won't stiffen up automatically.

 

[mac7]

Dealer advised:

The normal is supposed to drive like normal "non-ACC" GTI set-up, however this is the only setting which then switches automatically to a sport-ish settings as needed, then goes back to normal GTI.

The comfort is supposed to be a little softer than normal for motorway \ longer drives and won't stiffen up automatically.

The dealer is not entirely accurate. Regardless of which setting you select, the system is constantly monitoring sensor inputs and making adjustments to the dampers - which can stiffen up even when set to comfort.

[Rolfe]

Is there a definitive article about this, suitable for the merely semi-techie to understand?

Rolfe.

[JJH]

'In Normal mode, the principal advantage of the system is that the dampers are constantly adjusted to the road and the driving conditions.'' lifted straight from the Golf brochure.