Post your Tachs.

[Eli]

Doesn't have anything to do with actually driving. Like you say, it's a gadget - one that I don't like to be without. Same reason people say they want or like oil pressure, oil temp, etc.

The more instrumentation the better as far as I'm concerned. I'd like to put an oil pressure, oil temperature, EGT and CHT monitor into my car. Why, you ask? Why not? Can't ever have too much information as far as I'm concerned.

 

[SonicIce]

80's ones were neat

 

[Ronstang]

80's ones were neat

They were horrible, and rather useless. Looks like an arcade game and is very distracting. Analog gauges are the only ones worth having because with a quick glance you get all the information you need. Your brain learns rather quickly where "normal" is on analog gauges so anything out of spec immediately registers on a quick glance without even thinking.

 

[yhelothar]

They were horrible, and rather useless. Looks like an arcade game and is very distracting. Analog gauges are the only ones worth having because with a quick glance you get all the information you need. Your brain learns rather quickly where "normal" is on analog gauges so anything out of spec immediately registers on a quick glance without even thinking.

Just wondering, so why do all race cars use digital?

 

[Imported]

 

[vshah]

They were horrible, and rather useless. Looks like an arcade game and is very distracting. Analog gauges are the only ones worth having because with a quick glance you get all the information you need. Your brain learns rather quickly where "normal" is on analog gauges so anything out of spec immediately registers on a quick glance without even thinking.

you realize that the speedo and tac in that picture are damn near analog - the bars fill up with RPM/speed. arguably, since it is lit up vs. not lit, and the area of color/light increases with RPM/speed, it would be easier to see something out of spec vs. one little needle on a gauge. not to mention the RPM probably turned red at redline etc.

personally though, I still prefer the look of a tach needle swinging around to redline

 

[foghorn67]

Just wondering, so why do all race cars use digital?

Usually, they don't have room.
Analog is much easier to read.

 

[foghorn67]

 

[drteming]

Mark VI GTI

 

[IcePickFreak]

BMW is one step ahead of you. First place I read it was here but do a google search and you'll find lots more.

Heh, can't say I'm surprised that BMW is the one leading the way on that.

Tachs are cool, but for the most part they are simply gadgets to the car world much like an iPhone or mp3 player is to the modern nerd. If you need one to drive you don't know how to drive. Considering where they are located in most instrument clusters they are almost completely useless except for the occasional glance at highway cruise. If you are looking at the tach while you are accelerating you are not looking at the road. STUPID. The ONLY standard equipment tach properly located that is not in a HUD I have ever seen is the one installed in the 1966 Shelbys. They are mounted right on top of the dash in plain view while looking out the windshield. The ones mounted in the pod in the 1965 Shelbys were OK but still not as good as the 1966 models. Even then if you know how to drive you don't really need the tach anyway. A shift light is way more useful.

The old GTOs had hood mounted tachs.

 

[yhelothar]

Usually, they don't have room.
Analog is much easier to read.

I see, they have much more stuff to keep track of in a race car.

 

[mafia]

 

[SonicIce]

Tachs are cool, but for the most part they are simply gadgets to the car world much like an iPhone or mp3 player is to the modern nerd. If you need one to drive you don't know how to drive. Considering where they are located in most instrument clusters they are almost completely useless except for the occasional glance at highway cruise. If you are looking at the tach while you are accelerating you are not looking at the road. STUPID. The ONLY standard equipment tach properly located that is not in a HUD I have ever seen is the one installed in the 1966 Shelbys. They are mounted right on top of the dash in plain view while looking out the windshield. The ones mounted in the pod in the 1965 Shelbys were OK but still not as good as the 1966 models. Even then if you know how to drive you don't really need the tach anyway. A shift light is way more useful.

they're useful to troubleshoot or to help you notice changes. they are not unsafe, nobody is looking at the tach all the time. only reason they would be removed from cars is as a cost-cutting measure and nothing else.

 

[finbarqs]

just got her installed

 

[Eli]

just got her installed

LOL, what is that?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

LOL, what is that?

Pretty sure it's KITT from Knight Rider. Strange they didn't pull out those ratty velour "comfort" seats and give it some black Recaros.

 

[Eli]

Pretty sure it's KITT from Knight Rider. Strange they didn't pull out those ratty velour "comfort" seats and give it some black Recaros.

Oh, duh. I've failed as a nerd, lol.

 

[satyajitmenon]

 

[Crono]

 

[GTSRguy]

I really like the gauges in the Nissan 370z

 

[alphatarget1]

E46 M3:

E90 330i (yes, that is an M3 steering wheel but it's not an M3):

I can't say I care how "cool" my instruments look. All I really care about is legibility. Actually one of the "coolest" tachs out there is the one I think is the dumbest: the counter-clockwise tach on Aston Martins.

On balance I like the newer design on my 330i better than on my M3 because white on black is easier to see than white and orange on gray. The M3 is certainly fine, however, and I like that I get oil and water temperature gauges on that car.

110F in Minnesota? I didn't know it can get that hot up there...

 

[RichieZ]

 

[RichieZ]

do you really have a GT-R?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

110F in Minnesota? I didn't know it can get that hot up there...

Yeah, that was why I took the pic. I think the thermometer in the car was off by 2-3 degrees but it was definitely above 105 in downtown Minneapolis that day.

 

[zerocool84]