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Author Topic: Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges  (Read 5756 times)

Offline ovr50

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« on: November 06, 2003, 10:42:20 pm »
 I had my spouses '99 Solara in for service today and installing the Blizzaks et al; and was given a used Echo sedan as a loaner. This is the first time I have driven a car with centre mounted speedo etal. I was somewhat critical of this idea but now, having driven one, I have to say it was very easy to see the gauges and not distracting from driving at all. So, if there must be a lesson here, don't shoot off your mouth til you try something out - you never know, you could be wrong. I was - I would have no problem with a car with centre mounted gauges. I would add that this used Echo with 72000km was very nimble and not slow for a 1.5 engine. Now if only it looked as good as the Echo Hatch!! Still think it's ugly and don't think I'm wrong there.
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Offline Snowman

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2003, 08:14:13 am »
 Over……we talked about this before in another topic,  but I have to disagree with you on this one. I believe the center-mounted gauges are just a design fad with the auto industrial design arties. I’m sure you will see more of this. Being a proponent of function vs. aesthetics I think it is a distraction. Sure…. a quick glace will not be a problem, but if you are looking at the cluster fook for any extended period it is a problem.  

Try this….. drive down a road/street and look over to the right or left for 5-10 seconds. Then look up and see which direction you have moved to.

I think that the primary gauges….like speedo and tach….should be centered to the driver. All the other indicators monitoring engine functions can be in any arty farty place. I guess that is why I dropped out of Art College.
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Offline safristi

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« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2003, 09:50:44 am »
 Ovr50....SPOUSES..plural...did you pick up a coupla "SPARES" on your Summer trip to UTAH? No wonder ye've been grumpy lately...you OLD HAREM SCAREM YOU...:)

JEEZ Snowballs no one can DROP OUT of ART COLLEGE.. you can only drop in...at least you didn't cut your LEFT NUT OFF like Gauguin's(sp?)
DUMB YOUNGER BROTHER....ARTY FARTY? think I went to school with him.....when are you going to PAINT the WRX and in what ART STYLE?you've already done the brakes in red....Impressionist,Cubist???which you ANGRY YOUNG MAN YOU!!!!! Maybe camouflage so it won't be STOLEN.......  Gotta agree on centre dials being for cheapness (can sell them in Right and Left drive markets with no dash changeover as in
early Mini's)or nowadays for "STYLE & Cheapness"
don't like the look personally but never had a problem with drivin buddies early Mini's and NOT sure if they are dangerous...folk spend more time
looking at radio,cupholders' rear mirrors? and
BLONDES in BIMMERS than at their SPEEDOS.
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Offline Snowman

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2003, 10:09:54 am »
Yeah…..Saff, I never dropped out….just never went back for my third year. The lure of big money in mining was too much. I did not fit in too well with the ARTY FARTIES crowd…..a redneck miner with a new Mustang GT dressed in leather and Levis……pencil sketching destitute female student nudes on Friday afternoons was fun though.
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Offline safristi

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« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2003, 10:25:30 am »
 I was kicked out of ETCHASKETCH UNIVERSITY in
Estevan SaSKETCHewan for drawing IN THE NUDE!!!
they said my PENCIL was too hard......
Mustang,Levis & leather IS required for ART students NO???.

  Maybe you could re-introduce Friday Female Frolics at your new place of employment or nip over to the KITKAT KORNER DANCE PALACE and re-live the NUDE OLD DAYS????
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Offline ovr50

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« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2003, 11:08:08 am »
 Well, if we've discussed this one before, I won't belabor it again. Centre-mounted may be a fad or may be for cost-effectiveness; but I just don't think they are hard to use. I still prefer the cluster fook (as snowy so aptly calls them) in front of me, but centre-mounted is not so bad in actual use. I reserve the right to my opinions, at least until I change my mind!! And saffy, I picked up my "spare" in South Dakota, not Utah(Sturgis had a lot of biker chicks kicking around). Read any of Sonny Barger's books? And - I am NOT grumpy, damn it!!***!! Ha!!
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Offline safristi

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« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2003, 11:15:25 am »
grumpy
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Offline Giant Dwarf

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2003, 11:33:08 am »
 Snowman = art school drop-out = a clearer picture of how he can possibly be enamoured by the looks of the Rex.  


(that's for the Peewee comment above!)
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Offline RayT

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« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2003, 12:10:54 pm »
 Hehe...my art teacher awarded me the Top Art Student Award in Grade 13, and I think center mounted gauges are ugly. :)

The closer the gauges are they are to my front facing line of sight, the better.

Anyways, why do I want my passenger and my back seat occupants to see my speed. Last thing I need are back seat drivers that can see my RPM's, gas, oil, and speed.
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Offline Snowman

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2003, 12:16:56 pm »
 :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
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Offline dip

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« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2003, 01:03:47 pm »
RayT, you brought an interesting point about the gauge visibility. At some point this summer my passengers had suddenly stopped complaining about me speeding. I was puzzled for a while, but then one day I'd gotten into the passenger seat and discovered that the cellphone cradle I installed a couple of months ago blocks the speedometer completely from the front passenger ;)
the view from the rear seat

Truly, the less you know, the less you worry about things.

Now, my wife is having a road test in this car soon. What would the examiner do? ;)
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Offline is_dead

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2003, 03:38:17 pm »
 Good point, the condescending tone or glare of a passenger that dosen't approve of your speed. Look, I'm in the right lane, being passed! It dosen't matter that I'm 20 over. It's worse in sporty cars too, because the illusion of speed is greater, given the lower height and slightly rougher ride.
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Offline is_dead

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« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2003, 03:44:46 pm »
 Oh yeah, I have an article in my ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) journal that says accident rates for hands free cell phones are likely HIGHER than accident rates for hands on cell phones.

Main reason: Drivers think that hands free phones are acceptable and safe, therefore more likely to use them, more frequently. Hands free have similar distractions as hands on phones, and most accidents are a result of poor reactions, not driving with one hand.
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Sterling

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Centre Mounted Speedo/Gauges
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2003, 02:24:45 pm »
 The best instrument placement are the Head Up Displays like on a Corvette. Right in front of the driver and don't require any head movement to look at. If this centre-instrument panel was anything more than a  design exercise I'd expect to see centre mounted HUD's as well. And I doubt that'll happen.
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Offline lost_comma

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« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2004, 05:58:00 am »
Center pods and instruments are great for backseat drivers.  
HUDs are not that great. They use them in Jet fighters and look how often they crash.
Their record is so bad that they cant even get PLPD.
Ask any pilot to produce his insurance documents.....
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Offline lsmeteor

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« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2004, 08:26:08 am »
What? Fighter jets crash often? Huh?? Because of HUD? Whatareyatalkinabout?
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Offline barrie1

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« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2004, 01:10:12 pm »
I also diagree with that statement as I have driven a no. of the new Devilles and Pontiac's with the HUD system since 1990. I think its a very practical safety item to have on any vehicle and because of the fact that you do see thru it is the reason that it works so well. I don't have to lower my eyes to see my speed or depending on the model a lot of other functions that are important while I am driving. HUD 1st appeared in the 1990 Olds Cutlases and were fairly well received at the time. Its safer to fly then it is drive our roads in this country and we have a highly developed road system. Cars crash every day, aircraft do not.
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Roadrunner

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« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2004, 03:44:49 pm »
Dip
6 posts since your question and no answer. Don't think anybody read it.
If you sit in your passenger seat (normally) and can see the speedometer clearly (WITHOUT the phone in the cradle), the examiner may not say anything. On the other hand, if the phone is left in the cradle, there won't be a test done. The examiner must have a clear view of the speedometer while testing. Simply because if the driver taking the test speeds, the examiner will deduct points. Simple as that.
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Offline dip

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« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2004, 03:50:27 pm »
Roadrunner, actually the examiner didn't complain at all, nor she asked to remove the phone. Maybe they have mental speedometers these days...
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Roadrunner

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« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2004, 03:50:52 pm »
Psssssssssss
That was NOV 7, was the test done in your car?
Yeah I know Saf, day late and a dollar short, but wot the hell, it's conversation eh?
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