All digital gauge clusters are in.
11-13-17, 02:46 PM
#92
Lexus Fanatic
The last 2 Buicks I owned had what seemed like a reasonable compromise.....electronic analog, with the option of the (addition) of a digital speed-readout.
11-13-17, 03:05 PM
#93
Lexus Fanatic
Perhaps someone should post a poll, and we can vote on it. 1) Straight traditional (mechanical) analog, 2) Analog-style with electroluminecsent background, 3) Selectable between electronic-analog and digital, 4) Straight electronic digital. My strong guess is that most would choose either 2 or 3.
The last 2 Buicks I owned had what seemed like a reasonable compromise.....electronic analog, with the option of the (addition) of a digital speed-readout.
The last 2 Buicks I owned had what seemed like a reasonable compromise.....electronic analog, with the option of the (addition) of a digital speed-readout.
11-13-17, 03:23 PM
#94
Lexus Fanatic
11-13-17, 03:33 PM
#95
Lexus Champion
For the GM Trans Am fans, a little bit of retro nostalgia. The GTA's dash.
And believe it or not, you can retrofit a digital dash onto your old truck or car, if you're doing a resto-mod.
I had a 300ZX with the digital dash and that was a fun car to sit inside. Lousy handler, but nice scoot. So the digital dash has been around, but is much improved with today's processing power and graphics.
And believe it or not, you can retrofit a digital dash onto your old truck or car, if you're doing a resto-mod.
I had a 300ZX with the digital dash and that was a fun car to sit inside. Lousy handler, but nice scoot. So the digital dash has been around, but is much improved with today's processing power and graphics.
11-13-17, 04:31 PM
#96
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, I remember the old T/A dashes. On this particular sample, though, I wouldn't consider it a true digital, except for the speed-readout. The rest of the instruments are basically electronic bar and needle-indicators on an analog background.
11-13-17, 04:50 PM
#97
Lexus Champion
Originally Posted by mmarshall
On this particular sample, though, I wouldn't consider it a true digital, except for the speed-readout. The rest of the instruments are basically electronic bar and needle-indicators on an analog background.
But then again just to muddy the waters. The interesting analog readouts of some super cars.
The Ferrari F430
Ferrari 360 Spyder
Bugatti Veyron
BMW M5
And then there's the ultimate nightmare for a driver, all those symbols and this site really has a helpful graphic to help decode a dash and its various symbols. I really like this.
11-13-17, 10:33 PM
#98
Lexus Fanatic
I would definitely rock that Knight Rider dash in a old Firebird Trans am. It was my favorite show as a kid.
11-13-17, 11:46 PM
#99
11-14-17, 09:27 AM
#100
That's actually a great idea on cars with full LCD displays like the Tesla and some new model Benzes and Audis. I still do miss a really well designed analogue gauge package, like this one out of a late 90's Nissan Maxima(at night the background turns black and the numbers white, its really cool) I think within 10 years you won't be able to buy a car that doesn't have a full LCD display for the gauges, along with a separate center display. Heck that separate center display might go away altogether or shrink significantly and just display stuff like climate control info and radio stations, etc.
Last edited by jadu; 11-14-17 at 09:32 AM.
11-14-17, 02:38 PM
#101
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Yes but let's look at why it's a nightmare... because with a traditional gauge you have to find a unique spot for all those colored lights whereas an all digital display can use any area for any symbol.
11-14-17, 05:48 PM
#102
Lexus Test Driver
Though the view is not universal by any means, by all of the posters here, the general consensus in this thread seems to be that the best compromise with the gauges is to use electronic-backlit (electro-luminescent) gauges/readouts in a basic analog style/format, with needles. Some vehicles allow one, with an adjustment **** to choose back and forth between the two, although on both Buicks I've owned, if you adjust it that way, a large digital speedometer-readout appears inside (in the center of) the regular analog-style speedometer....so you get both at once.
11-14-17, 06:03 PM
#103
Lexus Champion
They still have to be in the driver's field of vision. Doesn't matter if it's analog, digital or a 3D Jabba the Hutt floating in front of your eyes. Any kind of trouble light should not distract a driver's eyes off the road but still be visible. The other option is a HUD, but that still brings the driver's field of vision onto the top of the dash.
11-14-17, 08:48 PM
#104
Lexus Fanatic
I think at the end of the day any sort of guages work if they look good and are tasteful. I do like the Buick LaCrosse gauges. No idea if they are true digital. The new upcoming LS leaves something to be desired. MB has it down with their digital set up.
11-14-17, 08:48 PM
#105
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Matty, think you're missing my point. With a traditional gauge cluster there must be colored filter covered cutouts with lights behind each for each of the symbols to be potentially shown. That 'fixed real estate' forces the main gauges to be smaller and generally wastes space since most of the indicators are off most of the time. A digital dash can stack icons in a status area dynamically, like the status bar of a cell phone which is a much more efficient use of space.