Pet Peeve: Tachometers

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike

Everyone hated that Cadillac, you know badge engineering, but it was basically a Z34. It moved out pretty good...For the 80's

I always thought they were quite good-looking cars too. I'd love to have one, as long as its not a 1.8 or 2.0 or whatever they had at the time if you didn't opt for the V6 (and in all honestly, I've never even seen one that wasn't a V6). The 2.8 had a nice growl to it.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: css9450
Originally Posted By: ls1mike

Everyone hated that Cadillac, you know badge engineering, but it was basically a Z34. It moved out pretty good...For the 80's

I always thought they were quite good-looking cars too. I'd love to have one, as long as its not a 1.8 or 2.0 or whatever they had at the time if you didn't opt for the V6 (and in all honestly, I've never even seen one that wasn't a V6). The 2.8 had a nice growl to it.


I thought the Cimarron was decent looking car also but the price was stupid on it for being a re-badge.

Quite a few luxury brands back in the 1980's marketed entry level cars. BMW had the 218 and Mercedes had the 190. The theory was that they were losing potential sales because while dad was buying the top end models for himself, he went elsewhere to buy his high school or college bound kids first car elsewhere. I knew many of the BMW dealers at the time hated carrying the 318 as it attracted more of the lower end "riff-raff" onto the lot than 2nd car sales to a potential high end model buyer.

 

[hattaresguy]

The worst tach's are the ones they use on the current Silverado. They put the big lines between the numbers and its just a display mess. You have to look at it to figure it out. Your eyes should be drawn to the numbers for quick reference.

Although since the trucks are automatic it doesn't really matter.

Ferrari does a proper tach with the red line up top for quick visual reference. Also notice the important gauges ie temp and oil pressure are in the center and stacked. Less important gauges like fuel are on the outside out of the way. This is where the weight of the display is and you can cast your eyes down for a millisecond to make sure whats important is where it needs to be. A dash you have to look at is poorly designed. Than you have your gear indicator in the center as well. The only way to improve on this design is with a HUD.

 

[Quattro Pete]

That Ferrari cluster is designed accordingly to the car's purpose - a sports car / race track car.

For a daily driver, this isn't necessarily the best cluster. In a car like Prius, I guess a speedo and an MPG gauge would make more sense to be in the "center of attention".

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
......... In a car like Prius, I guess a speedo and an MPG gauge would make more sense to be in the "center of attention".


The reason there is not a Tachometer in a Prius is because it would be more of a distraction since the engine portion is constantly coming on and off at random times and is not a primary useful instrument on a hybrid.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
The reason there is not a Tachometer in a Prius is because it would be more of a distraction since the engine portion is constantly coming on and off at random times and is not a primary useful instrument on a hybrid.


It's not, but I still would like to see engine speed. That's just how I am as a car guy. Every hybrid I've driven but the Prius (Ford Escape hybrid, Ford Fusion hybrid, Honda Insight hybrid) has a real tachometer...it just drops to zero when the engine is off.

This is a picture of an Insight loaner I had a few years ago. Almost 60 mpg on my 20 mile commute!