whats your favorite dash layout?

[windnsea00]

Also who couldn't resist opening up the F430 with a center tach like this...actually I dare someone to keep it under 4k rpms the whole time:

Once you rev it to 3.5-4k rpms the exhaust flaps open up and it sounds so glorious!

 

[moribundman]

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I've come to the conclusion that blue is a terrible color to use for backlighting an LCD display, especially since I now actually own something that uses a blue backlit LCD (a Dell DJ20 mp3 player).

The contrast between the black digits and the blue backlight is pretty bad. There's a reason that green is used where functionality, and not the "cool factor", is the primary objective.

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I would never buy a car that has blue gauge illumination or blue readouts. They will invariably look fuzzy. Any optometrist and some photgraphers will be able to tell you why that is. Green is fine, but I prefer red or amber, which preserves night vision and looks crisp. Aircraft style analog gauges are generally my favorite, although I do not mid digital readouts for data that doesn't have to be seen in context (Digital tachs and speedos suck), for example odometer and trip meter, ambient temp etc.

 

[windnsea00]

^Supposedly the blue/red combo is tough to see for some people. I personally liked it on our past Jetta TDI wagon. I would say amber is my favorite though.

 

[moribundman]

Of course you can't see red and blue sharp (in focus) at the same time. Different wavelenghts of light have different focal points on the eye's retina.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Out of all the cars I've owned, I liked the A4 console design/layout the best...

Especially at night...

My g/f's Jetta has the blue cluster - at night, I can't stand it. It hurts my eyes when I try to focus on it.

 

[huffmuds9320]

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Thought it was cute...

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I think I used to have one of those things looks very familiar. Its like a game you look at the screen. I vaguely remember the lanes move and you steer the car, I still remember that motor noise from that.

 

[huffmuds9320]

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I like that analog fuel economy meter on the dash. Not sure if the newer BMWs still have that or did they go with digital ones?

 

[windnsea00]

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I like that analog fuel economy meter on the dash. Not sure if the newer BMWs still have that or did they go with digital ones?

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Some of the models still have it (like the 328i and 525i/530i, soon to be 528i/535i) while the M cars, 335i and some V8 models sport an oil temp gauge instead.

For some reason it's looked down upon by many people but I think it's quite helpful as you can help your freeway mpg's just by the slightest change in throttle.

 

[moribundman]

I think that seat ate a nickel!

 

[moribundman]

For comparison to Pete's newer model A4, here is the right part of the gauge cluster of my older '96:

Here the backlights for numerals and gauge needles are pesky incandescent little bulbs and the temp display and odo are backlit LCD.

Compare to Pete's newer version.:

And here is another comparison between mine and Pete's A4. He doesn't like the burled walnut trim in my car.

Note different center console layout, especially switches. Here's mine:

Here is Pete's:

After 11 years I still like the A4 exterior and interior. I do prefer the earlier models, because I dig the older style switches and red submarine gauge illumination better.

 

[Quattro Pete]

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He doesn't like the burled walnut trim in my car.

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Actually, I don't mind it in some color combinations. I like black interiors with very dark/black wood accents. I'm not a fan of the wood accents in my sand e39 interior though.

 

[huffmuds9320]

Nice pics everyone. The Audi instrument cluster look sort of like the VW, same placement of tach, speedometer, fuel and temp. The VW doesn't have the oil temp or the battery voltage gauge. So less fancy stuff. The Audi cupholder design is better than the VW doesn't block the radio when in use.

I noticed on the older Audi there is a analog clock instead of a digital one. Not too many cars have that. The newer ones doesn't light up the km/h numbers? I know you can change the digital displays from miles to kms as well as 24 hour clock via Vag-com. I'll try to get a pic of my VW dash and post it.

 

[moribundman]

My VWs had full instrumentation. In fact, my '89 Scirocco had the multi function computer (fuel consumption and projected range, several trip meters, oil temp, washer fluid level, stop watch, countdown timer etc, outside temp. etc), while this feature wasn't available for my '96 Audi! My Audi has only the mini-check system (cluster of idiot lights).

The Audi has can holders (per German manual "Dosenhalter" = can holder). But I don't drink and drive.

I would miss not having an analog clock.

The mph are marked in red on the newer style speedometer. If you look close you can see them. If you can't see them you should calibrate your monitor.

 

[cousincletus]

I'm surprised no one said Saturn Ion. I like the way the gauges are in the center of the dash, then your hands don't block the view (of course, if your hands were in the correct location this wouldn't be an issue).

 

[moribundman]

Does anybody have a HUD, and if so, how visible is it in adverse (backlit) conditions and how annoying is it at night? A few years ago, I almost bought an aftermarket HUD, but ultimately decided it wasn't something I really wanted beyond the impulse urge of having a new toy.

 

[Quattro Pete]

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The newer ones doesn't light up the km/h numbers?

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It does. Maybe my picture isn't bright enough (it was taken with a camera that had a max exposure time of 1 second), so it's hard to see. Like mori said, km/h scale has smaller red numbers, just next to the larger white mph numbers.

I agree the older style analog clock is quite classy. The only benefit of a digital one is that you also get a date display. On euro-spec'd cars the digital clock can also sync itself with a remote time source, so that you never have to set your clock by hand.

 

[Axe Man]

Simple, round, easy to read gauges.

My VP (DX) Civic came without a Tach which as you can see I fixed that. Less than ideal but works.

Needs an oil pressure gauge which I plan to install on right side.

 

[88Dakota]

Out of what I've driven, I'm a fan of the Chrysler LH platform dashes. Good proportions and everything seems to blend well.


For the record, GM has never successfully designed a decent looking dashboard.