why don't they put hour meters on cars?

[The motor guy]

Why don't the auto manufacturers put hour meters on cars? The only vehicles that usually have hour meters are fleet vehicles, diesels, and emergency vehicles. Everyone changes oil by miles but that never includes all the time people spend sitting at red lights and sitting in traffic. Sometimes it can take me 25 minutes to make it 5 miles. If all you do is drive in the city it could take as much as 500 hours to reach 5000-6000 miles. vs someone who flies down the freeway could do that in about 100 hours. I just got to thinking here. I am bored. I need a life I know.

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Why don't the auto manufacturers put hour meters on cars? The only vehicles that usually have hour meters are fleet vehicles, diesels, and emergency vehicles. Everyone changes oil by miles but that never includes all the time people spend sitting at red lights and sitting in traffic. If all you do is drive in the city it could take as much as 500 hours to reach 5000-6000 miles. vs someone who flies down the freeway could do that in about 100 hours. I just got to thinking here. I am bored. I need a life I know.


Because if you thought about all the time you spend in a car you might drive less?

John

 

[Bluestream]

The dealer can pull that info from the ECM

 

[olddognewtrks]

The vast majority of drivers don't know and/or couldn't care less. Also, it would cost a few cents more per vehicle, and be one more thing to break, and one more thing for uneducated ninnies to obsess about-bottom line is more warranty claims and complaints. It's just easier for most everyone to go simple. Especially the simpletons.

 

[antonmnster]

Seems like more do. My work trucks have had them in a menu next to the trip meter since 2005. My BMW keeps track but I have to hook my laptop. Interestingly both have about 3000-3500 hours but my truck has 65,000 miles and my car 150,000.

Just goes to show...

 

[simple_gifts]

Because "hours" is just another factor that only plays a role in when to do an OC.

Odometer = miles, not time.
Hour meter = time, not miles.

Just another bad metric on when to change the oil.

OLM=miles and time and startups and temperature.

So an Hour meter isn't really helpful if OLM is available.

 

[ramechanic4]

05 chevy trucks have them. I'm sure a few other years do too, I'm just not sure when it started or if it has stopped, so I'm only going to comment on the 05's.

 

[Zaedock]

With my 95% off road Heep, I try to track fuel used.

 

[mrsilv04]

My 2004 Silverado has one.

 

[1 SX]

Believe it or not, my X XG350L also had one.. lol.
Still never used it..

 

[hattaresguy]

Most GM trucks have them.

Most GM trucks also have a glitch where it randomly resets, thanks GM.

 

[littleboss]

My 05 Powerstroke SD had it, I haven't checked my ecoboost yet to see if it's there

 

[xxch4osxx]

My 2004 Silverado has one.

 

[justinf89]

Yea my truck has one but it resets when the batteries die. Completely useless.

 

[johnachak]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Because "hours" is just another factor that only plays a role in when to do an OC.

Odometer = miles, not time.
Hour meter = time, not miles.

Just another bad metric on when to change the oil.

OLM=miles and time and startups and temperature.

So an Hour meter isn't really helpful if OLM is available.


Rt

This is just my opinion but, I believe that is why the OLM was invented. It should take both miles and hours into account.

 

[PhillyJoe]

My '07 Grand Prix has an hours meter. 2300 hours on it now; 71,000 miles.

 

[eljefino]

Same reason they don't put oil pressure gauges in, or even temp gauges that aren't buffered to "normal" by the computer.

Don't want to upset someone with too much information.

 

[Corvette Owner]

Oil Life Monitors use TOTAL RPMS, this reflects oil life much better. Look at it this way, you could cruise for an hour on the highway putting relatively a lot of miles and low total rpms OR do city driving with a lot of total rpms (accelerating from light to light)and low miles in the same hour.

So both time and miles can be misleading, but total rpms reflects "use and wear" of engine.

 

[Steve S]

Just change your oil every once in a while and call it done.

 

[CaspianM]

My 2010 Nissan Xterra SE has hour minute meter.