15 replies to this topic

[+RisenTyranade]

Okay so I am looking at buying a car so I can eventually move out and keep my current job and I am looking at buying a 2006 For Focus LX 1.8 but I want to get a Digital Speedometer, Fuel Indicator and RPM Indicator for the car but I've searched online and cant find ANYTHING at all > <.

Anyone know where I can get a Digital Speedometer etc online.

[iKenndac]

Any reason why?

You can get devices that hook into the car's diagnostics bus and give you readouts like this, but they're invariably slow to update — the fastest I could ever get a dedicated diagnostics system to read this stuff was about 1Hz on a modern CAN bus when I was doing research for my degree. Dedicated consumer digital reader devices may fake it faster by interpolating, though.

Also, it's worth noting that many, many cars these days use digital readouts already — they just have an analogue dial at the end. I don't think you'll find a single new car on the market today that has a mechanical connection all the way to the dashboard. I had a 2005 Mazda (who were owned by Ford at the time) that used such a digital system.

Back on topic, I can't actually help other than stuff like this for iOS: http://sturminteract...odb-ii-for-ios/ — my system wasn't designed to be actually used while driving, only recording for later analysis. If you actually end up replacing the car's stock instruments with something else, make sure you do your research thoroughly since having a device that doesn't have an approved calibration can be tricky, law wise, in some areas.

If you're not replacing the car's internal instruments then this post wraps around to the beginning — why?

[+RisenTyranade]

I want to get some with Digital Readouts because if I can see in a clear number the speed I am going nice and big on the dashboard it helps.

I have had a few driving lessons and with the Dial it annoys me because I am looking at this needle and I like to see clear numbers in front of me. I just find it easier.

Like you said about them being slow to update. It doesn't even need to be a full replacement just something with a Digital Readout telling me my speed that is apart of the Dashboard.

[tsupersonic]

You can get a car that has them built in - the only car I can think of in that class is the Honda Civic (2006+, at least in the US market). I know it's not an ideal solution, but ikenndac has a good point

[+RisenTyranade]

tsupersonic, on 23 September 2012 - 22:55, said:

You can get a car that has them built in - the only car I can think of in that class is the Honda Civic (2006+, at least in the US market). I know it's not an ideal solution, but ikenndac has a good point

Never really liked the look of a Honda Civic Interior TBH.

Just looking for a nice, decent car for £2,500 that I can add a Digital Read Out too while keeping the old one I guess.

[Detection]

Some GPS devices show your speed, not sure how accurate they are though

[shozilla]

If you have a phone or gps enabled device, then you can download digital speedometer app.

Go to app store and look up then download it to use it while you use it in your car..

Or look for aftermarket shops and you can replace the analog dashboard with your new digital dashboard.

[+DJ Dark]

Fractalize, on 23 September 2012 - 22:58, said:

Never really liked the look of a Honda Civic Interior TBH.

Just looking for a nice, decent car for £2,500 that I can add a Digital Read Out too while keeping the old one I guess.

My aunt has a Suzuki Areo and it had a stock digital speedo, it was inaccurate at times (I find the one in the civic's to be the same case) Nothing beats a dial.

[iKenndac]

DJ Dark, on 24 September 2012 - 04:12, said:

My aunt has a Suzuki Areo and it had a stock digital speedo, it was inaccurate at times

You know, my Mazda was the same. Then, when I was doing the research mentioned in my post further up I noticed that the speed figure received straight from the car's diagnostics bus was much more accurate, and the display was intentionally inaccurate (by around 5% faster than I was actually travelling).

Turns out it's legal for a speedo to be calibrated to read up to 10% too fast, but not for it to read too slow, so car manufacturers intentionally make their speedos a bit too fast to give them a safer margin.

It *also* turns out that all the cars with dials I've had since then are the same, but because you read it as "almost 50mph" instead of "47mph", you notice it a bit less.

[+articuno1au]

If you can't get an in dash replacement, I would honestly suggest you learn how to use an analogue speedo.

Do not try and use a GPS device as a speedo. There are tons of reasons why, including inaccuracy, but also in most countries you will find it's illegal due to the screen or where it's placed or whatever else.

[Nashy]

I'd recommend getting a car with dials until you learn how to drive. I'm sorry, but "I don't like it" is ridiculous, you need to know how to read the needles first, then go to a digital.

My car has a standard cluster, with digital speed read out, it came standard with the car. Addons and GPS are not accurate.

iKenndac, on 24 September 2012 - 09:10, said:

You know, my Mazda was the same. Then, when I was doing the research mentioned in my post further up I noticed that the speed figure received straight from the car's diagnostics bus was much more accurate, and the display was intentionally inaccurate (by around 5% faster than I was actually travelling).

Turns out it's legal for a speedo to be calibrated to read up to 10% too fast, but not for it to read too slow, so car manufacturers intentionally make their speedos a bit too fast to give them a safer margin.

It *also* turns out that all the cars with dials I've had since then are the same, but because you read it as "almost 50mph" instead of "47mph", you notice it a bit less.

This was a tolerance thing with cable drive speedos. This doesn't occur in new vehicles. Our shop diagnostic equipment can confirm this too.

Anyway, people don't seem to worry about their speedo being out, just look at the majority of people who have put biggers wheels on their car, and not had the speedo re-calibrated or the default wheel setting changed in the ECU.

[iKenndac]

Nashy, on 24 September 2012 - 09:43, said:

This was a tolerance thing with cable drive speedos. This doesn't occur in new vehicles. Our shop diagnostic equipment can confirm this too.

I think you misread my post. While doing the research, I did a 20 minute-long run at 100mph indicated (circular track at Millbrook in the UK). The speedo read 100 mph the whole way, while the ODB bus was reading 96 mph the whole way. The display had an intentional increase.

[neufuse]

I think most modern cars have digital dials (but in analog format) I know my Grand Prix's analog gauges are connected to the car's data bus, no analog connection, just data and power. the ODB2 bus though updates a lot less frequently... if its a newer car you might be able to find a gauge cluster that replaces your "analog" gauges with digital ones

but seriosusly though, learn to drive with gauges... even new digital cluster cars have analog gauges on them shown graphically

[nik louch]

Quote

I'd recommend getting a car with dials until you learn how to drive. I'm sorry, but "I don't like it" is ridiculous, you need to know how to read the needles first, then go to a digital.

I 100% agree. Learn to drive your car the "normal" way, then look at changes.

[tsupersonic]

nik louch, on 24 September 2012 - 12:34, said:

I 100% agree. Learn to drive your car the "normal" way, then look at changes.

Honestly, I quite agree. If you can't tell how fast you are going by either looking at the dial (which come on, is not a difficult task AT ALL) or by just a judgement of speed, I do not want you driving on the same roads as me. Fortunately, OP is in England.

Let's face it, learn it the "normal" way, because 95%+ of the cars have analog dials. Some may have digital only or a combination of both. Just learn or adapt.