'06 Civic - Stupid Digital Speedometer

I really wanted to like the new '06 Civic but the steering wheel and
general interior are something from a Star Wars film and the plastics
seem more at home on a Fisher-Price toy. And what's with the digital
speedo? Doesn't Honda learn from the mistakes of others? The digital
speedo was foisted on the car buying public 10-15 years ago and was an
utter failure. [soap box mode off]. I must be getting old; I just don't
get it....

 

try 20 years ago. they even tried it in the prelude, and it sucked so
bad they changed the dashboard a year or 2 into it.

 

I saw that on pictures on their website and also agree it is a major
disappointment. Analog gauges [or digital gauges that simulate analog
gauges] are much better in that you can generally keep an eye on them in
your field of vision while still paying attention to driving. What the hell
were they thinking? --- Steve

 

I seem to remember riding in a 1970s Lincoln that had a digital instrument
cluster. However, I was only a kid at the time, so if I am wrong, then I am
probably thinking of something else at some other time. :-/

 

The 1988 or so, Lincoln had a digital speedometer. I thought it was cool, at
the time.

Personally, I don't have a problem with the digital speedometer. With the
analog, it's kinda cool to see how fast it can climb once you gun it, which
is not possible with the digital. A cool addition to the techno theme, is to
have the digital speedometer also calculate your acceleration rate (or
'G')...that way, you've got some hard numbers to confirm your seat of the
pant feel.

Pars

 

I think the digital speedometer would be easier to read, oppose to an
analog. However, in the case of the tachometer, going analog is a must!.

If it wasn't for all the speed traps around the city, the speedometer would
be a redundant equipment in my car, while the tachometer would be getting
all the attention.

Pars

 

Wow, I was all ready to correct you because I was so sure that you
meant "digital odometer" instead of "speedometer". I absolutely agree,
I cannot believe they used a digital speedometer. Terrible idea. I'm
hoping that this is just an extra option and not standard.

 

No, absolutely not. I remember renting a Cadillac in the 80s with a
digital speedometer. I was cool for the first 15 minutes, then the
novelty quickly wore off. If you ever drive with a digital speedometer,
you'll quickly find out why it is harder to read. When you drive, the
readout is continuously changing. It's very difficult and annoying to
try to read numbers while they are changing!

 

Calculating acceleration rate is irrelevant to having a digital
speedometer. The speedometer these days are probably digital sensors
hooked to analog gauges. Even if it was an analog sensor, you can still
calculate acceleration rate analogly (after all, speed is a rate too).
I would still want the acceleration gauge to be analog. All fluctuating
rates are easier to read with an analog-style gauge.

Side note: I remember seeing an analog gauge on a BWM over 10 years ago
that showed real-time fuel consumption, I thought it was the coolest
thing in the world.

 

I found the info I was looking for regarding that Lincoln I rode in, and I
was almost correct. It was an early 1980s Mark VI coupe. According to this
site, the digital instrument cluster first appeared in the 1980 model.

http://www.geocities.com/fivelincolns/80MKVIMotorTrendAritcleIndex.html

 

I think that the coolest idea would be to have the whole control panel
replaced with an LCD where all controls would be displayed. A driver
would be able to choose between various "themes" (colors, shape, etc.

 

That would be cool. The driver can customize which gauges they want to
see, where to place them, and how about this... real warning messages
instead of cryptic check engine codes.

 

Not that it justifies putting this thing on a Civic, but doesn't the
S2000 have a digital speedo? I always though that was a bad idea, but
I admit I've never tried it.

 

Ya lets get an LCARS system goin, star trek here we come.

 

Cool, than we could download special ring tones from the 'Net!

 

Nice. Something like that would totally deter us gas conscious speed freaks.

Pars

 

Considering the drastic reduction in price for LCD monitors. I'm sure that
technology isn't too far off.

Check out Toyota's Endo concept.
http://motortrend.com/autoshows/coverage/112_05fas_toyota_endo_g08_z.jpg

Pars

 

We'd probably start getting pop up ads too! =)

 

man, I do NOT want a car called the "Endo".

 

So where's the glove box?

That is one scary concept. More electronic shit likely to go screwy.