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Gauges wat brand???

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:17 pm
by TURBOMQ
Hey guys looking to get some guages for the truck found these on ebay anyone used them or know anything about em???

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Race-Tech-Blue-L ... %26ps%3D47

Thanks boys

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:34 pm
by stuee
Unless your running a race car you don't really need $300 dollar gauges. My preference is VDO gauges by Siemens for a reasonably priced gauge.

The ones in your link look like a bit of a bling gauge, but for that price you would expact a half accurate gauge. They look like digital gauges too (stepper motor and every gauge looks the same suggesting they are all the same basic unit just with different faces and programmed differently.

The fact that the kit comes with a sender is a bit of a bonus too. Dont have to hunt round for a matching sender then.

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:51 pm
by TURBOMQ
Yeh thats what i was thinking, i really dont want to pay for autometer even though they are one of the best but i just thought try some cheapys for the mq lol

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:55 pm
by mike_nofx
stuee wrote:Unless your running a race car you don't really need $300 dollar gauges.

The ones in your link look like a bit of a bling gauge, but for that price you would expact a half accurate gauge.
What did i miss?
The one in his link is $57?

Autometer is always good. Accurate and look good, without being too ricey.
VDO look a bit boring.

Mike

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:35 pm
by tuffsahara
TURBOMQ wrote:Yeh thats what i was thinking, i really dont want to pay for autometer even though they are one of the best but i just thought try some cheapys for the mq lol
definately better stuff out there than autometer ,like someone said vdo and siemens are great gauges

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:42 am
by Patroler
what gauges do you need?
If you want to replace everything with aftermarket it could get dear, but if you just want to add 2 or 3 not so bad.
The ones you're looking at could be ok as long as they have a warrantee, then it just comes down to what you like the look of.
I'm a fan of Autometer also, excellent looking gauge seem to be well built and not too dear depending on what model, you can have options of black, white or aluminium face, liquid filled, electronic, mechanical...

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:44 am
by stuee
mike_nofx wrote:
stuee wrote:Unless your running a race car you don't really need $300 dollar gauges.

The ones in your link look like a bit of a bling gauge, but for that price you would expact a half accurate gauge.
What did i miss?
The one in his link is $57?

Autometer is always good. Accurate and look good, without being too ricey.
VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
Was not trying to insinuate that the gauges he was looking at were $300. The title of the thread asked "What gauges to get" and I was simply saying that you wont need to get stupidly expensive ones if all your doing is wanting to keep an eye on some of your engine parameters.

My comment "you would expect a half accurate gauge for the money" is in reference to the ebay item posted up. You can buy cheaper again if you really wanted too but then your getting into cheap and nasty territory.

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:50 am
by bogged
mike_nofx wrote:VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
they are supposed to be functional, not a fashion statement.

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:56 am
by NutterGQ
from the EBay ad"

We are proundly introduce our new brand "Race Tech" to Australia.
RaceTech is a very quality brand manufactured from Taiwan.
Contact us for further details if any questions.



With that said on an accuracy test on guages couple years back autometer was one of the worst, VDO the best, problem is VDO usually looks kinda crap so of course people who like pretty things get Autometer...[/quote]

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:57 am
by NutterGQ
stupid outers doubling all my posts arrgghh

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:39 am
by stuee
NutterGQ wrote:With that said on an accuracy test on guages couple years back autometer was one of the worst, VDO the best, problem is VDO usually looks kinda crap so of course people who like pretty things get Autometer...
I've heard this too but cant remember the source so didn't want to say anything. Autometer has very good marketing, and they do make some flash looking gauges, but the flash ones are very pricey.
bogged wrote:
mike_nofx wrote:VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
they are supposed to be functional, not a fashion statement.
Also wanted to say this but bogged sad it in a nicer way.

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:15 pm
by dogbreath_48
bogged wrote:
mike_nofx wrote:VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
they are supposed to be functional, not a fashion statement.
It's an MQ - plain gauges could detract from the looks of the car!

I'd go VDO - they're not very expensive, and you're paying entirely for quality/accuracy instead of bling/window stickers.

Mate has some 'super-cool' ebay gauges - his stereo head unit gives more accurate voltage readings than the gauge does :roll:

-Stu :)

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:45 pm
by sloshy
I have autometer gauges in my hilux and torana, that's one thing I wouldn't skimp on. I rather buy a $150 gauge instead of an engine rebuild especially in the torana.

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 4:30 pm
by pongo
bogged wrote:
mike_nofx wrote:VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
they are supposed to be functional, not a fashion statement.
Kenworth use VDO ( but have k'worth logo not VDO), nice and functional without bling makes my day nice.

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:05 pm
by Hamo
pongo wrote:
bogged wrote:
mike_nofx wrote:VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
they are supposed to be functional, not a fashion statement.
Kenworth use VDO ( but have k'worth logo not VDO), nice and functional without bling makes my day nice.
The gauges in my T401 K'worth are crap half of them no longer work and the speedo's in half of our fleet are playing up in trucks less than 12 months old but could be just a K'worth (Wankworth) thing

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:52 pm
by pongo
Hamo wrote:
pongo wrote:
bogged wrote:
mike_nofx wrote:VDO look a bit boring.

Mike
they are supposed to be functional, not a fashion statement.
Kenworth use VDO ( but have k'worth logo not VDO), nice and functional without bling makes my day nice.
The gauges in my T401 K'worth are crap half of them no longer work and the speedo's in half of our fleet are playing up in trucks less than 12 months old but could be just a K'worth (Wankworth) thing
same as the old freightliners i used to drive. dunno what a sterling use but there useless from the factory, stepper motor tacho that cant even keep up with a slow revving detroit.

How many million km your 401 done, id love to see a patrol or cruiser do 1/2 as many. Id love a elec dash out of a new mack granite, push button telemetry screen, sweet as.