I read a letter in a motoring section in a newspaper yesterday where the replier called a salesman a patronising moron for telling a customer that rev counters were a non needed accessory on modern cars and went on to explain how important they were to keep revs in a particular range to aid economy.
Unfortunately in the real world of motoring this is useless advice as most people dont even know the difference between a rev counter and a speedometer until it is explained that they are doing 3000 revs not 30mph.
So i agree with the salesman.
On most cooking cars a useful guage would be a temperature guage rather than an idiot light and lets keep rev counters to men who think they know how to use them but in truth red line the nuts off cars that common sense woul say dont do it on
Edited by Pugugly on 21/02/2010 at 20:58
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My car has a rev counter and I find it useful but the poverty spec Panda I am thinking of buying dosn't and I am wondering if I will miss it. I don't think I will as you can hear if you are over reving the engine anyway!
A temperature gauge is completly vital though, I can't understand why some cars don't have then. By the time the temperature warning light comes on the cylinder head is probably already warped.
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While most cars I've owned have had a counter, the Accent did not and I can't say I missed it much. I have a good idea of revs from what the engine sounds like thanks very much.
If unsure, stick in second and allow to redline, once. You have your baseline.
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It's always been my understanding that temperature gauges are purely indicative, and don't indicate actual temperature at all; surely they're fed by the same sensor(s) that activate the warning light?? In which case...
In fact, I can't recall the temperature gauge of any of the cars I've owned or driven over the last 20something years do anything other than rise to the mid-point and stay there...
Mind you, all of those 20 something years have been uneventful compared to yours Rattle; despite driving cars from 20+ years old to brand new, and covering an average of c. 20k miles a year, I've never been stranded, never had a car not start, never had a car stolen or vandalised. I've had a few accidents, and some unexpected (or was it unwanted...) maintenance/repair costs, but that's it...
Peter
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Water temp oil pressure and volt/ammeter i want on every car minimum, the rev counter is useful for those with mechanical sympathy or an ounce of common...which takes 90% of the motoring general public out straight away.
If i had shilling for every time i've heard someone utter something like 'my car ticks over at 7000rpm'.
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Why do you need a volt meter? Surely the battery warning light will come on if there is a fault with the charging system? I always carry a multimeter in my car but I use it for my job but it very useful for use in the car too to diagnose electrical problems.
The only car we had with one was the Lada, you used to see it fluterating like mad and the electrics on that car were so unreliable it was essential. As a 15 year old I remember opening that russian fuse box every other week replacing yet another fuse which blew because of over voltage.
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Why do you need a volt meter?
Same as with the temp guage and oil pressure guage Rattie, you can keep an eye on it and spot any fluctuations before you find that flat battery somewhere inconvenient, though i suppose i preferred ammeters really.
Useful tool an old ammeter too, i used to keep one fitted with crocodile clips for testing glow plugs and the like.
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Again, you can usually tell by the feel of the car.
Hmm, that starter sounds a bit weak...
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Hmm, that starter sounds a bit weak...
Agreed but that ammeter dives left a bit more than usual when i operate the rear wiper..is it seizing?
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True enough ... can't get enough readouts really but they would confuse a lit of motorists.
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True enough ... can't get enough readouts really but they would confuse a lot of motorists.>>
They are not motorists, they are domestic appliance users. :)
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I the not too distant past the rev counter came with the GT engine options or as part of a trim package.
Their near universal presence in basic models today owes more to styling cues for a symetrical instrument panel and the fact that rpm count is vital to the ecu than real need.
I do however find them very useful, particularly in low powered diesels, to confirm what my ears are telling me.
Edited by rtj70 on 21/02/2010 at 22:35
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Why do you need a volt meter? Surely the battery warning light will come on if there is a fault with the charging system? ...
And surely the warning light will come on if there's a fault with the cooling system. So a warning light for that must surely be just fine?!?
Peter
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They blew mainly because the Russkys fitted cheap, nasty, poor quality aluminium fuses which corroded as you looked at them. I used to replace them with good old British ones...no more trouble ! Simples !
Ted
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One of the most useful gauges IMO was the vacuum gauge, that gave a readout of manifold vacuum.
You could even get a dashboard mounted version (I bet Gord Bennet had one!)
In 'the olde days' I could actually set the ignition timing & fuel mixture with one.
it could diagnose all manner of running faults.
Gotta know what you're doing mind.
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Usefulness of rev- counters? Depends on the type of everyday driver:
- No use to the 'domestic appliance' driver - if they can ignore red oil/temp/etc warning lights for days/weeks before being amazed that the engine has self-destructed...
- Anyone with the slightest feel for an engine will soon be able to tell if it's labouring or if the power has tailed off.
- Which leaves the middle group, who may find one useful.
My first vehicle, a Honda CD175 'sloper', had the speed range of each gear marked on the speedo - a simple solution. Near universal fitment of rev-counters I always assumed was driven by marketing.
Back to the original article, the salesman did not answer the customer's query nor explain his comment that there was no reason to fit one - hence HJ's observation...
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I've had rev counters on every car that I've owned in the last thirty years or so, and for me they've been a complete and utter waste of space.
Now, as a low mileage driver, something that lets me know when my battery needs a boost. That would be useful.
Clk Sec
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The only time I find them of any use is when I'm in mimsing mood for fuel and speed and on the VFR800 - purely for the joy of seeing it whizzing round !
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My ears are more useful than any rev counter.
I agree: a compete waste of space...
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The wife's Fabia has a rev counter, but no temperature gauge - just a light to tell you when you need to replace the engine ;)
My Merc has both oil pressure and manifold pressure ('ec***my') guages - I think knowing the oil pressure on a 22 year old engine tells you a lot about the state of the mechanics.
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What's wrong with ec***my? Is it a swear word now?
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What's wrong with ec***my? Is it a swear word now?
It certainly is!
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> What's wrong with ec***my? Is it a swear word now?
Not in its own right, no - but I imagine if you spend time in Whitehall you'll hear it preceded by one. Perhaps our swear filter's gone pre-emptive.
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