QUOTE(Superhawk996 @ Mar 15 2022, 11:47 AM)
QUOTE(GregAmy @ Mar 15 2022, 11:41 AM)
I'm perfectly happy with the idiot light that tells me to stop the car. Anything else just causes me distraction and needless worry.
Lots of data that shows you're not alone. At this stage, few even know what to do with the gauges when they have them.
I'm an engine builder and if I have to choose between the
stock idiot light or a VDO gauge the idiot light wins hands down. In fact I will not let a car leave my shop without a working
stock idiot light. My expensive 3.0 /6 engine when new I only had the
stock idiot light for the first month or so until I installed the gauges.
Pressure gauges are OK for telling you your PSI hot/cold and over the life you may even see a small decrease, but in the event of a failure or the light on in a long curve (T4) nothing gets your attention faster than the
stock idiot light. Also if your gauge isn't in your line of sight, for example it's in the console, it's pretty well useless anyways. Are you going to watch your console mounted gauge at 110+mph in a long sweeper? No you're not, but if a dash idiot light comes on you'll see it.
Gauges are a good addition, I like them and they have their place, but they do not replace the stock idiot light and sender.
Note that I keep saying "
stock idiot light", as the double VDO senders idiot light sender is notoriously slow to respond when compared to the simple stock switch.