As a pilot and an engineer that works on designing new systems for commercial aircraft flight decks, I have been working with what we call "glass" displays versus "Steamgauges". The latter are the old fashioned analog dials whereas the glass are the new CRTs or flat panels.

Now on a modern commercial aircraft, the new CRTs make good sense. You can bring up all sorts of info on them. Plus, I can fit a whole bunch more info on say, the PFD, than with the analogs.

[side note: I had the opportunity to fly the Concorde simulator for 2 weeks back in 1999 while we were conducting an experiment and while the plane is considered one of the most exclusive, virtually all the displays are the older "steamgauge". Some mods have been made, but not alot. The flight engineer's station is huge and has three large panels he or she has to constantly monitor....putting glass displays in would help where possible, but the price would be outrageous!]

When it comes to cars, I have a personal preference for the analog displays. I am wondering why MBenz eliminated the Oil and Economy gauges starting with the 96 E series.

I took a look a while back at the instrument panel on the new '03 E model and was sad to see that more and more of the instrument panel is becoming electronic. I fully understand that the same factors that play into placing CRTs on aircraft apply to cars. However, I don't like "semi-idiot" lights for critical systems. I know that the oil display is not an idiot light, per se. It will work on two levels--I believe it comes on in the first mode when the oil reaches the "low end" of the dipstick. If the oil goes below that, then you get another indication.

Did these gauges have alot of problems (I was thinking primarily of the economy gauge)? I miss those gauges and it is too bad they took them off.

Oh well....six to one, half dozen to another.

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- Jon E320 210.055

90 Wrangler
77 Mustang 307,000 mi
63 T-Bird [fully restored]

If you want to hear something scary, the instrument cluster for the W211 is not serviceable. The bulbs are designed to last 7000 hours which is roughly 14 years of driving.

If anything else goes wrong with that cluster though, and you do not have a warranty period on the W211 later on in life, the replacement cost is close to $2000.00 CAN.

This W211 car is an engineering marvel beyond approach in the marketplace right now. The harmon/kardon LOGIC 7 sound system is untouchable. The Bi-Xenon headlamps are capable of making night turn into day and the all LED brake lights on the Sport and E55 models are pretty slick at night.

If you ever wanted to buy a W211 used though, you will only be able to get only one model. This will be the E320. The reason I say this is because the E500 and E55 come with the Air Matic suspension system along with the Adaptive Damping function. That suspension will cost an absolute fortune to replace at mileage. These cars will be parted out and sent to the scrap yard after the warranty or extended warranty expire.

Most E500's and E55's will also come with Distronic cruise control which will be extremely sensitive to environmental problems like dirty roads and poor maitenance. The steering wheel sensor works with distronic and the pitch control to keep the car at a steady distance but, if tire pressure is off or you are in area's like Canada with dirty, slushy, grimy roads, this system will have all kinds of problems.

The sensors on this vehicle will boggle the mind.

One hell of a car to own brand new though...

Mike McKinney

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1989 300CE - 269,000 km
1994 SL600 - 59,000 km

Mike,

Where did you find all that information?

I guess MB's are recyclable too now.

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Afshin

Current:
02 C32 AMG

Previous:
92 500E
84 190E 2.3 5 Spd

Actually, it was with the 1993 (Europe)/1994 (North America) W202 C-Class that they lost the oil pressure gauge. Bummer.

I like the analog gauges, and I want more information, not less.

I do like being able to change the radio setting from the steering wheel, and would like that feature in my car.

What would I like? Speedo, tach, oil pressure, oil temp, coolant temp, ammeter. With the ammeter, I know some makers don't like the idea of a hot line running to the cluster, but with modern systems, it should be able to be reliable.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

I was told in training that the reason the oil pressure gauge is gone is.........."the consumer doesn't want the oil pressure gauge."
Don't know which consumer they asked, though .
Not us I guess.

Gilly

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Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

i prefer analog gauges for the following reasons:

* they convey information faster, because you are looking at the orientation of the needle, and not reading a number; this is especially useful when making a quick glance at the instrument panel to check the vital signs. You can even use your peripheral vision when you cannot take your eyes off the road.

* they also convey a rate of change better than digital readouts, useful for monitoring the tachometer

absolute requirements for me are the oil pressure gauge, coolant temp gauge, and tachometer. Of course the fuel gauge also. But one gauge that is surprisingly used a lot is the clock, and I want it analog.

when checking out a new car, I also look at the layout of the instruments within the cluster.
* It should be symmetric, with the main gauge(s) dominating the middle. Porsche, because of its racing heritage, has a large tach
centerstage. Some cars have idiot lights in the middle, which I don't like.

* the gauges should exude a look of precision and quality, day or night - this is one of the things that contribute to the "perceived quality" of the car.

* the night illumination is also important to me - BMW is very good in this area

My ideal gauge setup:

Speedometer with odometer and trip odo.
Tachometer
Oil Pressure
Oil Temperature
Water Temperature
Exhaust Temperature (pyro)
Vacuum/Boost (especially if turbo)
Voltmeter
Ammeter
Hour Meter
Fuel Level
Transmission Oil Temperature (if automatic)
Transmission Oil Pressure (if automatic)

Yes, I'm a firm believer in having a lot of information.

I may actually be building a gauge cluster with everything listed except the hourmeter, ammeter, vacuum gauge, and tranny stuff (no space for all of that ), for my truck in the distant future (get all new Isspro gauges; replace everything that's in there now including the speedo)...I've got the layout set up and I'm 99% sure that I can for 6 2 1/16" and 2 3 3/8" gauges into a 14"x4 5/16" space ; just need $$...

I also prefer all analog gauges, even in the planes that I've flown thus far (just Piper Cherokees, for now)...

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

My daily driver has:

Speedometer
Tachometer
Fuel gauge
Temp. gauge

(the four gauges every car should have)
and also....
Turbo boost gauge
Ammeter (which was VERY useful when the 740 threw its alternator belt; I knew instantly what was going on and didn't drive it anywhere).

My big question is why doesn't MB include boost gauges in turbocharged and supercharged models? Ford (!!) puts boost gauges in the SVT Cobra and the SVT Lightning.

-Sam

I have poseted this question to the board before, but did not recieve any answer...WHY did MB make the move to different colors for the illumination of the instruments? The 211s have blue gauges and the console buttons are yellow. What is the reasoning behind this? I have been led to believe that reddish colors are the easiest on the eyes, meaning that it is less strain on the eyes to go from a reddish light to darkness, as the eye must adjust less (for the different light levels).

I have driven a VW with the bluish purple gauges and they gave me a headache. They also look chinsy and like something women would find "pretty."

BTW, I questioned a MB salesman about the absence of the oil pressure gauge on the 203 cars. he danced around it, but I broke him down. He told me he had no idea and that he drove a 240D, which of course had the gauge.

So if anyone knows the answer to the lighting/color question, I would love to hear it!

Mike