What Brand Of Gauges

[Matty 31]

Basically im asking this just to get a general opinion of what to look at

Car: R31 Skyline Sedan

Engine: RB20DET

Purpose in life: Drift / Circuit Car

Current dash arrangement:

Factory cluster

Apexi RSM on steering column

JJR Autogauge Oil pressure, oil temp, water temp and boost gauges in cups hacked into the centre of the dash

Problems encountered

Speedo doesnt really get used (as im not that fussed)

Tacho gets glanced at but is rarely accurate (resistors wired to tacho line to cluster to make work with RB20)

Fuel gauge is the only one that really gets any look at in the factory cluster

Autogauge gauges are the defi style backlit, which is alright at night, but a prick during the day to read

Planned dash in new car

Remove factory cluster and cups, no dash loom being run at all to save weight

Aluminium / fibreglass panel across dash area housing:

RSM in centre (purely so if i want it i do have tacho/speedo displayable)

Boost

Oil Temp gauge

Oil Press gauge

Water Temp gauge

Fuel Level gauge (as i will be running a fuel cell instead of standard tank)

My only preferences

Gauges are easy to read day and night

Electric gauges only (dont really feel like running mechanical gauges in cabin)

Preferably all the same brand / same look

Dont want to spend a bomb on gauges (its only a drift / circuit car, so i dont want to spend 2k on 4/5 gauges if avoidable)

I have had people tell me to look at autometer, and ive had people steer me away from them.

Opinions?

[Dal34]

Autometer for sure, I run their eletric gauges and they're so easy to read at day and night.

No idea why people would steer you away from a brand that has a great reputation and is widely used in motorsport and street. Autometer ftw.

[ian_and1]

Autometer for sure, I run their eletric gauges and they're so easy to read at day and night.

No idea why people would steer you away from a brand that has a great reputation and is widely used in motorsport and street. Autometer ftw.

i was looking at the autometer cobolts one's untill they told me the price of the full sweep electric boost gauge ($450+) but the mechanical one's are like $160 - $180 i had the full set in my old onevia and i wouldn't use anything else

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

i run the autometer phantom series guages in my 33... electric and easy to read day and night.

[Matty 31]

cheers for the opinions so far

heard bad things about autometer gauges going inaccurate, but ive only heard odd stories about that so thats why im asking

keep them coming

[ian_and1]

atm im tossing up between the autometer cobolts

or the drift iridium gauges

few of my mates are running these, They are electric aswell only problem they said they have is when it get's really sunny inside the car they are a lil hard to read

[Matty 31]

^^^ yeah, thats the problem i got with mine atm. get a bit of dust / glare and you cant read them

[SDEWY5]

Autometer 100%, run them in mine no problems day or nite, accurate and look good (Cobalt also)

[zebra]

Autometer Sport Comp Here, mechanical though

[Public Enemy]

love my defi gauges. good day and night.

[ian_and1]

love my defi gauges. good day and night.

jealous i wish i could afford them thoe lol short on funds getting the kit fitted/painted etc

[Sparkys]

If you want to go cheap option, I've had good success with VDO.

btw, I didn't buy a set of stock 32 rims off you recently did I? The interior of your 31 looks familiar

[Munkyb0y]

i'm using a VDO boost gauge right now. got it off ebay for about $30. works well

[Dahtone Racing]

cant beat Defi IMO

ive been using em before they became the in thing and wouldnt use anything else

[beersandwich]

if u want cheap there are calibre gauges white background greddy copy ones. 60-80 bux. dunno about accuracy but ive also seen some articles saying autometer arent that accurate either.

they look pretty nice. ill prob get me some of them but im cheap lol.

[Cyph-R33]

I had Trust/Greddy SM Integrate gauges in my old S13, oil temp/oil pressure, with a Pivot water temp gauge. The SM Integrate gauges have a memory function so you can record and replay like 30 seconds of readings, or just a plain old peak recall.

Pivot had a peak recall function as well.

Anything that's white face will prove really really easy to read at day time, and are good at night time as well depending on how they light up. The Pivot lights up with a white light behind a cover on the glass of the gauge, the Greddy would light up green, from behind, with the needle showing up orange.

Easy as anything.

[Marco-R34GTT]

What brands make those gauges which show the 'black face' when the car is off but light up when you turn the car on??

[Dahtone Racing]

the original one that do that are the Defi BF series

now there are heaps of other brands who have copied that style but none are quite as good as the Defi range

[NISMO]

I've seen on a few US sites lately that alot of people are happy with STRI guages.

Here's the japanese site, but do a google search and you'll see some demo's. I'll more than likely go with these.

http://www.stri.jp/

[Marco-R34GTT]

Yeah, into next yeah I'm looking at replacing my voltmeter, oil temp, oil pressure, air/fuel, boost and maybe even water temp gauges..

I really like the ones that go black, and also, in regards to my boost gauge, I'd really like it in PSI, I'm sorta a bit old fashioned like that!