Which gauge style to buy??

[EvilMSP]

I know most of this is personal preference but in a few days I am going to order some gauges (Boost/AFRatio/OilTemp) and put them in a 3 socket a-pillar pod. My question is which gauge style do you like the best??

Autometer Ultralight (exmaple):
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/atm-4301.jpg

Autometer Phantom (example):
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/atm-5801.jpg

Personally I think I'll go for the phantom cause of my black mica paint and it sounds like the phantom comes with some cool custom lighting options.

[Stormtrooper77]

The Autometer's are nice except for the needle. Makes them look extra cheap. Just my opinion.

[Wiggles422]

Autometer Ultralight (example):
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/atm-4301.jpg

These are the gauges I have (boost and oil pressure) I them a lot. They match the stock gauges great, and once I get the Dave B rings, it should look even better.
Out of curiosity what were the lighting options they had with the phantom gauges?

[wicked]

the ultra lite is a piece of crap,I guess you haven't read peoples complaints about it's accuracy
I've had mine for about two months and it worked fine for about a month ,now it reads 4 psi at full throttle,and no thats not what I'm boosting.I'm boosting 5.9 psi it's just that out of calabration.if you want a real gauge buy a blitz.

[Captain KRM P5]

the ultra lite is a piece of crap,I guess you haven't read peoples complaints about it's accuracy
I've had mine for about two months and it worked fine for about a month ,now it reads 4 psi at full throttle,and no thats not what I'm boosting.I'm boosting 5.9 psi it's just that out of calabration.if you want a real gauge buy a blitz.
hmm, never had a problem with mine but I'm sure there are bound to be bad apples in every tree

[wicked]

bad apples,ha,ha,ha!
I work for nor-cal performance,and we sold these and at least half of them came back!
but if you choose to live in la-la land then go ahead.

[EvilMSP]

Hmm I know SO many people that have them and I've never heard a single complaint...

Also gauges from blitz and other companies seems like a total ripoff, arn't they like $150 as apposed to $45?

THe color options (off the top of my head) were like red, green, blue i think...Im sure on the red but id have to go look again.

[EvilMSP]

And they can't be that bad cause I know someone with a 6 sec dragster and he uses ultra-lite's too... (boom03)

[Captain KRM P5]

bad apples,ha,ha,ha!
I work for nor-cal performance,and we sold these and at least half of them came back!
but if you choose to live in la-la land then go ahead.
i sell them too and not a single one of them has ever come back. i wasn't calling "bs" on you or your post, just stating that I use them and don't have a problem. no need to be a jackass.

* heads back to la la land *

[EvilMSP]

Exactly captain...

Also I am wondering if I should go stewart warner or autometer...I like em both.

[ONRAILS]

bad apples,ha,ha,ha!
I work for nor-cal performance,and we sold these and at least half of them came back!
but if you choose to live in la-la land then go ahead.
I have ultralite... never a problem.

[aftershock63]

Stewart Warner Performance now there are some high quality guages. Now not only do they look better than Autometer they have a higher quality construction being 100% sealed. with the addition of the LED kits they are also styling like whoa too.


www.sw-performance.com (http://www.sw-performance.com)

check them out they are really the best

[aftershock63]

I guess i can tell you a little bit more about the conpany too. Their entire staff is housed in one building from the engineering to the marketing to the actual fabrication. This makes forrediculously good customer service and support. Their tachs are designed to come with everything you need to hook it up to almost any tach source with out buying any adaptors. Also very good new designs like G.U.S.

If you ever have any problems with their guage Julie (the main cust. service person and owner daughter) will be more than willign to make you happy with their product again.

You will not be disapointed with their products

[jersey_emt]

Wow those Stewart Warner gauges do look good. I especially like the boost gauge that reads 30vac - 15psi boost. Perfect for the MSP (except for discreet & t3ase of course)

[EvilMSP]

Yeah that is what I was thinking. IF I ever go beyond that psi it will be a LONG way off. Anything over 15 for me is rediculous right now.

Can you explain more about those lightin/led kits you mentioned??

[aftershock63]

Can you explain more about those lightin/led kits you mentioned??

Well off of SW gauges are designed with optics in mind so the light just doesn't shine through the gauge it shines into nice piece of plastic that carries the light around to the outer edge of the guage to light it up evenly. When you by the LED kits it replaces the lights with the condoms and give out a clearer truer color through out the guage. It consists of 2 super bright micro LEDS that are placed so they shine directly into the optically designed plastic for maximun effect.

that is about the best I can explain it. I've seen side by side conparisons and you can defanitly tell which one looks better. For the extra couple of bucks why the hell not.

[EvilMSP]

Thank you very much for the info, I appreciate it.

[HammondMSP]

Just installed it tonite and I noticed that the light on the right side outer edge is alot brighter. Kinda looks like the face is bent back some in the NE corner. Did anybody notice this with their Stewart Warner???

[aftershock63]

If you have any problems with your guage please contact the customer service department and they will take care of you 100 percent

[aftershock63]

my gauges are still sitting in a box waiting for my car to be fixed first.

160mph speed
boost vac 25 psi
A/F
GUS
Oil Temp

[HammondMSP]

DAmmit I think the gauge face is bent back on the right, da's gotta be whay the light is overpowered on the right side. Pretty jacked up! Sucks if I have to send it back. Maybe I'll get a free A/F ratio gauge(stash)

[ForceFed]

Get the Autometer CF series..I have them..they are super nice and i have never had a prob with them.Work perfect.

My .02 cents
Matt

[Dr.Sound]

get defi, and have the best looking and the most accurate mechanical gauge on the market.

[HammondMSP]

Sucks though cause I just stickied my steering wheel gauge pod to the car w/ the boost gauge in it. It'll be a beeaatch to take it out.

Guess I'll just have to imagine that the 0-10psi area is extra bright on that side to display the boost(dunno)

[kazson]

Not my car but i bought these gauges recently but im prolly gonna put them in a pillar


http://www.msprotege.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15387

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15407

[Saban]

Any pics of the Stewart Waner gauges at night, with out the l.e.d. kit? Just trying to see if its worth shelling out more money for the l.e.d kit.

[Maxx Mazda]

Well, I have a triple pod with phantoms, but that's cause they match the 02 P5 cluster better. After 2002.5 they switched to the silver gauge faces, so I think the Ultra Lite looks better with that and on an MSP.

[MS Jedi]

Does anyone have any thoughts about A'pexi gauges?????

[II-Savy]

Go for the tried and true Autometer. Good price, good gauges. Real racers use them. Everyone sells them so you can get a good price. I'll be putting in AF, Oil Press, and Volt. under the radio very soon.

[Stormtrooper77]

Does anyone have any thoughts about A'pexi gauges?????
They look like they are of very good quality. I like the looks of the MeterII gauges, just don't like the electroluminescence blue though. They are a pretty penny as well.

[TURBO3WAGON]

I like the 1st one better...

[jersey_emt]

my gauges are still sitting in a box waiting for my car to be fixed first.

160mph speed
boost vac 25 psi
A/F
GUS
Oil Temp


GUS?

[House]

What do you all think of the VDO gauges offered by 42 draft designs (the guys who make the 3 gauge under radio panel)? The price is certainly right. I am thinking about the white face boost, oil pressure, and volt gauges.

http://www.42draftdesigns.com/vdo.htm

House

[II-Savy]

Kinda plain IMHO. I went with the Autometer Ultra-Lite series. Not super fancy but a little nicer I think than the VDO.

[CarlM2]

What do you all think of the VDO gauges offered by 42 draft designs (the guys who make the 3 gauge under radio panel)? The price is certainly right. I am thinking about the white face boost, oil pressure, and volt gauges.

http://www.42draftdesigns.com/vdo.htm

House
I have the 3-gauge DIN panel installed where the little cubby w/ a door was located. Most people think it came stock that way. I like it very much.

I wired an oil pressure guage (maintaining the stock oil light), a voltmeter, and a boost gauge (all VDO). I couldn't think of anything more useful than those... other than maybe an EGT.... which I couldn't afford at the time. 42draft was a pleasure to do business with.

I got red LED's which match the red in the Kenwood radio buttons perfectly. I also tried amber LED's which were really close to the color of the stock gauges and A/C controls... but I wanted red....

[House]

I have the 3-gauge DIN panel installed where the little cubby w/ a door was located. Most people think it came stock that way. I like it very much.

I wired an oil pressure guage (maintaining the stock oil light), a voltmeter, and a boost gauge (all VDO). I couldn't think of anything more useful than those... other than maybe an EGT.... which I couldn't afford at the time. 42draft was a pleasure to do business with.

I got red LED's which match the red in the Kenwood radio buttons perfectly. I also tried amber LED's which were really close to the color of the stock gauges and A/C controls... but I wanted red....
Thanks CarlM2! Did you go with white face gauges? Was the install difficult? Any Pics?

[aftershock63]

GUS is Guage Ultra Shift Light

it is a digital tach with built in shift light that is the size of a regular guage.

[hello2000]

Autometer C2 Cobalt!!!

[II-Savy]

I think the Ultra-Lite series matches our gauges best. We have silver and so are the Ultra-Lites. Also the "red" bulb condom matches our orange dash color.

[speedhawaii]

ultralites

[Maxx Mazda]

I think the Ultra-Lite series matches our gauges best. We have silver and so are the Ultra-Lites. Also the "red" bulb condom matches our orange dash color.
Ya, but like I siad I have the Phantom's on my P5 because before the 2002.5 refresh, the gauge faces were in fact white, not silver, so the Phantoms match better for me.

[DragonEye]

Check out VDO they are pretty decent and inexpensive...

[II-Savy]

Ya, but like I siad I have the Phantom's on my P5 because before the 2002.5 refresh, the gauge faces were in fact white, not silver, so the Phantoms match better for me.
oh crap....I thought we were talking about a MAZDASPEED...my bad....
after all this is in the MAZDASPEED section...Jesus lol (silly)

I'm totally kidding (yippy) , but I did think it was a MAZDASPEED you were talking about.

[Maxx Mazda]

Ya, that's why I posted that the Phantoms fit the 02's better...