Mileage Computer Poll

[R.I.D.E.]

I picked instant mpg, average mpg, and intake air temp.

regards
gary

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

I paid $1500 for a unit which does all those things and more, and even came with an '83 Cad wrapped around it!

$50 wouldn't be a bad price to pay for a similar unit for my '91 Geo, but I'll probably have to figure out how to adapt something from another car...

[2000mc]

Originally Posted by split63

My poll is an attempt to possibly understand what is really important in such a device. We all like gadgets to some degree, but when asked to pay for certain features, they lose their appeal.

features listed for the price just dont make alot of sense. the difference between the base $10 unit and all options for $50 would only require the addition of at least 1 button and some software. 3 more buttons, and more software and you have an sg2

on the surface most who would pay $160 fora sg2 would have rather pay $50 for this generic unit. but the difference would be in other features.

size, shape, appearance of the unit. size, quality, lighting of display. user interface. ease of installation.

if you had a sg2 type of unit, but it looked like a 'zack morris phone' big, bulky, retro lookin, had a single line of display that was impossible to read in less than optimal lighting, no back lighting, the user interface of the average 80s vcr clock display, and had to be custom hard wired to the pcm...... ppl would demand thier money back at $10

but if you had a sg2 type unit that had a high def, color lcd, touch screen display the size of a credit card that could be mounted anywhere, powered by a calculator sized solar cell, receiving data via bluetooth connection from something that looks like no more than a dust cover over your dlc and so intuitive to use it wouldnt even come with a manual.... i imagine alot of ppl would pay $300 or more

[GasSavers_BEEF]

my coment about quality was because I paid $160 for my scangauge and the quality is EXCELENT!!!!!!!!!

if another product that only had those features you describe were on the market and it was only $50, I would wonder about the quality. linear logic put a lot of time and effort into making the scangauge and the scangauge II and quite a bit of effort in keeping their quality high. if there were an add on scanner that could do the same for a third the cost, I would really wonder about how well built it was.

I think the scangauge is great and it is a wonderful tool. I actually considered getting a second one. I questioned if someone was doing research to make their own and try to market it.

[Project84]

engine codes and instantaneous mpg..... all else could be figured out by casual monitoring of basic gauges or simple mathematics.

[slurp812]

I bought a scangauge, which pretty much does this and more and I paid more. So for $50 I would get them all.

[palemelanesian]

Engine temp is valuable. Sure, all cars have one built in, but they are USELESS. If the built-in gauges were actually informative, this would be redundant.

Trip average mpg is critical, too. If you only had instant, you would never think to try P&G.

Tank average, gallons / distance to empty are not so important, or can be roughly estimated from the standard gauges.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by BEEF

if another product that only had those features you describe were on the market and it was only $50, I would wonder about the quality.

I'd worry about quality too, while waiting for my order to be processed and shipped.

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

Engine temp is valuable. Sure, all cars have one built in, but they are USELESS. If the built-in gauges were actually informative, this would be redundant.

I've heard this a lot, but I don't understand where people get this idea. Perhaps some manufacturers provide better temperature gauges than others? I've never had reason to doubt the ones in my GMC and my VW, they've always indicated slight or extreme changes in temperature quite effectively, or at least seemed like they did.

Tank average, gallons / distance to empty are not so important, or can be roughly estimated from the standard gauges.

Gallons to empty is far more difficult to estimate from the terrible gas gauges I've had (and which most people report having).

[R.I.D.E.]

I find that after 12,000 miles I can estimate remaining fuel to within .5 gallon.

The survey does not consider that my car is OBD1 which does not work with a scan guage, so that is not an option.

What would really be useful for me is a method of direct comparison of instantaneous consumption to be used in refining gear choices under specific pulse and glide scenarios, as well as determining my ideal cruising speeds, and effectiveness of my drafting techniques.

regards
gary

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by R.I.D.E.

What would really be useful for me is a method of direct comparison of instantaneous consumption to be used in refining gear choices under specific pulse and glide scenarios, as well as determining my ideal cruising speeds, and effectiveness of my drafting techniques.

The fuel rate meter in my sig is exactly what you're describing. Total cost: <$40 and having to have a big ugly meter hanging from my dash (which totally doesn't bother me one bit, but I say it because it's important to other people).