Gauges: Boxster S 2001 question

[RobertKing]

I have a 2001 Boxster S, has the white sport gauges small speedo on the left, tach dead center and fuel/temp/etc on the right.
I've noticed a lot, that I tend to look at the base of the tach to see how fast I'm going but it shows only total miles and trip miles.
Is there any way short of replacing the instrument cluster, to have that section display mph as the speedo does but is partially
hidden by the steering wheel???

[Jager]

How long have you had your Boxster?

[lskolnick]

I don't think so. This is one of the main reasons I bought a 2000. The instrument layout is better. The speed is right under the tach. Dead center

[RobertKing]

Originally Posted by Jager

How long have you had your Boxster?

Only a few months, finding something wrong or annoying since. By wrong
I mean minor issues, things missing or bad speakers. I don't drive her often
enough though, only put 68 miles on the car since I got it in August.

[Jager]

Originally Posted by RobertKing

Only a few months, finding something wrong or annoying since. By wrong
I mean minor issues, things missing or bad speakers. I don't drive her often
enough though, only put 68 miles on the car since I got it in August.

The tach is in the center because it is the most important gauge to most. You will learn the speed by looking at the RPM's (and what gear you are in) as you get used to driving a Porsche.

[RobertKing]

Originally Posted by Jager

The tach is in the center because it is the most important gauge to most. You will learn the speed by looking at the RPM's (and what gear you are in) as you get used to driving a Porsche.

Oh, I'm sure I'll get a feel for it over time. I had the same issue with another semi sporty car in the past. The tiny size of the vehicle just gives no feel for how fast you're
going. Tach is great but, rather pointless in city driving. Never mind those who drive by
feel/sound as I was taught to more than 50 years ago.


Gave her a bath today

[geraintthomas]

Originally Posted by lskolnick

I don't think so. This is one of the main reasons I bought a 2000. The instrument layout is better. The speed is right under the tach. Dead center

One of the main reasons you bought a 2000 was because of the speed readout being a little easier to read?

[kk2002s]

I use my GPS 95% of the time when i look for speed. The Speedo is off
As far as tach use 100% as it is most important especially city driving

[RobertKing]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

I use my GPS 95% of the time when i look for speed. The Speedo is off
As far as tach use 100% as it is most important especially city driving

Really? Why? a huge part of driving a stick is hearing and feeling when the shift needs to happen. The tach is to me anyway, eye candy. My daily, a 5.9 liter Magnum V8 has the tach left of the speedo. Both equal in size, never do I look at the tach unless I'm getting some off sound or behavior. I personally don't understand why the tach displays total mileage and trips on the 2001 986. Makes no sense. If the tach is so important, why show those? Seems to me it would make more sense to display actual speed and perhaps mpg but no... Now don't misunderstand me, I love my 986... I baby her and when I've finished the few niggling things I need to fix, she'll end up my daily driver.

[Deserion]

Originally Posted by RobertKing

Really? Why? a huge part of driving a stick is hearing and feeling when the shift needs to happen. The tach is to me anyway, eye candy. My daily, a 5.9 liter Magnum V8 has the tach left of the speedo. Both equal in size, never do I look at the tach unless I'm getting some off sound or behavior. I personally don't understand why the tach displays total mileage and trips on the 2001 986. Makes no sense. If the tach is so important, why show those? Seems to me it would make more sense to display actual speed and perhaps mpg but no... Now don't misunderstand me, I love my 986... I baby her and when I've finished the few niggling things I need to fix, she'll end up my daily driver.

If you enable the OBC, you'd then have average MPG, outside temperature, speed warning, and average speed in addition to the odometer/trip meter. Personally I don't have much issue with glancing at the digital speedometer since I've gotten used to it in 7 years. Now trying to focus on the analog, that's another story.

For what it's worth, the 9x7 cars put the digital speedometer back in the middle.

[kk2002s]

Originally Posted by RobertKing

Really? Why? a huge part of driving a stick is hearing and feeling when the shift needs to happen...
... My daily, a 5.9 liter Magnum V8 has the tach left of the speedo...

Maybe when rowing through the gears accelerating but when just cruising, the Box isn't loud enough nor does the engine protest if I am to low or to high in the RPM range (I typically cruise at 3000 RPMs)

Now a Box flat 6 and a Dodge V8 are apples and Zucchini and you probably can hear and feel the V8 to judge shift points

[lskolnick]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

One of the main reasons you bought a 2000 was because of the speed readout being a little easier to read?

YUP. I'll take the 2000 speedo layout vs. any of the other niceties of the 01, 02, 03, and 04 models.

[geraintthomas]

Originally Posted by lskolnick

YUP. I'll take the 2000 speedo layout vs. any of the other niceties of the 01, 02, 03, and 04 models.

Fly-by wire throttle, improved structure (no 18" wheels allowed on a base boxster), glass rear window, heated rear window, glove box, better steering wheel, slight power increase, intermittent wipers...

...you'd trade all of that in, just for the speed readout to move a couple of inches...

[particlewave]

Let's be clear...

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

Fly-by wire throttle What difference is this supposed to make?
improved structure (no 18" wheels allowed on a base boxster) Nope. Wrong. Incorrect.
glass rear window, heated rear window, I think you meant to say "teeny, tiny, useless glass rear window".
glove box It is a sports car.
better steering wheel What?! That is completely subjective and steering wheels can be changed on a whim.
slight power increase Yes. Slight.
intermittent wipers... Anyone that wants them can have them.

Weak sauce...