Additional gauges and the like

[IchBautAuto]

Twiddling my thumbs waiting for the Bilstein suspension to arrive so started fitting some accessory info systems. The factory GPS is way outdated and I could buy the Royal mint for the money they ask for a new CD. Been happy with TomTom so mounted a 6" version up on the dash. I have a personal thing with info being as close to eye level as I can get it so no doubt the GPS won't be to all tastes but it gives me a good check on speed without too many distractions. Easy to remove, no marks left and all accessory wiring hidden. It uses a modified factory magnetic mount.

To the right of the steering wheel is a P3 cars gauge. The usual OBD information plus boost. Just a trial fit, the ribbon cable will be properly routed for the final fit. It's actually the RS4 version, the RS6 gauge mounts in the vent and I didn't want that either. That's all for me on the gauge front. I think the P3 gauge is unobtrusive and the GPS, well, it is what it is.

[Shoppinit]

Yeah, you can’t beat a Tomtom (no pun intended) for nav. I’m never without it when driving. I also use it for fast driving to see how the bends coming up look.

Agree about the mounting height. Can’t believe how many people stick their gps on the windscreen in front of their faces.

I’ve downloaded the travelpilot DX nav CDs in the past and burned them myself. It’s a faff but doable.

[Ajc]

Yeah, you can’t beat a Tomtom (no pun intended) for nav. I’m never without it when driving. I also use it for fast driving to see how the bends coming up look.

I thought it was just me that was stupid enough too trust sat nav for judging corners when I'm out for a play somewhere I dont know

[IchBautAuto]

I thought it was just me that was stupid enough too trust sat nav for judging corners when I'm out for a play somewhere I dont know

Also handy for overtaking trucks on country roads. Really don't want the road to veer left when you're overtaking 50 mtr of road train.

[Shoppinit]

Yeah, you can’t beat a Tomtom (no pun intended) for nav. I’m never without it when driving. I also use it for fast driving to see how the bends coming up look.

I thought it was just me that was stupid enough too trust sat nav for judging corners when I'm out for a play somewhere I dont know

Dude, I'm far more stupider than you. I've used it for IFR in peasoupers.

[Shoppinit]

I thought it was just me that was stupid enough too trust sat nav for judging corners when I'm out for a play somewhere I dont know

Also handy for overtaking trucks on country roads. Really don't want the road to veer left when you're overtaking 50 mtr of road train.

Also handy for overtaking ridiculously long trucks: 500bhp.

[Ajc]

ha ha ha yeah I think you win on that one . The 6 is the king of the road for stupid overtakes though . I did 8 cars and a coach in Scotland last year , slightly above the limit by the time I got past the coach . The missus was no where near as impressed by the manoeuvre as I was though

[Shoppinit]

Just tell her to do what mine does: close her eyes and curl up into a ball as soon as the horses are unleashed.

[Mark-RS]

Why do you have a carpet stuck to the top of your dash ?

[IchBautAuto]

Why do you have a carpet stuck to the top of your dash ?

Called a dashmat. Bit like a thin layer of felt that is heat moulded to your specific dash shape. Generally helps in protecting your dash from extreme sun (not that you guys would remember what that is) or in my case it forms the basis for mounting gauges and or GPS in a way that is totally removable without any marks or damage to the original car. For things like GPS you can run the power cable underneath the mat and keep it tidy. A tiny bit of high quality velcro and bits stick like S*** to a blanket.

Got a similar setup in my RS4.

[IchBautAuto]

ha ha ha yeah I think you win on that one . The 6 is the king of the road for stupid overtakes though . I did 8 cars and a coach in Scotland last year , slightly above the limit by the time I got past the coach . The missus was no where near as impressed by the manoeuvre as I was though

Get a line up of these and you need every one of those HP's to do it safely, never mind the swaying as they snake along.

[Ajc]

Yeah I bet overtaking those things could get quite hairy. A mate of mine moved over to Aus and had a huge brown trouser moment when he went for an overtake on one of those road trains on his bike , he misjudged the length of it and the oncoming car . He said his TL 1000 felt like a Cub 90

[Ajc]

Just tell her to do what mine does: close her eyes and curl up into a ball as soon as the horses are unleashed.

Ha ha , I'll try it next time . I wouldn't mind but she isnt frightened of the loud pedal when shes driving it . I open the taps and get called all the names under the sun and then some

[IchBautAuto]

P3 gauge installed. It is to me at least, quite unobtrusive.

It has a boost sensor included so chasing the nylon tube for the sender was more difficult than I expected with local speed shops only offering the silicone tube for boost applications. Finally at the pneumatics Shop I managed to get what I was after. Also, to add a bit of tech, I purchased a few push fit T Joiners for the boost tube.

Getting there!

[IchBautAuto]

Finally! The P3 gauge I had was ex a B5 RS4 and did the usual OBD gauge display. Except, on my RS6, due to some K-line changes perhaps, it wouldn't connect to the computer. P3 also have an analogue only control box that does boost and two analogue senders. I took a punt on that and when the new control box finally arrived, this is the outcome. I intend to use one analogue channel for oil pressure and am still undecided about the other. The display is the B5 one that mounts in the dash top vent in a B5. Fits neatly in a 2" gauge plate too. Switch between readings or just turn the display off if not needed.

The in vent C5 display is I believe NLA for RHD cars but this is my preference anyway, in the line of sight. The colour to my eyes is the same as the red in the OE cluster but photographs differently. I have a UK liquid gauge for all the OBD stuff and HP, 1/4 mile times and all the stuff they cobbled into an OBD powered gauge. It's portable with a long lead so just sits in the door pocket and a passenger can use it if you're doing some testing.