Forester altimeter/compass gauge pkg.
David James
with the compass/altimeter/barometer gauge package available on the
98/99 models. As an old Houston [Space City] techo-nerd, I've always
dreamed of getting this option, even though I've never seen a Forester
actually equipped with it.
My wife thinks I'm nuts, but the idea of an altimeter would appeal to
me even if I lived my entire life at sea level. It's just such
glorious superfluous quirky Japanese engineering! I wonder if there
just wasn't enough demand for it, or if there were some reliability
problems.
So, some questions:
1) do any of you have these gauges installed? Do they work well?
Delightful or annoying? Can you turn it off completely if you don't
want the distraction of the little-car-in-the-compass-field display?
2) are they in fact still available as an option?
3) if they aren't still available as a port or dealer installed
option, I'd still like to get one installed, or install one myself.
How should I go about **)getting the gauges and sensors, and
**)getting it all installed?
Thanks, y'all --
Thomas B. Phelps
installation was difficult because you can't just plug it in. You have
to tap into various wires in the dash - "connect green/yellow wire from
gauge to orange/yellow wire using tap" kind of thing.
alan ingles
to use the altimeter but found out after buying the car it would only
work up to around 7,000 ft and then stop, as i do alot of mountain
driving of 10,000ft and above it really did not do me much good...the
barometer i found to be not much better, it would read differently if
the a/c was on or the heat or defroster or....only thing that really
worked was the compass which was cool but you can buy one from any auto
parts store for under 25.00 or use a GPS..as i remember you could not
turn off the little car feature....dont know if they are available or
not with the new ones..
good luck
alan ingles
Hello
--
David James <david...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:8j2afg$t3r$1...@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net...
> From the brochure, it looks like you can't order the 2001 Forester
> with the compass/altimeter/barometer gauge package available on the
> 98/99 models. As an old Houston [Space City] techo-nerd, I've always
> dreamed of getting this option, even though I've never seen a Forester
> actually equipped with it.
>
> My wife thinks I'm nuts, but the idea of an altimeter would appeal to
> me even if I lived my entire life at sea level. It's just such
> glorious superfluous quirky Japanese engineering! I wonder if there
> just wasn't enough demand for it, or if there were some reliability
> problems.
>
> So, some questions:
>
> 1) do any of you have these gauges installed? Do they work well?
> Delightful or annoying? Can you turn it off completely if you don't
> want the distraction of the little-car-in-the-compass-field display?
>
I see gauges in lots of foresters. Temperature works well, and I think the
barrometer works.
compass works great.
You can't turn it off.
> 2) are they in fact still available as an option?
They don't come in with the new car, they have to be specially ordered, but
a dealer can install it
if you don't trust yourself to do so.
Ken Walter
news:8j2afg$t3r$1...@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net...
> From the brochure, it looks like you can't order the 2001 Forester
> with the compass/altimeter/barometer gauge package available on the
> 98/99 models. As an old Houston [Space City] techo-nerd, I've always
> dreamed of getting this option, even though I've never seen a Forester
> actually equipped with it.
>
I test drove a 99 Forester and it never gave a correct direction.
Exiting the dealer heading west, it said north.
Turning south, it said northwest.
Looping around with a series of right turns heading east, it said
south.
Ken Walter
Remove -zamboni to reply
All the above is hearsay and the opinion of no one in particular
Vladimir Chivesud
A compas should be calibrated (see manual).
--
Владимир Чивесуд
.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Jon in NV
rather have the extra storage space on the dash. The compass is
very insensitive and only displays to the nearest 45 degress--
ie N, NW, W. The cutsie graphic under the compass is
distracting. The altimeter is inaccurate even for a barometric
altimeter-- I live at 4800 ft and routinely drive to over 9,000
ft through passes with labeled altitudes-- the "altimeter'
hardly ever agrees, even when 'calibrated'. I do like the
temperature reading, but, that display doesn't need to take up
the space of the 'gauge pack'.
Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com.
Up to 100 minutes free!
http://www.keen.com
Vladimir Chivesud
I have a compass in a mirror and I think it's quite usefull
for me if I got lost in not familiar city at nights, and I
really do not need better precision that 45 degrees. And
Forester 2001 has a temperature indicator on it's dashboard,
so there is no need of the gauge pack.
Vladimir
David James
getting these gauges, and I understand better why they're not offered
anymore. For now I'll let my popping eardrums be my altimeter, my
rheumatism be my barometer, and my skin be my thermometer.
David
RWP
1) ALL barometers would be affected by the A.C. and/or open windows.
They are, after all BAROMETERS and measure the altitude by air pressure.
2) Even damned GOOD altimeters (very accurate hiking-types, electronic
or not) seldom match the road signs for altitude. Get out your topo
map - the signs are in convenient places for the highway department
and not necessarily at the proper altitude - and, there always seems
to be some time lag with a altimeter in a car (not a problem when
you're hiking unless you're REALLY fast).
3) For all you navigating by compass, ADJUST THE DECLINATION FOR YOUR
LOCATION! Duh. Of course it would inaccurate otherwise. So will your
pocket compass, especially for those of you near the magnetic pole.
4) The unit CAN be turned off, simply push the illumination button
once (or possibly twice if the headlights are on). It also has a
dim and bright lighting for night and day (mine has only bright/off
when the headlights are off).
5) The temperature gauge seems accurate, but I wish I knew where the sensor
was actually located.
Now for the real annoyances:
1) The compass indeed only has 8 directions (N,S,E,W,NE,SE,SW,NW). That
should be enough for a car though.
2) The BAROMETER is the default when turned on (unless someone can tell
me how to change that). I am constantly changing the mode to altimeter.
3) The altimeter upper limit is about 9200ft per the manual and confirmed
by a recent trip. I'm very annoyed at that since I was on a peak over
11,000ft at the time.
4) The "moving car" animation IS distracting and is certainly hokey.
As far as getting it, I'm thinking of removing it for the engine performance
gauge package. The original storage "bin" is too small for anything useful if
you ask me. If I had a 2001, with the temperature in the tach. and especially
if I had the compass in the mirror, I'd certainly not get it.
Just my 2 cents.
John Varela
> 2) Even damned GOOD altimeters (very accurate hiking-types, electronic
> or not) seldom match the road signs for altitude.
Does the car altimeter have a correction for thd sea level barometric
pressure? If not, it's going to be wrong most of the time. Unless
you decide to navigate at Flight Levels, of course.
>The original storage "bin" is too small for anything useful if
>you ask me.
I haven't looked at a 2001 but the dashtop storage bin on the 1999 is
just right for storing the garage door opener remote control.
--
John Varela
for e-mail add a to my user ID