OT: The disappearance of temperature gauge on modern cars

[ktteoh]

folks, i wonder if anyone has noticed the trend towards deletion of temperature gauge in dashboards of modern cars.

i just notice in the new e90 3 series, the temp gauge is gone too - probably replaced by some idiot warning light/icon.

what's your opinion on this direction?

[Paul in NZ]

I think its bad...the temp gauge is a must.... if you see it creeping up you often have time to do something about it,and if you notice the car running a bit hooter than normal you know sometning is amiss.I guess there may be some other display or warning .I would lie to know what the temp actually is tho rather than wait for a warning which is prolly gonna be too late

[colo525i]

Both of my parents bought new cars this past year, and both of them still have a temp gauge. I can understand not having things like old benz's oil pressure gauges as most people wouldn't know what to make of them. But a gauge cluster needs to have a few simple indicators. Tach, speedo, fuel, temp. Not much else a cluster needs, plenty more you can have there.

[attack eagle]

what you are barely noticing that?

it's going away along with voltmeter, etc that have already disappeared...

Why?

Poeple don't pay any attention to them and people can't read them/ understand them. First they had numbers, then just colors, the logical progression is off/on.
Only a flashing warning light gets people's attention anymore.

Hell I had to TEACH my wife to look at more than just the speedo and rearview.

[Derek A.]

The e90 also has an electric waterpump that is computer controlled. If there is something wrong - not much you are going to be able to do on the side of the road.

[gtopaul]

The lack of a oil dipstick in some of the new BMWs is really troublesome. No way to check if the gauge is lying other than draining the oil. We've already had multiple occasions of customers adding oil when it's not needed. Jeez BMW, it's a $15 dipstick, put it back.

Paul

[whiskychaser]

[QUOTE=ktteoh]folks, i wonder if anyone has noticed the trend towards deletion of temperature gauge in dashboards of modern cars.

They go the other way too: Yesterday a guy I know asked for a push as his new VW had a flat battery. Three of us couldnt budge it. Till we found out his handbrake is ELECTRIC. You guessed : it defaults to ON if there is no power :-)

[winfred]

no gauge is one less thing for the customer to bitch about to the service department, they have dampened them so much in the end they really only had 3 positions anyway, cold warm and hot

[brick8]

It is all part of an evil plot by the same people who tell the general public that snow tires are not necessary, automatic transmission cars are as fuel efficient as manual transmissions, jap cars are better than all others and newer cars are much harder to work on than old ones... Once this s*** gets started it is really hard to stop. Of course, in the end it is the dummies who buy into it that get what they deserve.

[markus]

meh makes me just want to hang onto my E34 much longer. When the new generation of BMWs go out of warranty their value is going to plummet. The dealer is the only place that has the special tools in order to work on and diagnose problems.