VDO verses Autometer gauges?

cobrak · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 10:57 AM

Any opinions on gauges. VDO verses Autometer.

CobraK

Ron61 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 11:07 AM

I have VDO Gauges and like them. No trouble since I got the car in 1996. But the Autometer gauges are good too and I have some in my other car. I believe they make a more original looking gauge than VDO does. I like the electronic VDO speedometer because I can calibrate it for different tires, gears, etc just by driving the car for a measured mile. I checked it and the tach with the CHP radar once at 60,70,80, and 90 and they were both right on. This was not done on the highway either. The Autometer gauges are the standad drive type but I have had them even longer and no problems.

Ron

REDSC400 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 01:02 PM

I was not aware that VDO made a set of authentic Cobra gauges with chrome ringed bezels. Is this some new VDO Cobra offering?

What criteria in gauges are important to you....

authenticity
price
size (diameter)
performance
service and support
availiability
warantee
compaitibility with ignition system (ie MSD)

I suspect when you compare one brand vs another prior to purchase , then it is not brand X vs brand Y and "which is better " but rather...

because brand X meets my personal criteria and application, I have chosen it over brand Y.

Cashburn · #4 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 02:10 PM

Or a determining factor can be what is available on the car you are looking to purchase. Going forward VDO is standard on Backdrafts. They tried Autometer for sometime but had issues (I am not sure what exactly they were, could have simply been availability) but this is the case.

Ron61 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 02:17 PM

Art,

My VDO gauges aren't authentic. They have chrome rings or bezels around them with a black face and white numbering. But nothing about my car is even remotely authentic.

Ron

tfarhood · #6 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 06:51 PM

I have Autometer in mine, I like the look better than VDO. I had a few minor issues with my speedo but figured them out. They are only as accurate as the gears you select to drive them. I checked mine with GPS and at 20 mph on the speedo, I was actually going 24 mph. At 60 mph on the speedo, I was actually going 62mph. At 110 mph on the speedo, I was dead on! The down side to the Autometer is it doesn't have a Oil Temp gauge in the Cobra repro set, so the extra hole in the Backdraft dash gets a clock instead.

Jack21 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 07:41 PM

I went with the Autometer. They're not even close to anything original, but they had some specific features I wanted. The speedo is 5", electronic, black dial & bezel, goes to 160, and very visible at highway speeds. Night visibility on all gauges is great. Tach is also 5", has a rev limit pointer, works with MSD from the factory, goes to 8,000. Had to take it out of its cup, and fabricate a bracket to fit it in the dash. Had to use flat black model paint on the silver bezel. The rest are "Z" series right out of the box. Gives the dash sort of an all business street rod look.

Quality wise, they're probably comparable.

Service wise, AM promptly took care of some small issues I had.

I understand that AM now makes a set of original "Smiths" look alikes. Check around this forum and see who sells them.