MWG

Does any one know if it would be able to get a new instumental cluster that fit just like the stock ones and looks like it but the inside have been changed so guys like me and you could know oil pressure, water temp, analog speedometer, volt meter, then have stuff like the odometer left like stock, etc.... It would still be the 3 round clusters like on the stock RX-8 Just more info instead of idiot lights I know lots of time it has help me know about something before I would have been left on the side of the highway.

RotorMotor

I'm sure that some aftermarket company will come up with a design, but it's WAY too early to speculate on that.... Give it some time, my friend.

Sputnik

I doubt that an aftermarket company would come up with something like that. No such products have come out to replace the digital speedo for the S2000, have they?

It's possible, but it would be a custom job. An expensive one at that. Especially since there isn't much room for all of the goodies that you want squeezed into that small area.

---jps

RXhusker

My guess is that aftermarket companies will focus on using the nav display for all the additional gauge options -- like on the Mazdaspeed concept - why clutter the dash when you can easily program a computer to display on the nav screen.

P00Man

no doubt
________
VAPIR OXYGEN

MWG

you might have something there with the cost but I dont know they make gauges for everything and they aren't that expensive. But I do like the nav Idea my only though about that would be changing to see the different info.

bwayout

I hope that someone does! Maybe Mazda will if enough of us could start a ground swell write-in campaign!

:D

This idea is very close to my heart! Here's a link that I posted in the past. I only offer it as fun side reading ... since it's on the same topic ...



RX-8 Forum > Site-Specific > RX-8 Discussion > Mazda, please add a Battery Gage to the Dash Gage cluster

http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.p...light=oil+gage

Fëakhelek

I wonder how hard it would be to wire in a laptop in the space where the $2000 Nav unit won't be in my car. I could get a hell of a laptop for less than $2000 and buy some mapping software. Plus you could watch DVDs and do tons of other stuff.

The big challenge would be to find a 7" LCD that would work. I don't think anyone is making a laptop with one that small. They generally plug into the motherboard with a little ribbon cable though, so hopefully the leads are standardized.

cueball

I'm not sure about the size, but a LCD screen from sony might work. The kind that is supposed to hook up to a playstation, gamecube, etc. Here is a link to what I mean. Not this exactly, but something similar.

TJRX8

How about an auto PC? Not as versitile true, but built in and most of the functionality of a PC with DVD playback, Navigation, wireless internet, and third party software.

http://www.gnetcanada.com/autopccompare.htm

Fëakhelek

Cool site. Thanks. I wasn't even sure that there were 7" screens out there. Now I see that there are a range of choices. I would kind of like to install the screen myself and place it where the built in Nav would go. To do that I will probably have to buy the screen "bare bones" without the housing and stuff the come with the ones from this site. Now that I know the screens are out there I will have to do some research and see if it is possible to buy the LCD alone in a quantity of one. It is interesting to see that you can get and entire computer and screen built to mount in your car for less than Mazda is charging for a mass produced factory Nav unit.

Thanks TJRX8 and cueball1029 for your input.

ZoomZoom

What a fabulous idea!

My guess is that my nav will only be used about 10% of the time; why not turn the nav display into gauges like those seen on the Mazdaspeed concept 8. I love that idea.

Somebody PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do it!!!

bwayout

Yes!

:D

Please Mazda, please!

:D

We have to find away to get this idea to Mazda!!!

Hercules

Wait for the MPS RX-8. They will likely have something like that in it.

ZoomZoom

Unfortunately I need a car now.... I've already postponed getting a new car for a year already!!!

Fëakhelek

I haven't researched it much, but I have seen mention of aftermarket accessories that connect to the ECU bus. I imagine you can get something similar to what MazdaSpeed is using and wire it up yourself if you have built a computer before or even maybe wired a car stereo. Probably just a matter of getting the right components and plugging them together.

The one thing that I can't be sure of is what happens to the bay where the Nav goes on cars that are not so equiped. I wonder if the dash is solid there or if there is just an "insert" or something that fills the space where the flip up screen goes. I am hoping that the dash is not solid there. If so I will look into putting in my own screen. Advantages being that I can do it for less than $2000 and I can also wait until I can afford it. The extra $2k would probably be enough to make the car unaffordable to me otherwise.

I just want to say how great it is to have a place with intelligent enthusiastic people where I can throw out an idea and know that there will be tons of informed feedback. Thanks to all! :D

B-Nez

I know exactly what you mean, Fëakhelek. I've compared the non-Nav to the Nav versions, and it looks like it has a completely different console. That top looks solid - like you'd have to slice into it to do anything (yikes!!). They could least make it into another storage cubby (like the Impreza has), which you could later use to install whatever doodads your heart desires.

bwayout

Yeah, I'm going to pick up my 2003 Protege5 this Saturday (I was hoping that my 1990 Probe would have lasted until the summer or fall ... )

So it's going to be at least 3-4 years before I now get my RX-8 :p

...but I'll be having fun in in my PR5

bwayout

Not sure how the production RX-8 will be, but the Mazda 6 DOES have a lidded storage compartment at the top, for the US market where the NAV will be installed for those that can order NAV for the 6. I would think that the RX-8 would be similar ...