damn those gauges are sweet. Do you just plug it directly into the ECU port under the dash?

BTW for people getting the ddx512 for $500, I got dnx5120 (which is ddx512 with nav built in) for $600 off amazon. Crutchfield tends to be a bit more pricey than others so you may want to shop around.

 

I snatched up my 512 for 349.99

 

ok, I am going to ask a weired question, and probably since almost everyone on this thread has a metra kit, this might not be the best place to bring this up. I have been waiting for this kit for sometime, and about to pull the trigger on the kit and a f90bt. But when I was looking at my current dash/stereo, mazda did a good job or making it look very interated and overall nice. But these dash kits are not perfect fit (given its an after market product), so how does everyone like the look of the new stereo versus the old? I feel like it will take away the "appealing look" of the dash if I put this in...am I mistaken here. I appreciate any all comments before I pull the trigger sometime next week.

Thanks!
C

 

Thanks for the complement. The gauges are just standard electronic, so I had to use the RB adapter plates for the sensors. They're pretty cheap @ $39 each considering they have dual LED backlighting, electronic motors and an opening ceremony.

Head Lights On


Head Lights Off


I originally was going to get a couple of Aerotech Force gauges, but I had these gauges laying around from my old Mazdaspeed 6. Though with the easy plug and play feature of the Aeroforce Tech gauges I may end up getting one.

www.prosportgauges.com
www.aeroforcetech.com/Mazdatech.html

 

I would also like to know how you plug them in?

 

If they were $30.. aren't they mechanical?

 

its a perfect fit, but the high gloss is not like the gloss in your car, if you go buy some r/c gloss paint, wet sand and buff, it will be like the oem, but dont think its going to look bad from metra, because it looks good

 

Thanks for the input, I was thinking more about how the car looks with a double din stereo (ie: f90bt) vs. how it looks with the factory stereo? which looks better kind of thing.

 

i have the f90bt installed and i love the way it looks..

 

That's what I thought initially... But they are indeed electrical. They come with sensors for the oil & water temp, as well as the oil pressure gauge. Check out their website. I found out about these guys through the Mazda247 forums. A lot of the guys there use these.

http://prosportgauges.com/amber_whit...ce_gauges.aspx

 

Wow those are great.

 

do you have any pics of how you mounted those gauges in that pod?

 

Thanks! I think I am sold on the Metra kit and the F90BT

 

If anyone in the San Diego area needs their firmware updated let me know. I got my hands on a USB cable and did mine.

I'd be looking for $10 a pop to recover my cost of buying the cable. PM me if interested.

 

Wait, it only costed you $10 to buy the cable?? Let us know where you got it: we'd all probably buy it if we could get it for only $10.

 

I'm guessing English isn't your first language?

 

I have the f90bt in my car, pics posted on the previous page.

https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...&postcount=757

 

how much did that setup run you for the guages and guage pod?

 

I meant to tell you but forgot, that's a really clean install, deck/kit look right at home in there. nice work

 

Unfortunately I didn't take too many pictures on how I mounted them.

I've been reading up on how other people had installed the original RB Gauges and it looks like RB has some sort of plastic mount piece that fits over the gauges. I bought my pod-only from RX8STRAKES.com, and had to figure out how to make them fit since the gauge holes are bigger than 52mm...

My method? Use bicycle innertube around the gauge to hold it into place.

Here's a picture from the side... You can see the innertube around the gauge. It was a tight fit, so mounting brackets on the back like the RB design wasn't necessary.



Hope this helps.

 

Assuming you're question is directed to me...

I bought the RB Gauge Pod by itself for $129 @ RX8STRAKES.COM (http://www.rx8strakes.com/index.asp?...ROD&ProdID=292)

The gauges I have were from my MS6 I used to have, but Prosport Gauges are pretty inexpensive. For these three gauges new (water temp, oil temp, & oil pressure) it would run you about $120 total.

So my setup would run you about $240 minus taxes/shipping. A much cheaper alternative than the Racing Beat setup, and they are electronic gauges.

Side note:

I've been running my new stereo setup for a day now, and initially I didn't notice any feedback or alternator whine. However last night I heard the whine faintly, as well as a weird feedback that would start off soft and crescendo then suddenly disappear. Weird. I guess it's telling me that I need to upgrade my amp and speakers sooner rather than later.

 

interesting. thanks for the idea InfiniFC.

 

Does it happen while you accelerate? I used to get that on a previous car, it was ignition noise...went away when I replaced the plug wires. Not sure where the noise was getting into the stereo...

jds

 

I am not sure where I saw this before, but it was either in the middle of this thread of at avic411.com. This is due a ground issue. They had a whole explanation on how they got rid of the "feedback" noise from ignition.

 

I just set down to look at the metra kit and the wiring. I wired in the rca's into + and - coming from the orange harness and everything looked like it was ready to install. Then I looked at the white harness and it has a duplicate left rear + and -. What is this for and am I supposed to wire it in with the Left rear + and - from the red harness.

Also, I never saw any mention of where the center channel will receive signal. I imagine the bose amp will sum the channels or something. Thanks.