Aftermarket HUDs - are they all carp?

B0bbyEwing

We have an old car & I was considering one of these for a couple reasons.

Car we've just bought has the speed gauge off to the middle of the dash & also has no temp gauge.

Wife not keen on the speed positioning & I don't like having no temp gauge but the car seemed otherwise decent & wasn't letting that put us off a purchase. Wife also not used to driving in the direction of average speed zone so will often find herself creeping over the limit.

Thing is, every HUD unit I look at seems to get average to poor reviews on Amazon.

I'm not asking if you think they look OK or if they're tacky because personally I couldn't care less regarding that.

But do they function poorly or something for all these underwhelming reviews?

And I assume they all connect in to the OBD2 port? Or do they/some connect by other means?

No1_Anorak

The most obvious question I would ask, is why did you buy a car that both your wife and yourself did not like the basic ergonomics of the vehicle with regards to the speedo and cluster information?

With regard to aftermarket HUDs they all tend to be pretty cheap poorly designed devices that, as you rightly assumed, plug into the OBD2 port. Also as your vehicle does not have a temperature gauge as a standard output, there's no guarantee that a HUD will display that information, as quite often non-default indications need to be 'switched on' in the car software [normally via a piece of specialist equipment] as all the vehicle will have as the default output is to turn on a warning lamp when the temperature gets above a normal safe level.

Personally, I would just use a smartphone with something like Google Maps or the 'Here we Go' navigation APP [both of which are free] and can be set to not only show what speed you are travelling at but also give an audible chime when exceeding the speed limit in any certain area. You can get holders for smartphones that 'project' the image onto the screen in the same way as HUDs do. There are also APPs for smartphones that you can pair with cheap OBD2 devices that can show all the information you are after [subject to the caveat I mentioned above, that your vehicle may not have temperature indication as a default]

Goudy

Your basic speed only ones will just use GPS to determine your speed.

More expensive aftermarket kits will pull data for the OBD2 port and may use GPS as well.

Trouble with the OBD2 ones is they might not work on every make/model of car as OBD2 protocols aren't generic, different manufacturers might use different connection protocols.

It's the same thing with those basic ODB2 readers, they work on some but not others. If you know what protocol works with your car, you should be able to tell if which of these will work.

I know someone that recently bought the Amrooloo Dual System C1 and after a bit of messing around setting alarm and buzzer limits on things like coolant and battery charge, it sort of works ok.

You will also need to set a sleep mode as the device won't turn off with the ignition as the ODB2 port is always live.

ButterCheese

You've bought an older car so I guess low budget is probably a high priority?

I'd probably get a dedicated GPS speedo (they do small ones designed for motorcycles that you can either hardwire in or plug into cig lighter). Or, even cheaper if you have a phone, a GPS speedo App which is free. It just means having your phone on a mount with the App displaying your speed.

In terms of a temp guage, it might not be as easy as plugging something in. You may need to have the ECU looked at by a specialist. If it's only designed to illuminate a high temp light (overheating) then it may not know how to output a constant temperatue to your HUD.

Whatever the case, this seems like a lot of effort to go through just because your speedo is in a different position. Just get used to it, and in a while it will become less and less noticable that it's in a different position.

I would also add that if someone is inclined to creep over the speed limit, it is driver error and not equipment error. No car to my knowledge has a speedo which is that hard to read

Herzlos

Do you actually need a temperature gauge? As I understand it, they haven't been real gauges for years and really just show "cool, ok, hot".
You can't really do anything with that info now anyway (which is why they removed it from some dashboards), and I assume any overheating issue will show with an Engine Management Light anyway.

The only reason I can think of to need one now is to know when it's warmed up and you can thrash it.


I assume all but the most expensive aftermarket gauges here will be pretty garbage. That includes pretty much anything on Amazon.

facade

Do you mean an actual HUD that projects onto the windscreen or a see-through screen like my Citroen C4 (quite the bee's knees it is, I can actually focus on the speedo while I am going along), or just a gauge panel that you can stick on the dash top where you can easily see it like a GPS?

If you want the dash top type, the Lufi X7 gets a good recommendation from people who actually use it rather than "review" it for money (or "clicks").

You can configure it to show what you like, as analogue dials or digits. https://lufiau.com/products/lufi-x7-please-write-your-vehicle-s-year-make-and-model-before-check-out-copy

I've never looked at aftermarket HUD projectors, but there are plenty on Amazon, no doubt there are "reviews" on youtube- take with a pinch of salt but at least you can see what they look like in ideal conditions.

WellKnownSid

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891125#Comment_81891125

All the cars we’ve had in the last 15 years or so haven’t had more than a temperature light but live data has always had three or four different coolant and oil temperature readings to choose from. Used it to build a DIY digital cluster using a Pi Pico, a CANbus chip and some micro Python

Mildly_Miffed

No1_Anorak - "Also as your vehicle does not have a temperature gauge as a standard output, there's no guarantee that a HUD will display that information, as quite often non-default indications need to be 'switched on' in the car software [normally via a piece of specialist equipment] as all the vehicle will have as the default output is to turn on a warning lamp when the temperature gets above a normal safe level."

While the cluster will only have a light, the engine management will certainly know the coolant temp, and that can then be interrogated via eOBD (OBDII is the US standard, eOBD the European one) to show the temperature.

As Herzlos says, any temp gauge in the last three decades or so is basically just telling you cold/wide-range-of-normal/hot anyway. Modern drivers would simply panic seeing the needle move around under normal use, as the temp inevitably does.

For speed - there's plenty of free smartphone apps that do head-up speed via GPS. But I can't help feeling that she'll get used to the speedo location in no time at all. As for average speed areas, does the car have cruise?

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891094#Comment_81891094

Because the basic ergonomics are just that - basic. It's like, I prefer my wife when she has her natural hair colour. When she changes its colour I don't up & leave because it's not my preference.

The car itself is known for its reliability & being an all round cheap runner - which is what we're needing for simple A-B motoring. It's literally getting used for supermarket runs & a couple mile to work. The car seemed sound on inspection & with us needing one sooner rather than later plus people wanting ridiculous money for scrap we weren't going to let that put us off a car that otherwise ticks the boxes.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891107#Comment_81891107

I've a bluetooth iCar Pro unit. Cost about £15. They go for £21 now I think I saw recently. It's done me quite well on my cars since I got it. I'll have to plug it in to this new car to see what info it gives.

The last car for the wife was an Astra H which also doesn't have a temp gauge (sort of - it's actually accessible if you have the standard head unit via the menu system). I think the lack of a temp gauge bothers me more than it does her & the speed in the middle bothers her more than me, but it's not going to be my car. I'll drive it from time to time but it'll be primarily wifes car.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891125#Comment_81891125

I like you! You get it (opening sentence there). Not someone saying I should be paying top dollar.

As for your last sentence, it is without doubt driver error. It's always driver error when someone speeds. Unless the car runs away from you which is extremely rare.

But I'll never portray myself as whiter than white on here like some do when I know that's not the case. I'll not be doing 50 in a 30 but I'll certainly do 35. A lot of people here act like they never go 1mph above the limit & while I'm sure there's some that that applies to, I personally think many are talking nonsense.

Wife is similar. Just foot down & 'thats about right' kind of speed which can often find yourself 5mph over. She doesn't drive up peoples back ends but on an open road that's what she'll do as she's not used to driving out the way where there's cameras so I have to remind her each time I see that needle creeping up. Unfortunately I can't see the speedo from the passenger seat in this car so she's on her own! lol.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891144#Comment_81891144

Nope certainly don't "need" one.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891152#Comment_81891152

I don't mean anything really other than something in front of the drivers seat that'll display that info. Be it beamed on the windscreen, sat on the dash or whatever.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81891539#Comment_81891539

Yeah I think she'll get used to it as well to be honest. I've driven it this week & a couple times I looked in front of me for the speed but mostly I looked in the centre.

As for cruise control - unfortunately not. That's something that is going to be on my must have list when I replace my own car & it also baffles me why more people don't use cruise control in average speed areas.

There's a lot of cars on the road more modern than mine & while I get that not all trim levels will have C/C, I'm sure many of these do. I'll just get to the limit & set it but I'm constantly coming up against people doing 30, 35 in a 50 & there's just no need for it.

I remember when the average speed cameras first went up & the people on the local facebook pages were up in arms about it - "well what speed are we supposed to do here, there etc" "what about when it goes from one speed to another".

And I just thought, how stupid can people possibly be? The signs are on the side of the road, do that, or get close to that. When you go from a 30 to a 50, do 50. It's really not that hard.

Then you get the idiots who say "it's a limit not a target". Ok no problem, go retake your test & do 30 in a 50 & see what happens then because I know people who failed their test on being overly cautious - because my wife was actually one of them.

Then you get the idiots (probably same ones) saying "but what about when it's torrential rain or icy etc then" & I just think - you're clearly trying to create an argument. Drive with common sense. On a normal open road, good visibility, dry day, just do the flipping limit! I've left people looking like they were stationary & I've not even broken the speed limit to do so.

Rant over.

Mildly_Miffed

"Wife is similar. Just foot down & 'thats about right' kind of speed which can often find yourself 5mph over. She doesn't drive up peoples back ends but on an open road that's what she'll do as she's not used to driving out the way where there's cameras so I have to remind her each time I see that needle creeping up. Unfortunately I can't see the speedo from the passenger seat in this car so she's on her own! lol."

Does she never drive on her own?

Sounds like she's simply not concentrating on driving, and delegating a large part of the job to the passenger. Would a HUD actually help, or just be something else to ignore?

Sounds like a ticket or two would make for a wake-up call…

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892217#Comment_81892217

Mostly drives herself.

To be honest, I do the same. Motorway especially.

I don't do it in the average speed areas because I travel them every single day & so it's a habit now to get to the limit & put C/C on providing I have nobody going slow ahead.

But outside of average speed I'll just do about the limit. Might be 45 in a 40. Might even creep nearer 50. Is it illegal? Yes. Am I absent minded? No not really I'll see what speed I'm doing & maybe I'll slow down and maybe I won't.

I also don't drive up anyone's back end. I only overtake when there's ample room to do it safe which may or may not have me going over the limit but I'm never 'just nicking in'. I don't rally on country roads, I go cautious around blind bends. Basically I use common sense.

Some will say doing 5-10 over the limit is dangerous. That's nonsense. Bad driving is dangerous. If I'm on a long straight that's a 50 with nothing around other than a car that's way way way ahead then me doing 60 isn't dangerous. Not unless someone teleports on to the road out of nowhere & since that isn't happening it's not dangerous.

I've never had an accident where I've driven in to something. Maybe it'll happen one day but as I'm saying above I drive to the conditions of the road.

I'll forever argue against people saying going over the limit is dangerous like it's a black & white thing. It can be if you don't use common sense.

But we're drifting off topic now & getting on to things that people will have their opinion on & just won't change their view. People will either be in camp A on it or camp B & that's just how it is.