Northwest94Z

If you hate it so much just turn it off. Every car I have had with a HUD feature can be dimmed to the point where it doesn't shop up at all. Your HUD problem solved.

Chewbacca

What a novel idea. Why didn't I think of that? Oh wait....

BigDarknFast

His question remains valid nonetheless. Yes - you mentioned turning if off. I would *think* that would solve just about all your complaints with the device (except the dash bump). Does your wife use the HUD? If not... why did you order the option.

Also - I don't agree at all with the notion that the 'flashing, constantly changing digits' are such a huge distraction. I see no such constant toggling. Once up to a steady speed, such as a freeway cruise, our GP's HUD stays on one value such as '65'. I can tell there's some logic in the various controllers, to enhance stability of what to show - else no one would ever be able to read their speed. In our litigation-happy USA, I'm sure some one would have already cooked up a lawsuit if that were the case

BigDarknFast

...BTW I did find some Caddy STS HUD pix









(from http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research....ection=reviews )

Chewbacca

Yes, it's her car. She wanted the car with every single option. However, she readily acknowledges that she likes having all the options much more than she really needs all of them (like HUD). My cars (and trucks) would never and have never had all that stuff on them. I want a thoroughly modern car with a thoroughly modern chassis but I just don't want or need all those silly options. I'm very much an old school kind of guy in that regard.

Being an old school guy (and having owned a 1st gen) makes hating those throwback gauges all the more amusing dontcha think?

This car is going to be mine, not the wife's. Why would I buy something that I'm going to turn off as soon as I get into the car? Oh right... I'll need it to read my gauges.....

Oh.. well.... I must be wrong then.

You're right. They don't distract me. They don't constantly change values. I feel much better now.

You may not agree. That's fine. That's your opinion. I have mine.



As I said in an earlier post, if I want this new car I'll obviously have to live the gauges where they are. Evidently I'll also have to live with getting their information through the DIC when I'm driving. I WILL NOT order the car with a HUD however. That would be a deal breaker for me. In fact it would be the only deal breaker I can think of at the moment outside a ridiculous curb weight.

Fortunately I think GM is smarter than forcing me to buy a HUD. I've been wrong before though. Just see above. I could have sworn that I really felt the HUD was a distraction....

Z284ever

Here's the other thing with HUD in the Camaro's application......


My impressions are that a HUD will be bundled with the console gauges because GM KNOWS those dumb gauges aren't very useable.

I just hope there is a way to simply get some useful gauges without being forced into the console ones.

Bob Cosby

The computer should be monitoring REAL, accurate data on water temp, voltage, iat, etc. If a HUD can be used to display these REAL values, then it would be quite useful.

What I would not like to see is something like what Ford has done for the past many years. The small gauges in the dash showed oil pressure & water temp, but they were calibrated to show the SAME READING for a very large range of actual values. For example, the water temp needle would be in the same spot for temps between ~180F and ~230F. The oil pressure would be the same from ~10psi to ~60psi (my figures aren't exact, but are close enough to get the point across). Those were USELESS gauges. The story is that Ford did this so people wouldn't bring their cars in when, for instance, they noticed the oil pressure dropped at idle when hot as the engine was broken in over several thousand miles (which is quite normal).

I don't know (or at least I don't remember) if my LS1 T/A had the same setup or not (nor do I know if the latest Mustangs are like that). Regardless, I would hope GM wouldn't go down that road, and if the HUD could be set up to display those kinds of ACCURATE parameters, I think it would be a GREAT thing for the enthusiast.

Bob

Tricked-Out-Toy

I dont see what the big deal is with the gauge location. I look down in the general area all the time, switching radio stations, checking time, changing the ipod, etc... I love that they are down there. it cleans up the dash. as for the HUD, if a fighter pilot can navigate and attack enemy aircraft and ground targets I would think someone with half there skill can navigate roads.... The navigation tied into it is killer and will def be something I add to my list "options"

Another thing, take the typical driver and they are mroe than happy to just have dummy lights. most ppl (non enthusiest) dont give a damn about oil pres, temp, alt, etc.... all they need is a gas gage and a speedo, most ppl could care less if they even had a tach... think bigger picture. and HUD is something MOST ppl want and like.

jg95z28

Again, that's only preception... they actually are quite usable... unless you're a bad driver.

Here was my 67 Camaro coupe's interior when I purchased it. Guess what I kept after the restoration.



Here are the aftermarket guages the previous owner added to my 67 RS...



In my 68 RS I added similar guages as in the first photo in the same location.

My point? Even owners who didn't get the center console guage option typically added the same guages in the same location. It worked 40 years ago and it still works today.

BigDarknFast

Well that's your choice. But I'm not getting the impression your wife dislikes the HUD as much as you do. My wife loves our GP's HUD, and how the XM channel names (not numbers) show in it when she changes stations.
Dunno... is that supposed to be amusing? I'm sure there are some former 1stgen owners who have moved on to a Toyota or a Corvette. But I don't envision the new Camaro as a 'car for former 1stgen Camaro owners'... its support is already very much wider than that.

Simple then. Don't buy it (a HUD that is, if it is offered). If the gauges bother you - well I've not been a fan of OEM wheels on GM muscle cars in recent years, and many of my 4gens and my GTO had custom wheels instead. I'd imagine new Camaro buyers could easily get some other gauges put in if they like.

I'm not disputing that it distracts you, bothers you, and you find the digits change too much. Every driver is different (that's why HUD's are optional, and can be dimmed, repositioned, and turned off). But I still believe for the vast majority of users/buyers, the HUD is a hit. Why else would it be found on Grand Prix, Le Sabre, Corvette, Acadia, STS, XLR, and DTS? That's an awful lot of buyers. Are they all turning it off?

Ugh. Not this dead horse again

BigDarknFast

Agreed. If HUD is offered, and properly programmed, it could open up a lot of new possibilities.

Z28Wilson

Funny, that was something I said about HUD in the Camaro a couple of years ago right after the concept debuted. Don't force me into buying HUD because the gauges are so annoying to read.

Z284ever

Lots of things worked 40 years ago - just not very well.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the 1st gen, if you got a tach and not the standard speedo/fuel gauge/idiot lights, there simply wasn't any other place to put those gauges, other than the console.

What other ergonomic baindaides can we add to a 21st century Camaro?

2KZ28

You's guys kill me!

You shoulda seen how BADLY the "Corvette Snobs" on "The Corvette Forum" TRASHED the new ZR1 once they saw the pre-production pictures!!!!!

Compared to this, the Camaro is a home-run. LOL

HAVE SOME F A I T H.

I Do.

jg95z28

You continue to amaze me. It's as if you think the only opinion that counts is your own. Why can't you face the fact that sometimes you are in the minority on your opinions of what the Camaro should be?