I have an '05 MCS with the nav system, and I absolutely hate not having oil pressure and temp gauges. It amazes me that such a driver-oriented car doesn't have those gauges as a factory option with the nav system.

I'd like to fit aux guages up by the tach and speedo -- one for oil pressure, and another for engine temp (probably oil temp preferred). What are my options?

 

So no one has installed auxillary oil pressure and oil temp gauges on an MCS with nav system?

 

I think your only really easy option is to install the gauges down below the toggle bank - I haven't seen any installs that work with the tach/speedo combo on the steering column.

If you're feeling really creative, I'm sure you could fabricate some sort of mounting plate that would work, but I think having 3 or 4 gauges across would be kinda cluttered. Or there's always a frenched in A-pillar install like you see on the boosted Japanese cars. . .I've actually always kinda liked the A-pillar gauge installs. . .

 

DIY:smile:

 

I have the Mini Aux gauges installed in the console and find them useful (and like the stock integrated look that leaves the the area around the steering wheel etc uncluttered).

I refer to the oil temp all of the time - oil pressure would have been nice, but for some reason BMW/MINI always uses Voltmeters when they have extra gauges offered or in M cars.

Here is a stock photo of what they look like, and although the Mini photo shows chrome rings they are not really available

(FYI, install instructions can be found on Motoringfile).

 

PS: I have seen people use the aux gauges face plate with aftermarket guages.

 

Out Motoring has a kit that mounts two gages in the http://outmotoring.com/mini_cooper_air_vent_mounted_gauge_kit.html]two center vents[/url]. $299.99 with gagues

They also have a lower "]http://outmotoring.com/mini_cooper_lower_gauge_pod_kit.html] gague mount kit[/url] That fits under the toggle bank. $259.99 with gagues

And one that mounts the gagues outboard of the Tach. Unfortunately this does not work with the Nav system or Chrono pack. $389 with gagues

They also feature an Alta Gague pod that is simmilar to the above but without gagues for $149.99

I would imagine that you could cut one of the last two in half to mount it on the back of the dual gague cluster on a MINI with navigation.

 

ProMINI makes a kit that fits next to the tach of cars with and without the Navi. Link

 

See the following link for a gauge thread.
I've got the factory aux gauges - oil temp is good. Voltmeter is useless to me. I'm considering swapping it out for a water or oil temp.


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ghlight=gauges

 

Thanks for the replys. The other gauges thread is very helpful. I don't like the idea of gauges I regularly look at being tucked under the toggle switches (wanting to keep my eyes on the road is the whole reason I got the nav system and the multifunction steering wheel in the first place!), so I'm resigned to doing some bit of self fabrication to make things work with the nav system.

I went ahead and ordered a Cobalt oil pressure/oil temp gauge setup that's currently on clearance at Moss. I could probably buy the same Autometer gauges and parts to fashion a mounting system myself and save a few dollars, but the Cobalt setup looks like it will be easy for me to modify to work with the speedo/tach on the column. Plus the installation pdf made it look like a fairly straightforward and manageable DIY install. I'll just do what DrDiff suggested and cut the mounting bar (that's designed to go behind the tach) in half, fabricate a piece to extend and join the two halves, and mount that behind the tach/speedo.

I really do think it's ridiculous that a car designed with so much attention to detail, and with so much emphasis on providing a sporting, driver's environment, has such meager instrumentation. I mean, I've got two different places on the dash telling me my average fuel consumption, I get useless 'range' information (hey, I can see how much gas I have and immediately know my range), yet I don't know how hot my engine is? I have to choose between a tiny clock that my passengers can't see, or a trip odometer (two bits of information I actually can use)!?

My '94 Miata has exactly the info I want (speedo, tach, oil pressure, eng. temp, trip odometer, and a visible clock). Hell, even my '67 Mini in all its pitiful simplicity has every instrument I need! Shouldn't the instrumentation on an '05 MINI put those cars to shame?