I cannot decide on a boost gauge can anyone give me some advice on which one to get as far as what is considered a good one

 

Just get a ScanGaugeII. It will give you boost and so much more. Lots of us use them. Simple to hook up.
http://www.scangauge.com/products/scangaugeii/

 

Or get an Ultragauge http://www.ultra-gauge.com/ultragauge/index.htm

 

Can the ultra gauge even do boost?

 

Yes it can, I own one. There is a list of all the different gauges on their website
http://www.ultra-gauge.com/ultragauge/TEN/gauges.htm

 

Alright cool I was reading that it displayed it as something different instead of psi

 

It can do intake pressure in kpa and psi, and it can do boost in kpa and psi

 

Oh defiantly what I'm going to get like the look much more than the scan gauge

 

I thought about the scangauge, but once I saw the ultragauge and the price I jumped on it. Fast shipping, I got the windshield mount for it, A lot of options and can show 8 different gauges at once on an lcd screen is pretty cool. I got intake air temp, coolant tamp, boost, instant mpg, ave mpg, and tps %

 

what's the lag with these on our R53's?

 

Harbor freight has boost gauges. They look quite "mini-ish" IMO. Use the 20% coupon and you can get one for about $20

 

It's pretty much instant. Just run the setup when you install it. The only thing I found is that when I tried to unplug it, it takes an immense amount of force, it seems to click into the socket. I was scared I was gonna break sometime the first couple of times.

 

you guys are using these boost guages and i use my Torque app on my android with a cheapo ELM32 bluetooth adaptor from ebay. all info in real time. and i can move it from car to car very easily and even check engine codes etc. all i need is a cell phone mount. actually i dont really need it.

works great. app was $10 adaptor $20. Total price of $30 for a fully customizable guage..

just my $0.02

 

I think that the route I went with the scan gauge works for me and others because I want to be able to do other things with my phone : talk on it, use the GPS nav, etc without having an app running over top of it. Plus the install is a lot cleaner than running wiring for your phone and a screen mount. My scan gauge sits at the bottom left corner of the windscreen just behind my registration stickers. Just MY $.02

 

recently bought the Prosport gauge from ALTA that I have yet to install http://www.altaperformance.com/hardt...d-wboost-gauge
also recently picked a bluetooth OBD2 connect and am using the torque app on my fone and Touchpad.. works great!

 

If you would have bought it separately and just bought the gauge pod from alta I found the exact pros port gauge on eBay for 40 bucks then plug the pod from alta 40 only about 80 bucks everything shipped

 

I'm an ebay junkie admittedly lol. but I figured just get it all together as i was buyin a bunch of other things from them too.. pulley/ ignition/ etc

 

a spare smaller tablet or android device solves that and gives you nav and other options as well. plus no wires are needed. all wireless.

but if you dont have or dont want to pick up a spare phone i get it. these devices you are mentioning are all in ones for this purpose. i just like having it when i want and in any car without extra equipment. plus it logs the info and can export with the touch of a button.

 

Those phone apps have a whole bunch of lag though. My friend uses one on his droid with the $15 OBD adapter and it displayed the info with a second of lag. Plus, with the location of the OBD port and the length of the adapter, I feel like I'd snap it off while driving.

I'm thinking of getting that ultrasport gauge, even thought those Perrin gauges look hella nice.

 

I think the lag has to do with how fast the cars computer sends out info. It's at a pulsed rate. The obd wouodnt be any good for a boost gauge, it's way slow. Get a regular gauge. The obd stuff is great for most of the other stuff, like intake temps, coolant, engine load, ect. Stuff that doesn't change so rapidly as das boost

Also, they have those new "mini" obd Bluetooth adapters. They're half the size of the previous ones.

 

Installed mine today while I was working on the car (alternator destroyed itself 2 weeks ago). Connected the wires so it would be amber all the time, I really like it. I had a used Autometer (mechanical) and never managed to get it to work correctly, the needle was shaking and it wasn't at 0 anymore when the car wasn't running. Now with the Prosport, everything is fine.

 

I went with the Craven gauge pod and put Autometer electric boost and oil pressure gauges in. You have to buy a "T" adapter for the oil pressure sending unit and pressure switch or piece one together yourself. The gauges and adapter are a little pricey but clean.

The good thing about the electric are the sending units. The boost pressure line can go through the grommet easily and mount the sending unit under the dash with double stick tape keeping those wires inside. With the oil pressure you still have to push a few wires through the grommet but either way works and looks great. Checking peak boost or oil pressure with a button is nice and boost shows 11 psi after a romp up the road (self calibrates zero on power up).

Now I know why they have an idiot light for oil pressure. 18 psi at idle, hot, sure bothered me for a while until I read that this is "normal?".

All in all close to $500 but it looks like it belongs there and works great.