I test drove an MC-S this weekend at East Bay Mini in Pleasanton. Very cool place, the just took my license and made a copy and handed me the keys.

When I was driving I noticed the Tach was partially covered by the steering wheel. I tried several seat positions and still could not get a full view of the tach when driving. The worse part was that the part that is covered is the rev range you need to see when performance shifting.

Any thoughts about this?

Miniwanna

 

The tach is mostly obscured by the wheel's spokes when making turn, otherwise I haven't had any problems with visibility of the tach...after all is right in front of you.

How tall are you? Did you try adjusting the seat height as well as the steering wheel tilt?

 

I'm 6'0". I did try the seat height too. I read a review on the web and the reviewer was compaining about this too.

Its not a huge deal, because ultimately you can determine shift points by sounds, but it seems not well thought out.

Miniwanna.

 

The first time I drove a MCS I had this problem. The next time I paid more attention to the seats and everything else and didn't really notice the problem as much. I'm 6'2 so I think it is a taller person's problem.

 

the wheel does adjust as well too. I often forget about that. Under the wheel is the lever to release the steering wheel. then you just move it and push it back.

with the NAV it does get crowded...

I have not done any addtional gauges, boost or pressure because of it.

 

I'm 5'9", and for me, the way I have my car adjusted, the steering wheel just barely intrudes down onto the dial of the tach. Maybe 1/4 of the way down the line marking 4k. Not enough to make reading the tach difficult.

I guess that, for people who are taller than I am, a lower seat position and/or a higher steering wheel angle would be the only way to get the tach into full view, and then you could be causing other problems with comfort, airbag position, etc.
_________________

 

>>I test drove an MC-S this weekend at East Bay Mini in Pleasanton. Very cool place, the just took my license and made a copy and handed me the keys.
>>
>>When I was driving I noticed the Tach was partially covered by the steering wheel. I tried several seat positions and still could not get a full view of the tach when driving. The worse part was that the part that is covered is the rev range you need to see when performance shifting.
>>
>>Any thoughts about this?
>>
>>Miniwanna :smile:

 

I am only 5' 8", and I kind of like the wheel positioned in a higher position. The tach is not obscured at all.

If it is a problem, try lowering the seat and moving it back, which should be correct for a taller person. Should alleviate the problem.

Regards,
Red

 

Sounds like a height issue... I am 6' 3" and I can only see the whole Tach if I move the steering wheel up higher where it is uncomfortable to drive (seat position is down all the way - due to sunroof headroom issues). You get to where you can tell by engine noise and the position of the needle body where you are on RPM. Not a big problem IMHO....

 

>> ultimately you can determine shift points by sounds<<

This is not necessarily true. Without looking at the tach it's really easy to hit the limiter on my MCS. At redline, it the motor sounds like it still has a lot to give. I don't know if it's from the exhaust and intake I put on or what, but I've topped it out on more than a few occasions.....and I don't have an obstructed view of the tach.

 

The very top of the tach is obscured for me... for me, it seems to be a delicate balance between sitting far back enought to see the tach, or up front enought to see stoplights... it really should be a tad smaller...

Rocketboy_X

 

>>the wheel does adjust as well too. I often forget about that. Under the wheel is the lever to release the steering wheel. then you just move it and push it back.
>>
>>with the NAV it does get crowded...
>>

Yeah the wheel moves, but the tach (and speedo on the Nav cars) move with it, so it doesn't actually help the situation much. Moving the seat however (up/down as well as in/out DOES change your angle of viewing more significantly).

Ironically, if the right side of the steering wheel is blocking your view of red-line, the Nav system will likely solve the problem as it moves the tach to the left side of the steering column (instead of centering it) so the red-line is in the center of the opening. It then however obscures your view of the HIGH MPH readings (so I set the speed alarm on the computer to chime when I cross 75... just to remind me :smile:

 

>>I test drove an MC-S this weekend at East Bay Mini in Pleasanton. Very cool place, the just took my license and made a copy and handed me the keys.
>>
>>When I was driving I noticed the Tach was partially covered by the steering wheel. I tried several seat positions and still could not get a full view of the tach when driving. The worse part was that the part that is covered is the rev range you need to see when performance shifting.
>>
>>Any thoughts about this?
>>
>>Miniwanna :smile:

Peace,
D

 

Maybe in 2005, Mini will offer a digital tach readout in the speedometer.

 

just buy one. you'll know when to shift. trust me.

 

Yup, one of the design flaws. For proper seat/wheel position for my 5'6" frame, I lose visibility of the top part of the tach.