Hello fellow MCOr's! I am awaiting my Chili Red S (CWFM Club) and am wondering how long it takes to get used to the centrally-located speedometer. When I test drove B4 I placed my order, I must admit that without knowing it I was doing 70 in a 35 MPH zone. The car's so smooth, I had no idea! Thank God there were no Blue Meanies lurking in the shadows (except for the one sitting next to me!). Is it because there's so much else to think about being unfamiliar with the vehicle or is there a break-in period because of the change? Then I wonder how often I look at mine now (it's hard to gauge how often unconsciously you look at something when you are now conscious of it!). I'm thinking a lot of it is just "feel" for your speed. I never remembered during the test drive looking down at the tach in error to see how fast I was going! I love the look of it's placement and glad for the bold change. Any thoughts on this "getting familiar with" period?

 

I think you really get a feel for your speed after driving a car a short while and when I think about driving my current car...I never really look at it except when going through the school zone on the way to work or when i suddenly see a cop,but then again i don't speed very often anyways.I think the center mounted speedo really defines the character of the Mini and glad they carried it over to the new one.I believe the idea around the original concept was to allow the co-pilot when rally racing to be able to see the cars speed easily which may certainly be the case but on the new car it is simply a sincere effort to stay true to the original design and make quite a conversation piece as well...I like it! By the way..I'm ordering my S tomarrow!...

 

It is SOOOO comfortable to glance at... the tach is behind the wheel ... now driving anything else is kinda awkward!

 

SPEEDOMETER!!!!!!......What speedometer?!

 

Everything is where it belongs. I NEED the tach right behind the wheel. I couldn't ask for a better setup!

 

>>Hello fellow MCOr's! I am awaiting my Chili Red S (CWFM Club) and am wondering how long it takes to get used to the centrally-located speedometer. When I test drove B4 I placed my order, I must admit that without knowing it I was doing 70 in a 35 MPH zone. The car's so smooth, I had no idea! Thank God there were no Blue Meanies lurking in the shadows (except for the one sitting next to me!). Is it because there's so much else to think about being unfamiliar with the vehicle or is there a break-in period because of the change? Then I wonder how often I look at mine now (it's hard to gauge how often unconsciously you look at something when you are now conscious of it!). I'm thinking a lot of it is just "feel" for your speed. I never remembered during the test drive looking down at the tach in error to see how fast I was going! I love the look of it's placement and glad for the bold change. Any thoughts on this "getting familiar with" period?


I'll admit that I didn't really look at the speedometer at my test drive either, maybe because I was afraid of not paying attention to the road. I'm sure I was speeding myself because the car ran so smooth. The shifting was firm and I was taking off! Looking forward to getting my MCS in a matter of a week or so...maybe I still won't pay attention to the speedometer. The TAC is more pleasant to look at.

 

It's gotten to the point where I drive by the tach rather than the speedometer. If you drive with the tach at 3k you can usually find a gear that fits the speed limit.

 

>>I was doing 70 in a 35 MPH zone.

It won’t take long at all. 2, 3 tickets at tops.

 

You'll get used the the speedometer without too much trouble. After you glance in the wrong place a few times the new location becomes second nature. I kind of like it in the center because the rim of the steering wheel blocks my view of the tach (I hate that part).

In the first Mini, I think the speedometer was placed in the center so they could build left or right hand drive models and not have to design a different instrument panel. The whole car was designed to be simple, easy to build and cost effective. It wasn't until later that it became a successful rally car.

Wings

 

The center location is excellent, and I think the large size really helps. It didn't take any "getting used to" and like mightyMiniz said, "now driving anything else is kinda awkward!"

Besides...the jerk that is tailgating you doesn't have to read his own, 'cause he can read your's....

 

See, I DID have to get used to the center mounted speedo--for the first 2-3 days I had no idea how fast I was going because I couldn't get the hang of looking "over there". Now, however, I have no idea how fast I'm going because I choose not to look (too stressful to actually know how many miles over the speed limit I'm travelling)

The speedo is obviously available to all motorers in the car, which could potentially be hairy for those with friends who like to, ahem, frequently voice their own opinions regarding the driving menthods of the pilot. However, since there are no 5mph hash marks, I've found that my passengers, glancing casually, seem to think that I'm doing 75 when I am, in fact doing 80. It avoids alot of unnecessary comment, I think.

Center mounted speedo: It's a good thing.

~Kelley

 

I agree that everything is where it belongs - except that my WIFE has as much view of the speedo as I do... ugh.

BUT, what I do notice is that no matter what I am doing (turning, resting, driving, cruising, changing lanes), I can be SURE that my view of the speedo will NEVER be obstructed (by the steering wheel, my hand, anything else).

I LOVE it where it is.

 

It works out well. You get used to it not being in the standard location. As mentioned in an earlier post, you learn to drive by the tach after a very short period. If you do need the speedo, it's large enough to be glanced at easily. Lastly, it's one more way the Mini is set apart from the mundane. :smile:

 

I agree...speedo and tach are in the right place. It did take a day or so to adjust, but I was probably adjusting to the whole car as well. Now I can't imagine the instruments being in any other location. I, too, now use the tach mostly with an occasional glance at the speedo as needed....natural as breathing! YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!!!!!

 

No one I've given a ride to has anything negative to say about the central speedo.

I love it. Nostalgia!!

The tach should become a good indicator of speed. In 6th gear I know I am doing the freeway speedlimit of 75 when I'm on 3K. If you're redlining it in 1st gear, you know your doing just over 40. 5k in 2nd gear is about 50. See not long and you'll get these RPM/MPH/Gear things all figured out.

 

Speedometer is just right.
Tach, on the other hand, is partially hidden behind the wheel.

 

Speedometers? We don't need no stinking speedometers!

 

If locating the speedometer in the middle of the dash is such a great idea, why don’t all the automobile manufacturers locate their speedometers there? Forget nostalgia, the speedometer belongs in front of the driver next to the tachometer.

 

After driving the car for awhile and getting a feel for vehicle, I notice that I never really look at the speedometer anymore. I pay more attention to the tach than the speedo, and the engine feels and sounds different when accelerating to higher speeds. The ONLY time I glance at the speedo is when I know I'm speeding and I just want to check where I'm at in case I need to take the necessary steps to avoid those insurance raising speeding tickets. Anyways when driving everyone notices the flow of traffic and your vehicle's movement in relation to the current driving enviroment should tell you if you are within limits and whether or not you are driving carelessly.

 

Yeh, I think everyone sped a bit the first few days, but you get used to it and slow down. I agree, driving by the tach is easier. YOu can cruise at 25 at around 1 grand in 6th...

 

>>If locating the speedometer in the middle of the dash is such a great idea, why don?t all the automobile manufacturers locate their speedometers there? Forget nostalgia, the speedometer belongs in front of the driver next to the tachometer.



Is that where it "belongs"?

Other vehicles have not placed them where they "belong" ... YET.


It's more effort to glance at the meter behind the wheel than the center console. Which makes it more dangerous for you and other drivers on the road.

 

>>>>If locating the speedometer in the middle of the dash is such a great idea, why don?t all the automobile manufacturers locate their speedometers there? Forget nostalgia, the speedometer belongs in front of the driver next to the tachometer.
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>>Is that where it "belongs"?
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>>Other vehicles have not placed them where they "belong" ... YET.
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>>It's more effort to glance at the meter behind the wheel than the center console. Which makes it more dangerous for you and other drivers on the road.
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If placing the speedometer behind the steering wheel is such a burden, then why do so many on this post admit to using their tachometers to gauge their speed? Manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money on driver ergonomics and the center dash mounted speedometer hasn’t achieved wide spread accolades for proper instrument placement. If you want to say the center mounted speedometer is quaint I will buy that. But if you want true nostalgia you better ditch the air conditioning, power windows, locks, cruise, tilt, heated seats, automatic transmission, CD player etc. And while you are at it, inform the manufacturer that you new MINI is lacking in all the squeaks and rattles that were prevalent in the original. The speedometer was mounted in the center on the original Cooper to facilitate building cars for export to left hand drive markets. Center mounted speedometers will never be the norm either now or in the future.

 

I'm looking forward to getting my Mini and being able to have a full view of the speedometer. My current car and a few others I have had I couldn't see the whole speedometer because of the steering wheel. In my current car the way I sit and have the wheel tilted I can't see the numbers between 20mph and 105mph. I sit straight an have the wheel at the lowest position where I am comfortable driving. It's not my fault they didn't put the speedometer in the right place.

 

>>If placing the speedometer behind the steering wheel is such a burden, then why do so many on this post admit to using their tachometers to gauge their speed? Manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money on driver ergonomics and the center dash mounted speedometer hasn’t achieved wide spread accolades for proper instrument placement. If you want to say the center mounted speedometer is quaint I will buy that. But if you want true nostalgia you better ditch the air conditioning, power windows, locks, cruise, tilt, heated seats, automatic transmission, CD player etc. And while you are at it, inform the manufacturer that you new MINI is lacking in all the squeaks and rattles that were prevalent in the original. The speedometer was mounted in the center on the original Cooper to facilitate building cars for export to left hand drive markets. Center mounted speedometers will never be the norm either now or in the future.
>>

Wow. Why do you even have a MINI? If placing the speedometer in the center is so "wrong," why do so many of us love it there? Did you get the navigation system just to have the speedo in the normal location?

You can have your personal preferences, but to make sweeping statements (e.g. the speedo belongs behind the steering wheel) seems a bit arrogant. I guess the MINI needs a trunk, right? If we wanted normal, we wouldn't be here. There's something about an impractical and abnormal car that appeals to us. Otherwise, we wouldn't have bought $20,000 go-karts. Here's a site that should appeal to you: http://forums.clubfocus.net/

 

>>It is SOOOO comfortable to glance at... the tach is behind the wheel ... now driving anything else is kinda awkward!


My thoughts exactly