why not a gear indicator for manual?

[Wizard1183]

Along with the gear indicator light, we need the doors to open for us as we're walking up, started, ready to go. You get in, seat reclines back to the lie down position. You have on your sleep mask, and it should sense brain waves which tell it where you want to go. Meanwhile you just sleep in the all new 2027 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS/RS/1LE/Zl1 Autonomous sports car.

[Vegas Bound]

Originally Posted by Wizard1183

Along with the gear indicator light, we need the doors to open for us as we're walking up, started, ready to go. You get in, seat reclines back to the lie down position. You have on your sleep mask, and it should sense brain waves which tell it where you want to go. Meanwhile you just sleep in the all new 2027 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS/RS/1LE/Zl1 Autonomous sports car.

You just described a Prius, wrong forum.

[SSE 4 2SS]

Holy Necro Threads .... Dirtmod dug deep to find this one....

[Wizard1183]

Originally Posted by Vegas Bound

You just described a Prius, wrong forum.

Lmao, well by the thread started? Sounds to me like the OP is in the wrong forum...

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

I think a manual gear indicator would be a good feature, particularly on 6 speed manuals with 3 columns in the shift pattern and a HUD. One last chance to avoid the "money shift" catastrophe before you let up on the clutch in 2nd when you think you're in 4th.

Don't count on a MT gear indicator helping out there. The Subie in my sig actually has this feature (note that it is a 6M). The gear number in the IP goes blank whenever the clutch pedal is depressed. At all, it's that sensitive.

Strictly a gimmick if you're paying much attention at all.


Norm

[zlathim]

I actually am not always aware of what gear I am in, but when I put my hand on the shifter, I automatically know where it needs to go if I need to upshift or a downshift.

[JLSuperfly]

Originally Posted by zlathim

I actually am not always aware of what gear I am in, but when I put my hand on the shifter, I automatically know where it needs to go if I need to upshift or a downshift.

My previous car had a 5 speed so when I was new to my Camaro, sometimes, I find myself in the freeway at 5th.

[OHIOSS]

Wow some of you guys must be a real blast to hang out with. If anyone thinks they want a shift light they are so dumb that they probably often forget to breathe. A gear indicator, how amateur can you get, anyone that would want something like this has no right to even own a car with a manual. They should be ashamed of themselves for even thinking about it let alone mentioning it.


I have owned several vehicles with a manual transmission but I would like to have a gear indicator. I'm sure all of you expert shifters are appalled that I would have the balls to even say this. The last time I checked every automatic has a gear indicator, is that because no one can figure out what gear they are in? I hate when I think I'm in D only to find out that I'm in R.


You jerks that actually insulted the OP because of his suggestion are just that...jerks. Do you think you are like super shifters or something? You must think you are all SDS.....super driver shifters, how dare anyone make such a rookie shifter suggestion. Car makers actually using P R N D L they must think we are all total dumbasses. Wow....just wow.

And yes I know this is an old thread.

[CamaroFred]

My 1990 Beretta GT (5-speed) had an upshift arrow that would illuminate when you tooled along in a lower than necessary gear for too long.
It wasn't very invasive. It turned off after a few seconds or if you changed the throttle position. It didn't blink or ding.

The first time I took my Camaro on a 2 1/2 hour road trip, down a long, flat, straight 4-lane divided highway, I drove about 1/2 hour with the cruise at 70MPH before I realized I was still in 5th. And then only because a pick-up trying to pass me remained next to me for about half-way to forever. When I checked the rear-view as his front bumper finally reached my door, there were a half dozen cars lined up behind him. So I took action and hammered down in 4th to end the stalemate.
After I slowed I never saw the pickup again and 10 cars flew by me.

I gained ~3MPGs and lowered the engine wear by shifting up to 6th.

[ZED SLED]

Well, 5 years after this thread started you could get a 6th gen with that feature. The indicator even turns yellow when rev match is activated. On both DIC and HUD.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by OHIOSS

I have owned several vehicles with a manual transmission but I would like to have a gear indicator. I'm sure all of you expert shifters are appalled that I would have the balls to even say this.

Care to explain just why you want one? Serious request here.

how dare anyone make such a rookie shifter suggestion. Car makers actually using P R N D L they must think we are all total dumbasses.

Not the same thing at all. The PRNDL on the AT's shift quadrant compares to the shift pattern on a MT shift knob. And IIRC, both are required. Duplicate IP display is not needed in either case. But yeah, some car buyers really are that 'unaware'.



What I can tell you from having a car with this feature is this: at best it has greater potential for (mostly mild) distraction than what its very marginal usefulness adds. At worst, there will be people who start trusting it more than they trust their own senses and experience, clearly a step in the wrong direction.

That said, I can begin to see an argument for such a display when you're dealing with a sequential transmission where it's the same motion and the same gearshift lever positions (or paddle positions) for every forward-gear shift. But motorcycles and automatics aside (which are sequentials), I doubt those are within most peoples' experience - so far, anyway.


Norm

[Terryfied]

My early model L99 only shows gear selection while paddle shifting. When I was first getting used to it I mistakenly attempted a downshift at high rpm but the display showed "shift denied" and saved me from a certain "money shift". If I did have a manual, I wouldn't mind having a gear indicator although on my auto I typically shift more so by the tach.

[OHIOSS]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Care to explain just why you want one? Serious request here.


Not the same thing at all. The PRNDL on the AT's shift quadrant compares to the shift pattern on a MT shift knob. And IIRC, both are required. Duplicate IP display is not needed in either case. But yeah, some car buyers really are that 'unaware'.



What I can tell you from having a car with this feature is this: at best it has greater potential for (mostly mild) distraction than what its very marginal usefulness adds. At worst, there will be people who start trusting it more than they trust their own senses and experience, clearly a step in the wrong direction.

That said, I can begin to see an argument for such a display when you're dealing with a sequential transmission where it's the same motion and the same gearshift lever positions (or paddle positions) for every forward-gear shift. But motorcycles and automatics aside (which are sequentials), I doubt those are within most peoples' experience - so far, anyway.


Norm

Just because I have in the past didn't realize I was driving in 4th gear for a long time. At 40-50MPH it doesn't sound that different between 4th & 6th unless you are accelerating.

And.......why not? If you don't like it you can turn it off.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by OHIOSS

Just because I have in the past didn't realize I was driving in 4th gear for a long time. At 40-50MPH it doesn't sound that different between 4th & 6th unless you are accelerating.

I'd be lying if I said this didn't ever happen with me. But I can't see it burning through enough more gas to matter, or running at 3500 rpm instead of 2000 mattering much.

And.......why not? If you don't like it you can turn it off.

If that's an option, sure. But it isn't in my wife's Subie and I didn't find it available for MT in the 2018 Camaro Owner Manual.

Though I suppose there's always the "black tape mod" to fall back on . . .


Norm