Why do cars with automatic transmissions have tachometers?

> wrote in message
...
> As Tom said, to make you think you got a sporty car.
> Useless as an udder on a turtle for most drivers.

Unless you want to know when you're getting ready to redline when the foot
is to the floor.

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 07:52:40 GMT, TLittle > wrote:

>
>Curious as hell about this.
>
>Was taught by the parents to drive in general on a 65 Chevy with an auto
>tranny.
>
>Then the parents taught me to drive a stick on a 67 Dodge 3-on-the-tree
>Dart.
>
>None of them had a tach.
>
>I presently drive a 5-speed sedan with a tach but I never notice it as I
>shift based on what my ear (and obviously "experience") tells me.
>
>Obviously I understand what the tachometer is for but.....my friends
>and relatives various vehicles are universally automatics and almost all
>- depending of course on the options they took - have tachometers on
>them.
>
>What's the point of the tachometer on a vehicle with an automatic
>transmission?
>
>Seriously, based on my understanding of WHY the tachometer exists, why
>are there tachs on vehicles with automatic transmissions?
>
>
>

It tends to help diagnose problems with one's transmission.

-LMB

"TLittle" > wrote in message
...
>
> Curious as hell about this.
>

Well, if you want to hold a low gear for acceleration up a hill or
something, it's nice to know how hard you're thrashing the engine.

Or setting your idle speed....

Tell you what, why do cars have oil pressure warning lights? I mean, you
know if your car loses all oil pressure, right? The engine grinds to a halt
and seizes...
Why does your car have a temperature gauge? You'd know if it was overheating
by the clouds of steam...

In article >, Mark W <s@o> wrote:
>"TLittle" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> Curious as hell about this.
>>
>
>Well, if you want to hold a low gear for acceleration up a hill or
>something, it's nice to know how hard you're thrashing the engine.
>
>Or setting your idle speed....
>
>Tell you what, why do cars have oil pressure warning lights? I mean, you
>know if your car loses all oil pressure, right? The engine grinds to a halt
>and seizes...
>Why does your car have a temperature gauge? You'd know if it was overheating
>by the clouds of steam...

It's getting hard to find cars with oil pressure gauges today, and even
BMW is now promoting fake temperature gauges. Soon, even the idiot lights
will all be replaced by one red light that says REPLACE ENGINE.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Alan Johnson wrote:

> Unless you want to know when you're getting ready to redline when the foot
> is to the floor.

We read what you had to say the first two times, idiot.

Because it's nice to know when your getting ready to "redline" when you have
your foot all the way to the floor.

just had to say it too.



"TLittle" > wrote in message
...
>
> Curious as hell about this.
>
> Was taught by the parents to drive in general on a 65 Chevy with an auto
> tranny.
>
> Then the parents taught me to drive a stick on a 67 Dodge 3-on-the-tree
> Dart.
>
> None of them had a tach.
>
> I presently drive a 5-speed sedan with a tach but I never notice it as I
> shift based on what my ear (and obviously "experience") tells me.
>
> Obviously I understand what the tachometer is for but.....my friends
> and relatives various vehicles are universally automatics and almost all
> - depending of course on the options they took - have tachometers on
> them.
>
> What's the point of the tachometer on a vehicle with an automatic
> transmission?
>
> Seriously, based on my understanding of WHY the tachometer exists, why
> are there tachs on vehicles with automatic transmissions?
>
>
>
>

"Arif Khokar" > wrote in message
news
>
> We read what you had to say the first two times, <idiot.

At least I don't worship some child molesting prophet named Mohammed

SnoMan wrote:
> If the idiot light for oil is working and you catch it when it first
> comes on, you will limit any possible damage. Some people are more
> likely to see a idot light than a gage too. The best setup would be
> both (gage and light). I remember when cars came with hot and cold
> idiot lights too for engine temp.

Some of 'em still do. My VW has no temperature guage, just an idiot
light. It's blue for cold, off for normal, red for hot.

-Keith

"TLittle" > wrote in message
...

> Seriously, based on my understanding of WHY the tachometer exists, why
> are there tachs on vehicles with automatic transmissions?

Becasue the car makers think people want them. I like having one even if I
don't need one.

Ed

TLittle wrote:

> Curious as hell about this.
>
> Was taught by the parents to drive in general on a 65 Chevy with an auto
> tranny.
>
> Then the parents taught me to drive a stick on a 67 Dodge 3-on-the-tree
> Dart.
>
> None of them had a tach.

A better question would be, "Why do modern cars have useless instruments
like a Tach, but lack useFUL instruments like oil pressure gauges
calibrated in PSI, voltmeters calibrated in volts, or better yet
ammeters." Oil temp and transmission temp gauges would be kinda nice
too, especially when you're towing. The WORST of all are cars with a
tach and NO other gauges, just idiot lights.

FWIW- only one of my automatic cars (1993 Vison TSi) has a tach, and no
I never "use" it. It is kinda nice to see when the torque convertor
locks up to help save a little gasoline, but that's about it.