Revcounters - who uses them?

[jhonn]

Driving the Mrs's car (Fiat 500) to work yesterday it struck me that the revcounter is something that is fitted as standard, that I never use. Same with the other current cars, a Landcruiser and a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Makes me wonder why the manufacturers even bother to fit them to these kind of cars?

(Even cars that I've owned that could be considered 'sporty' - TT 3.2; Impreza Turbo - I can't recall ever referring to the revcounter, even when driving in a spirited fashion).

So.. do you use yours? Would you miss it if it wasn't fitted - would you specify one for your current road car if it was an optional extra?

And just for interest - anything else that is fitted to your car as standard that you never use and don't see the point of?

Cheers,

John

[AWRacing]

9 times out of 10 I'll glance at rev counter first before looking at speedo but I guess that is due to my hobby

[topless360]

Not sure if serious

I regularly look at the rev counter, how else do you know when to shift if driving on track/spiritedly?

[165gt]

Yes, frequently look at mine. Find with a diesel it's less obvious from engine noise what revs you're doing.

You say you don't use yours but put it another way; if it was an option from new that you could 'delete' the rev counter, would you?

[Rammy76]

I glance at it frequently, although I basically know what the general revs of the engine are I still like to see the rev counter.

[Mound Dawg]

I do but not on the "fun" Alfa as much as I do on the "daily" Fiat.

For some reason the layout of the gauges in the Punto puts the rev counter needle in the centre of the pod and the speedo off on the left when they're in the normal operating range. As a result when I'm on the motorway I tend to look at the rev counter and double the reading to get my speed, so 3000 rpm = 60mph, 3500 = 70, 4000 = 80 etc.

[stargazer30]

I use mine all the time in my car. Its an FN2 CTR so you kinda have to.

[anonymous-user]

I use it just as much as the speedo, it's always useful to know roughly what RPM you're at.

[Sir Humphrey]

I use the rev counter, but my car has a feature where a light flashes to tell you to change gear (you can change where you have the light come on). Whilst I use it to discourage my dad from thrashing it, I certainly wouldn't pay for it.

[56Lotus]

No speedo only a rev counter in my Lotus

This means I'm getting quick at mental arithmetic, 600rpm = 10mph

30mph = 1800rpm
40mph = 2400rpm
70mph = 4200rpm

Before the questions, a speedo was an optional extra when first purchased in 1956 and not included when I used to have a MOT, not sure what the BIB would say if I was stopped.

Jon

[luckystrike]

It's a useful diagnostic tool more than anything - gives me an idea of when the modern car is off the warm-up circuit when idling, and helps diagnose bad running or carb setup on the old one.

[jhonn]

topless360 said:

Not sure if serious

Deadly mate, deadly.

topless360 said:

I regularly look at the rev counter, how else do you know when to shift if driving on track/spiritedly?

Well, I don't drive on a track, and if I'm pressing on when on the road I tend just to listen to the engine and concentrate on the road; I wouldn't want to take my eyes off the road to glance at the revcounter.

I ride my bikes more spiritedly than drive my cars - neither of the bikes (KTM & Ducati)have a revcounter fitted - can't say that I've ever missed having one.

[phil4]

Definately.

In my old MR2 it was the thing I'd watch for gear changes.

Currently with 2 autos, no... don't care. In the other fun car, nah, the change up lights are more visible, and can genuinely say have never seen the rev counter while accelerating hard... too busy looking ahead (hence the lights).

[budfox]

The car I used it in most was my Z4. Mainly because the 3.0 had such beautiful power delivery it was the only way I knew that I was in 4th/6th gear.

[jhonn]

165gt said:

Yes, frequently look at mine. Find with a diesel it's less obvious from engine noise what revs you're doing.

You say you don't use yours but put it another way; if it was an option from new that you could 'delete' the rev counter, would you?

Aye - I probably would. (save a few quid - as a Scotsman, that's important.)

From new - meaning a modern car, I don't have the need, and I think most modern engines have revlimiters fitted anyway - so even if it was a particularly free revving unit, damage from inadvertent overrevving wouldn't be an issue.

[Urban Sports]

Is this some kind of joke thread?

I've religiously used the rev counter in every car I've driven that has one whether it has a 9000 rpm red line or a 5000.

[jhonn]

Urban Sports said:

Is this some kind of joke thread?

I've religiously used the rev counter in every car I've driven that has one whether it has a 9000 rpm red line or a 5000.

No.. just interested if people use them in regular driving - when do you use yours?

[Triumph Man]

I drive on the rev counter. I very quickly know what my car sounds like at particular revs though, for example the exhaust rasps from 4000 to the red line.

I've never owned a car without a rev counter.

[jhonn]

Triumph Man said:

I've never owned a car without a rev counter.

I had one once - a clapped-out original Beetle - it didn't need a revcounter - it just wouldn't rev!

I wonder if there is a modern car on the market that doesn't have one as standard? I suspect that manufacturers fit them to the cooking, mundane models of their cars to give a sporty image.

[Urban Sports]

jhonn said:

No.. just interested if people use them in regular driving - when do you use yours?

In "regular driving"....