# Do we need tachometers in our autos? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 6, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794 "2000-07-06T22:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/1 "2000-07-06T22:44:02Z")
Every car I have ever owned has had a tachometer but I never look at them. I can understand why we might need one in a stick shift but do we need them in our automatic transmission cars? Seems like they could delete them and pass the savings on to the customer. ---
**Author:** ![lswote](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lswote/32/5737_2.png) [@lswote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lswote)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/2 "2000-07-06T23:27:16Z")
aha, I am shocked, simply shocked! Just like **Western Union** takes me back to the good old days of my youth, having a tach in my car caters to the illusion I am still a young stud with a valid need for one. Heck, my luxury car even has a nitro-oxide switch under the dash to further bolster the illusion that I ready to race for pinks out on the two-lane. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/3 "2000-07-06T23:31:30Z")
A tachometer? I was under the impression that that was a device to measure speed on trucks. Donā€™t you mean a rev-meter? Or is that the same? Well, anyway. I drive a manual, so yeah, it comes in handy. Then again, my former car didnā€™t have one, and I managed just fine. You can just about tell when the engine will blow šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/4 "2000-07-07T14:36:55Z")
Rev-meter, tachometer, all the same principle. Simply a gauge to measure the engine speed in RPM. And for the record, I like to have it available. I sometimes use my truck for towing heavy loads up these here rocky mountains, and I will occasionally gear in accordance with what the RPMs look like. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/5 "2000-07-07T16:39:31Z")
Need one? Itā€™s a fucking must! Iā€™m a huge fan of almost everything automotive. In fact, no matter what kind of car I drive itā€™s almost always Quick, Silver and european engineeredā€¦ If I had it my way, in addition to the RPM guage Iā€™d also have an altimiter, pitch, lean and yaw meters, oil and exhaust temp meters, air temp meters, turbo pressure meter, tire pressure meterā€¦ you name it. I want my dash to be lit up like a 747 cockpit! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/6 "2000-07-07T18:38:36Z")
I drive a '96 Neon manual transmission and it doesnā€™t have one! I just have to listen to the engine to know when to shift. Makes you wonder who the dink is that designed that car. I guess he figured drivers new to stick shifts, deaf or hard of hearing people would just know when to shift by looking how fast they were going or started smelling smoke. But I guess if you know what youā€™re listening for, you can tell when to shift without a tachometer, making them unnecessary as long as you can hear well enough. I donā€™t see a point to them in automatics, unless you see it revving really high and it hasnā€™t shifted on its own yet so you know thereā€™s a problem with the car. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/7 "2000-07-07T19:15:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wanderer \* > \*\*ready to race for pinks out on the two-lane. šŸ˜‰ \*\* Can somebody explain this to me? Does it mean to bet your carā€™s pink slip on a race? Is this common? It would seem the guy with the fastest car would soon have a fleet of GTOs in his backyard. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/8 "2000-07-07T19:35:07Z")
Itā€™s cheaper that way. if you make an auto and manual of the same car itā€™s just cheaper to leave the tach in place on the auto then to try and come up with a whole new dash or something to place there instead. my old 86 mustang auto had one. ---
**Author:** ![lswote](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lswote/32/5737_2.png) [@lswote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lswote)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/9 "2000-07-07T23:13:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xizor \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Wanderer \* > > \*\*ready to race for pinks out on the two-lane. šŸ˜‰ > > Can somebody explain this to me? Does it mean to bet your carā€™s pink slip on a race? Is this common? It would seem the guy with the fastest car would soon have a fleet of GTOs in his backyard. \*\* Yep, thatā€™s what it means. Probably more legend than fact, as I donā€™t know anyone who actually raced for pinks. I do know a lot of people who raced out on the two-lane highways, but that was usually just for bragging rights, occassionally for money. I just used it as a metaphor for the glory days of muscle cars where a tach was mandatory equipment. BTW, there is a great early '70s movie called **Two-Lane Blacktop** starring the singer **James Taylor** and the late **Dennis Wilson** , drummer of the **Beach Boys** driving a '57 Chevy in which they race for pinks against **Warren Oates** driving a GTO. ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/10 "2000-07-08T02:43:51Z")
My first two cars were automatics and had tachs. My current one is a five speed manual and does not. GO figure. Instead it has a dummy light in the shape of an arrow pointing upwards. I ignore it, because if I shifted when it lit Iā€™d have even less accelleration than I do now. I wish I did have a tach. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/11 "2000-07-08T08:52:35Z")
Birdman, the upshift light it set to give you the best gas mileage, not the fastest acceleration. ā€“Tim ---
**Author:** ![JBurton99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@JBurton99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBurton99)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/12 "2000-07-08T10:23:36Z")
Iā€™ve had automatics and sticks that came with and without the tach. Never really made much sense why they pick some and not others. As for listening for the shift point, donā€™t tell me thatā€™s how you actually do it, do ya? I always shifted by the feel of it, as opposed to listening for it. Iā€™ve driven cars semi-professionally in Drag Racing and Road Course Racing and the one thing i never payed any attention to was the tach. If fact, i almost always had them removed. My crew chiefs were never happy about that and always asked ā€œhow the hell will you know when to shift?ā€. They would break out the computer that records your shift points and were always amazed that i shifted at the correct time no matter what. ---
**Author:** ![single\_files](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@single\_files](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/single_files)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/13 "2000-07-08T12:44:18Z")
I had an automatic Taurus ā€¦ no tach. The transmission quit getting fifth gear, which I might have picked up on with a tach. Instead, I kept running 85 mph with the radio blasting till it burned up. I donā€™t have that car anymore. Now I drive my old Jeep. Gauges for everything. I donā€™t need the tach to shift, and I always know what gear Iā€™ve put myself in, but I like it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/14 "2000-07-08T15:44:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JBurton99 \* > \*\*As for listening for the shift point, donā€™t tell me thatā€™s how you actually do it, do ya? I always shifted by the feel of it, as opposed to listening for it. \*\* For those of us who are non-semi or any other kind of professinal drivers, who buy a stick shift after driving an automatic for 4 years, thatā€™s exactly how I knew when to shift for the first week or so until I got the feel for the new car. But my point was what about deaf people and people learning to drive a stick for the first time? How do they know when to shift without a tachometer if theyā€™ve never driven one before? ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/15 "2000-07-09T01:52:26Z")
Speaking as someone whoā€™s dream it is to be a stunt car driver, Iā€™ve ALWAYS, since I first started with a stick, just _known_ when to shift. If youā€™re in tune with the car, you can just feel it. ā€“Tim ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/16 "2000-07-09T02:03:03Z")
No, you donā€™t NEED a tach, but as a certifiable car fanatic, I hate driving cars without 'em. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/17 "2000-07-09T02:14:46Z")
I guess the superfluous tach IS better than than the ignorance-is-bliss ā€œinstrumentā€ cluster from the 1984 Fords, wherein the only readouts were the speed and the fuel gages, the BRAKE warning light, the Battery Discharging light, and _EVERYTHING ELSE_ was represented by the ā€œENGINEā€ light. jrd ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/18 "2000-07-09T02:33:57Z")
Well, I have a Nissan Altima (automatic) and it has a tach and I like it there. Itā€™s nice to be able to see how hard the engine is running and even if I donā€™t _need_ it, I feel better having one additional bit of information about my engineā€™s performance. My girlfriendā€™s car lacks one and it always irritates me a little to look at the dash and see nothing but how fast Iā€™m going. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/19 "2000-07-09T05:33:04Z")
Paraphrased from a Four-Wheeler Magazine quiz: In an older vehicle that actually has gauges for all these, which is it most important to keep an eye on? A.) tach B.) amp/volt meter C.) oil pressure D.) speedometer E.) engine temperature Answer to come after a few of yā€™all guess at it. ---
**Author:** ![P\_G\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@P\_G\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P_G_B)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794/20 "2000-07-09T06:08:34Z")
Iā€™ve always found them useless, even in stick shifts. Strictly for people who donā€™t drive enough to know their carā€™s feel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-need-tachometers-in-our-autos/24794.md?page=2)