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...well for me anyway.
I've been playing around with a brand new GTechPro/Comp since my buddy got
one last week ($280 plus shipping =$300). Despite the box claiming that it "gives
you every performance measurement you can think of", it can only measure 1/4
mile time and increments thereof.
The hardware is great - easy to mount, snazzy Indiglo style backlighting, nice looking
case, etc. But here is what I didn't like:
Calibration [accelerometers]: The manual cal procedure takes 5-7 minutes of
concentrating on numbers, dots and crosshairs. It would be ok 1 or 2 times, but
this unit demands a new cal every freakin' time you power it up - so far 15 times
and counting!
Calibration [rpm signal]: Works fine in my Saab, doesn't work at all in my buddy's
car with MSD ignition.
Accuracy: As others have mentioned, the stopwatch feature seems ok but the hp/torque
numbers are wacky.
Memory: After you take a 1/4 mile run and go through the data graphs, they disappear
and you cannot access them again. If you disconnect power from the unit it loses the
data. If you make another run you lose the previous run data.
Serial Cable: This unit came w/ a free serial cable to download to a PC. I never got
it to work (probably me). Anyway, as soon as you unplug the unit from vehicle power
(no batteries) it loses the data (see above).
1/4 Mile Mode: Stop the car. Press “OK”. The unit calibrates to the stop condition and
flashes the LED when it is ready. You start when you want, which is nice. What is not
nice is that you don’t know when the race is over. You have to guess, or just go way
overkill to make sure you got it. Seems stupid that it doesn’t flash or beep or something.
Real-time Mode: When you are not racing 1/4 mile, the unit defaults to an imitation
analog tachometer and has a couple bar graphs registering real time g's. This is completely
useless. It does not store any data in this mode. The numbers are small and impossible to see
while you are driving. I don't see the point.
Usefulness: I'm not a 1/4 mile guy. It is a great benchmark that is recognized the world
over, I'll give it that. But after a couple runs I lose interest. Where is the 5-60mph rolling
start? How about 30-50mph, 50-70mph, 50-100mph, etc? And since it has an accelerometer
and a memory chip, why not log data continuously for a lap on a racetrack or cloverleaf or
something? Then you could get L and R turn G's, braking force, acceleration out of corners, etc.
posted by 63.207.93...
, Fri, 14 Jun 2002 09:59:44
, Thu, 13 Jun 2002 10:34:36
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