Hate The White Gauges

[Anrky]

I love my '09, but the one thing I can't stand visually is the white gauge faces on the GX, at night they don't bother me and look kinda nice but during the day they are horrible.

Did some searching and it doesn't look too hard to change the faces, but i can't seem to find any faces to buy, other than more white faces. :complain

Anybody with a standard transmission like white faces and want to trade? :)

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/18232/WhiteGauges.jpg

[dentinger]

04-06 mazdas have black gauges.

but if i remember correctly, the mileage is stored on the dash. so by replacing the gauges, you wont have 286 km's anymore...

[Anrky]

04-06 mazdas have black gauges.

but if i remember correctly, the mileage is stored on the dash. so by replacing the gauges, you wont have 286 km's anymore...


Well i don't really want to change out the entire gauge cluster, that seem a little overkill, and i don't have 286 km's on it anymore. :chuckle

[FLIPDADY]

Talk to Dan aka MacGuyver. He's swapped out clusters before. It's easy to remove but I believe if not done properly you won't be able to start your car.

[Noisy Crow]

Now I can recall exactly WHERE I saw this on the Internet, but sometime in the last week or so I came across a site that has vinyl overlays. They have all the right cutouts for the speedo etc. and can be applied without removing the needles. If I see it again I will post it up. But since half the battle with finding anything on the Internet is knowing it exists, you should be able to find it with a bit of work with Google!

Edit: This is NOT the one I saw, but it is one option: http://www.mazda3club.com/showthread.php?p=400935 (I liked the other one I saw better, FWIW)

[mazdathree]

the white gauges dont look that bad IMO...

[Anrky]

the white gauges dont look that bad IMO...

I really hate them, but more so I can't see them during the day. There is just not enough contrast to read when wearing sunglasses for me.

[Thrizzl3]

so you would prefer the black faced ones?

[Anrky]

so you would prefer the black faced ones?


Yeah the contrast is easier to read type with a black background, with white gauges the black text just disappears into the shadows entirely.

[Thrizzl3]

is it possible to drive without sunglasses?:chuckle im jk

[Anrky]

lol.... I can't afford the bodywork!

[Thrizzl3]

lol.... I can't afford the bodywork!

bodywork? what bodywork?

[Anrky]

The dents i'll put in the car cause I can't see anything... light is evil to me.

[Thrizzl3]

so when you put on the corners to light up the dash does that help in anyway?

[Anrky]

so when you put on the corners to light up the dash does that help in anyway?

During the day i find it makes it even worse, the numbers just get lighter and wash out entirely. It just isn't bright enough, even at it's brightest.

[Thrizzl3]

hmm you should complain to mazda see what they do:chuckle

[mazdabetty]

I like the white onessss!!! I was all sad when I found out that the new ones lit up all pretty and blue...

[insaini]

My 07 sport gs has black ones... I didn't know mazda 3s even came with white ones? Unless its only on the gx?

Butt... Black looks a lot better! Lol

[Anrky]

yeah it's a GX thing... :-(

[mazda lover]

I really hate them, but more so I can't see them during the day. There is just not enough contrast to read when wearing sunglasses for me.

you are right, I tested a SUV last summer that had white gauges and with sunglasses I could not read the gauges, played with the lighting, turn head lights on made sure the gauge lights were up full and still couldn't read them.
So no deal just because of that, protecting yours eyes from UV rays and wearing sunglasses is important, you will thank yourself when you get older.
OK move along nothing to see here..

[Mazda3X2]

Do you have a picture of the gauges at night? Just curious how they look.

[ismail_alikhan]

What about getting the backlighting changed to like blue or something? Ive seen that before....

[STeeLy]

The black light is blue... at least on my 08.5 GS Sedan

I don't mind the white gauges so much. And I can see them just fine during the day WITH sunglasses on.

[Anrky]

I don't mind the white gauges so much. And I can see them just fine during the day WITH sunglasses on.


You don't have yer tints done yet then... :)


I thought i had a pic of them at night, i'll have to take one the next time i'm driving at night.

[froggy]

lol I don't want to poke fun here at anyone but this sounds a lot like the time fox sports wanted to make the puck glow because people couldn't see a black puck on a white background. Do you also have problem reading most screen text they use the same setup black on white?

i mean you can't get a bigger contrast than white from black

[Anrky]

Actually from the pic was before the tints were done so even less light gets into the deep port of the gaauges, then add sunglasses.

I find white text on black background WAAAAAY better contrast, like in every other car i've owned.

[Hives]

Yea, I would hate to look at that all the time as well. Looks boring

[Mty Mous]

I guess its just me, but I kinda actually dig the White gauges. :)
My '02 Miata has the White gauges too, and I have zero problems reading it even with the top down and sun shinning in my eyes (while wearing sunglasses ofcourse).

I have 3,7xx kms on my car right now its an '07 GT sedan, wanna trade clusters? :D lol.

So does the digits light up Red or Blue? I'm confused. :blush

-Thuwa

[Luxury_Tax]

I actually like the white guages. It reminds me of my Protege 5.

[Anrky]

The numbers actually light up orange(like the clock) at night with the faces Turning blueish, I really dig how they show up at night. I'll post a pic when I'm out tonight picking up my eyelids and going to LaPaloma.

[thefish]

lol I don't want to poke fun here at anyone but this sounds a lot like the time fox sports wanted to make the puck glow because people couldn't see a black puck on a white background. Do you also have problem reading most screen text they use the same setup black on white?

i mean you can't get a bigger contrast than white from black

Umm... I think the problem with the hockey puck is that it's so small that you can't see it.

For the gauges you have to take into account the lighting, glare, etc.

[Anrky]

Here is what they look like at night:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/18232/WhiteGaugesNight.jpg

[thefish]

Here is what they look like at night:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/18232/WhiteGaugesNight.jpg

What a difference!

[Mty Mous]

Whoa!! Sexsay sexsay!! :)
Dude! I'd be soooo happy if mine had the white gauges too ... so is it a pearly~ish or Off Whitish colour or is it just bright white? My Miata's cluster has a pearly look to em and light up Red (without the blue hue) like yours, and I love it!!

[insaini]

what the hell .. how are ur blue lights so bright????? .. ive been trying to figure out if its just my car that the blue light is dull or is it just me .. but i guess it is the car!!! ... check out pic below ...

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8295/img00034200904021955.jpg

[insaini]

and .... this ...

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5281/img00035200904021956.jpg

im mad now .... :flaming:flaming:flaming:complain:complain:bang:ba ng:bang

[Anrky]

it's cause of the white gauges... good background to light up easy

[insaini]

maybe the white adds to the brightness ..but i still believe that my blue light is very dull and needs to be changed ... can anyone else compare their light with mine please .. i really wanna know if its just me or is my dashboard messed ... i will take it back and get it fixed under warranty!

[Mty Mous]

when the sun is setting, my blue light is as bright as what your pics show, but once its really dark out, the blue is much much brighter!! But it only lights up the outter circle, not the full gauge like on the white background.

[insaini]

thanks for the confirmation mty.... i will be going back to mazda this weekend to get them to take a look ... i really want a bright blue light!! ... anyone else can confirm there is something weird about my blue light?

[insaini]

o and btw .. when the sun is out and shining .. i cant see the blue light at all ...

[mazdabetty]

o and btw .. when the sun is out and shining .. i cant see the blue light at all ...

I had a rental GX a few weeks ago and I don't think the blue light is supposed to turn on in the sunlight, you wouldn't be able to see it anyway even if it was lit up.

[insaini]

I had a rental GX a few weeks ago and I don't think the blue light is supposed to turn on in the sunlight, you wouldn't be able to see it anyway even if it was lit up.

what about ur gs ... is ur blue light brighter then mine?

[STeeLy]

I don't know about other years... maybe others can confirm. When I was getting my springs put in, I had to leave my car at a dealer overnight so they gave me a loaner car. a 2006 Mz3 GX Sedan. The gauge cluster is the same design but the gauges are black.

[Trinidad]

Well I can confirm that at least for my 2008.5 GS it looks the same as Anrky, however it shows the gear selected. It's a nice blue at night, white gauges in the day and can't see the blue in the daytime. Now what would have been nice as well is the inverted display for the mileage etc :D

[STeeLy]

Well I can confirm that at least for my 2008.5 GS it looks the same as Anrky, however it shows the gear selected. It's a nice blue at night, white gauges in the day and can't see the blue in the daytime. Now what would have been nice as well is the inverted display for the mileage etc :D

An Inverted display?

[mazdabetty]

what about ur gs ... is ur blue light brighter then mine?

Well I have an 05, so the gauges are black :\

[Mty Mous]

o and btw .. when the sun is out and shining .. i cant see the blue light at all ...

Yup, you're right, during daytime, the blue glow\hue cannot be seen, it only starts to appear when the sun starts to set, or atleast it seems that way.

Side note, I noticed that the blue light glows as soon as you open the door in the evening hours, really like the little touches that Mazda puts into their vehicles. :)

[She_Prime]

The black light is blue... at least on my 08.5 GS Sedan

I don't mind the white gauges so much. And I can see them just fine during the day WITH sunglasses on.

+1 on this. My 08.5 GS sedan has the same gauges as these and I have no problem reading them with sunglasses on.

[jcutner]

i really wish i knew it was only the GT's that had the gauges with the blue halo's around them... :(

[STeeLy]

i really wish i knew it was only the GT's that had the gauges with the blue halo's around them... :(
No, the 08.5 GS Sedans have the blue halo around them too... I think that started in 07 I think.

[c_del]

what the hell .. how are ur blue lights so bright????? .. ive been trying to figure out if its just my car that the blue light is dull or is it just me .. but i guess it is the car!!! ... check out pic below ...

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8295/img00034200904021955.jpg
Arent these the ones on the GT 9and maybe GS)? They look like the electroluminescent ones and thats why they look different. I wish I had those in my GX....Trade? Mine are all pretty and blue at night!

[insaini]

lol mine are blue to ... NOW ... lol .... i figured out why the blue light was so dull ... i had the brightness of the red up to much and it was taking over the blue at night .. i turned that down and now hte blue shows :)!

[McGuyver_3]

I have a GT cluster in km/h i can take apart and give you the face if interested

[Anrky]

I have a GT cluster in km/h i can take apart and give you the face if interested

Manual transmission or automatic transmission?

:)

[mazdas3sporte]

I love my '09, but the one thing I can't stand visually is the white gauge faces on the GX, at night they don't bother me and look kinda nice but during the day they are horrible.

Did some searching and it doesn't look too hard to change the faces, but i can't seem to find any faces to buy, other than more white faces. :complain

Anybody with a standard transmission like white faces and want to trade? :)

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/18232/WhiteGauges.jpg

the white gauges remind me of the dodge neon lol, u get what i paid for bro, dont stress it

[McGuyver_3]

Manual transmission or automatic transmission?

:)


I beleive the one in km/h is stick. If you have an auto i have one in mph thats auto but it takes some getting used to

[Anrky]

i have stick so that would be awesome...

[Donutz]

I don't hate them, but I definitely prefer the black ones. I used to have white gauges in my P5. When I first got the 3 I found myself liking white more. I think my bro's DC5 also has white gauges. They're ahight.

[lil_zoom3]

It's white because it is doing the white screen, during the night turn into red and blue, because it is at the top of each one, something works the work of Color WASH
Incidentally, I also I own a white one.

:)

[mazda lover]

I really hate them, but more so I can't see them during the day. There is just not enough contrast to read when wearing sunglasses for me.

I agree with not being able to see the dials on the white background while wearing sunglasses during the day. I tested a Mits SUV a few years back that had white gauges, wouldn't buy it because of the visuale problem during sunny days wearing sunglasses. :loco