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midniteson
midniteson Reader
10/21/17 3:13 p.m.

Lets see and hear your stories of rediculously slow cars, with Optomistic speedometers. for example, This is my

1985 Toyota Tercel 4wd speedometer.

There is No way this thing is ever going to make it to 110 stock. unless it was dropped out of a plane. 

an 85 mph speedo would be just fine lol.

Id love to hear some stories about cars with redicuously optimistic speedometers.

parker
parker Reader
10/21/17 5:39 p.m.

My 87 4Runner has the same dash and it will just barely do 90mph if you stay in it long enough.

KiwiLada
KiwiLada GRM+ Member
10/21/17 8:26 p.m.

In reply to midniteson :

My Lada 2104 had a differently optimistic speedo, reads bang on 20% above actual speed according to a couple of tests with GPS units. I worked out going off the clock equates to 135 kmh, not the 165 indicated.

NOT A TA
NOT A TA Dork
10/21/17 8:32 p.m.

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/Firebird/NOTATAsteadyatspeed.jpg.html][/URL]

Trackmouse
Trackmouse SuperDork
10/21/17 8:36 p.m.

My Datsun z’s all had 160mph speedos. With the meager 150hp and long gears it wouldn’t ever see much over 100-120mph. 

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess MegaDork
10/21/17 8:46 p.m.

In reply to Trackmouse :

Yeah, but if you paint it blue, put a 260Z motor in it and a blow through turbo, you can hit 300Km/H at night.

markwemple
markwemple UltraDork
10/21/17 9:09 p.m.

I can't remember the max speed on my old FJs but they would rev out before 70 mph. Having a refline of 4500 didn't help.

Knurled
Knurled GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/21/17 9:12 p.m.

How about all of the 1.8l SOHC DSMs with 170mph speedometers?

 

On the other end of the spectrum, I loved the speedometer in my '80 RX-7.  85mph unit and it was 10% high.  It would hit its stop just after shifting out of second.  Entire 10-gallon fuel tanks would be spent with the speedo on its peg.

 

 

dropstep
dropstep SuperDork
10/21/17 9:19 p.m.

Everything i buy seems to have 85mph speedo's. Im kind of sad seeing this thread.

Knurled
Knurled GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/21/17 9:34 p.m.

I wonder if C5 Corvettes (maybe newer too) count.  In the US they had 200mph speedometers.  That isn't the optimistic part, although it kinda is.  Modern GMs only have one set of numbers on the speedometer and flipping it from English to Metric makes the needle change.  So a 200mph speedometer is a 200km/h speedometer.

 

In Metric-speaking countries, C5s came with 300km/h speedos.  Flip it to English, and I don't quite think that any C5 will get close to 300mph.

Trackmouse
Trackmouse SuperDork
10/21/17 9:41 p.m.

In reply to Dr. Hess :

Most certainly true. In fact, all it takes is blue devil z paint! It unlocks maximum mph. 

stanger_missle
stanger_missle GRM+ Memberand Dork
10/21/17 10:30 p.m.

The CRX is pretty optimistic. 90 furious hp in a paper mache shell.

I've had it to 85mph once. On a freeway. Surrounded by semi trucks. That was enough for me.

NGTD
NGTD UberDork
10/21/17 11:14 p.m.

I thought you meant something else, but VW's are infamous for not being calibrated right.

My wife's former 2010 Golf Wagon was actually doing 102 km/h when it indicated 110 km/h. Nothing like 8% error.

Grizz
Grizz UberDork
10/21/17 11:21 p.m.

My dakota has a 120 mph speedo. I've had it to 85 with no problems, been in one doing 105 and I'm pretty sure Dodge never put limiters in the trucks so maybe it's not optimistic even with the 3.9 and whatever is behind it.  3 spd overdrive I think, brain is fried on cold meds at the moment so I could breathe.

Jay_W
Jay_W Dork
10/21/17 11:25 p.m.

My car was in for a wheel alignment and for some reason that required a loaner car. Mercedes gla 250. Basically a Soobie Outback mit und accent. Speedo goes to 160. 

Haaaaaaaa hahahahahahahaha

midniteson
midniteson Reader
10/21/17 11:48 p.m.

In reply to stanger_missle :

honda's definitley had high hopes lol. 

midniteson
midniteson Reader
10/22/17 12:28 a.m.

In reply to NOT A TA :

sweet pic. love your car.

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/22/17 12:48 a.m.

My disco's speedo goes to 140. Truck will see 105ish with it's lack of aerodynamics.

Toyman01
Toyman01 GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/22/17 8:42 a.m.

This is SanFord.

I don't think he would hit 90 if you pushed him off a tall cliff. The fastest I've ever had it is 60 and that was coming down the continental divide. 

chandler
chandler PowerDork
10/22/17 10:51 a.m.
dropstep said:

Everything i buy seems to have 85mph speedo's. Im kind of sad seeing this thread.

I once got pulled over for 114 in a 3/4 ton 1981 Plymouth Voyager, the needle had been bouncing around 85 for twenty minutes...

Spoolpigeon
Spoolpigeon PowerDork
10/22/17 11:27 a.m.

My Prius powered Lexus has a slightly optimistic speedo at 140, but an extremely pessimistic distance-to-empty meter. The car has a 12 gallon tank. Filling up when the car shows 0 miles to empty only takes 8 gallons. 

iceracer
iceracer UltimaDork
10/22/17 12:22 p.m.

Seems to be normal.   My Fiesta does that.    12.4 gal.  with 8mtg it took only 10.5 gal.    Maybe it is a "Just In Case" safety margin.

RevRico
RevRico GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
10/22/17 12:26 p.m.

The p71 speedo goes to 140, but the 3.55 gears seem to stop around 125. Not terribly optimistic, but still. 

Brian
Brian MegaDork
10/22/17 12:34 p.m.
midniteson said:

In reply to stanger_missle :

honda's definitley had high hopes lol. 

I think my accord had the same 120 speedo. My best was an indicated 108. A week later I had a police confirmed 98. 

wlkelley3
wlkelley3 UltraDork
10/22/17 7:09 p.m.

Speedo in my Opel GT goes to 160 mph. With the 1.9L with a whopping 102 hp at the crank that's very optimistic. Owners manual says top speed is 112 mph. I've had it to 85. Funny at car shows I invariable get someone that says they had one or knew someone that had one that would peg the speedometer. Just this afternoon someone told me he had a European version in the states that had a 1.1L and 5-speed and got a ticket for 143 mph.

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