Rey
Registered Member
Signatures do not have heads up display (HUD), but it can be added. Amazon sells two basic versions: (1) Uses GPS information and is connected via a cigarette lighter male fitting. (2) Uses information from car's computer and is hooked up to your USBII port.
1. The GPS version is really simple - just plug and play. Visual quality is good as OEM. All are made by no-name companies from Tiawan, and imported by internet sellers. I suspect they all use the same technology. The clue is that all use the cigarette lighter for power. This is unsightly and frankly dumb - but it is what they all use. The instructions were written in typical Asian style - almost unreadable. They are loaded with kilometer specs; and there is an "instruction" to change to MPH.
There is a warranty, usually one year, but no customer support contact. Typically, at the very end of the instruction is a warning that warranty will not be honored if one attempts to hardwire the unit. The reason for this is that the cigarette plug converts the car' 12VT to 5VT; and if one tries to wire the unit directly to the car's system it will fry the unit (ask me how I know). The trick to hard wire without voiding warranty is to hardwire a hidden aftermarket femail cigarette lighter outlet; and then plug the unit's male plug to this new plug, which is tucked away out of sight. It is very easy to "snake" the unit's wire along the windshield, "A" pillar and beneath the dash panel that faces the door. You just "tuck" the wire into the into the cracks. Lift out weatherstripping around the "A" and gently pry open the little panel on the side of the instrument panel. Buy a microfuse "add-a-fuse" and plug it into one of the 10amp fuses. There is plenty of room to tuck away the cigarette plug contraption.
2. The second kind plugs into the OBDII port, and provides a lot of information - rpm, fuel use plus speed from the car's ecu. The speed reading will differ slightly than your speedo, and my guess is that ecu speed is more accurate. Using the technique mentioned above it is easy to tuck away the excess wire for a "clean" installation. I tried one of these. It was difficult to set from KMH to MPH. The other functions were just about useless. I haven't tried the more expensive Garmin unit, which offers map guidance tied into your smart phone.
1. The GPS version is really simple - just plug and play. Visual quality is good as OEM. All are made by no-name companies from Tiawan, and imported by internet sellers. I suspect they all use the same technology. The clue is that all use the cigarette lighter for power. This is unsightly and frankly dumb - but it is what they all use. The instructions were written in typical Asian style - almost unreadable. They are loaded with kilometer specs; and there is an "instruction" to change to MPH.
There is a warranty, usually one year, but no customer support contact. Typically, at the very end of the instruction is a warning that warranty will not be honored if one attempts to hardwire the unit. The reason for this is that the cigarette plug converts the car' 12VT to 5VT; and if one tries to wire the unit directly to the car's system it will fry the unit (ask me how I know). The trick to hard wire without voiding warranty is to hardwire a hidden aftermarket femail cigarette lighter outlet; and then plug the unit's male plug to this new plug, which is tucked away out of sight. It is very easy to "snake" the unit's wire along the windshield, "A" pillar and beneath the dash panel that faces the door. You just "tuck" the wire into the into the cracks. Lift out weatherstripping around the "A" and gently pry open the little panel on the side of the instrument panel. Buy a microfuse "add-a-fuse" and plug it into one of the 10amp fuses. There is plenty of room to tuck away the cigarette plug contraption.
2. The second kind plugs into the OBDII port, and provides a lot of information - rpm, fuel use plus speed from the car's ecu. The speed reading will differ slightly than your speedo, and my guess is that ecu speed is more accurate. Using the technique mentioned above it is easy to tuck away the excess wire for a "clean" installation. I tried one of these. It was difficult to set from KMH to MPH. The other functions were just about useless. I haven't tried the more expensive Garmin unit, which offers map guidance tied into your smart phone.
