Autometer vs. Classic Instruments?

[newvintageusa]

I don't post often on here, prefer to lurk & learn. I can share nearly 18 years with Autometer, the good, the bad the ugly... Years ago the custom shop of Autometer was just like the Holley custom shop. call and ask, they will give you a crazy low price if you are buying it or sending it. I bought one of the first complete sets of Phantom Series gauges back in, what? 1996-1997ish.. then I added a couple gauges, they showed up with the "new" rounded off pro-comp style bezels. Called Autometer, they said "send them up, we'll handle it." Granted I too lived in Illinois, shipped on a Friday, had them back the following Thursday, no charge, they swapped the bezels! Sorry to say, not any more. My last SEMA I stopped to ask if they could help with a project for a customer. I wanted the Classic Design but needed more gauges, customer was willing to pay the $$... Nope... "we have no interest in those types of projects, sell your customer on the series that has the gauges you need." Almost verbatim quote.

Fast forward to 2 years ago. I have/had a sport-comp oil pressure gauge that was just suspicious. Swapped an Equis oil pressure gauge, they had the exact same sender, gauge for gauge the sport-comp was 9psi lower than the Equis & it was dead on to the Snap-On diagnositic mechanical gauge I had T'ed to the same port on the SBFord. Hmm....

Same SBFord, Boost on the vortech S/c was all over the place, like someone else mentioned. Swapped for a S-W Performance unit... again... 3psi difference & 7 in/hg of vacuum. Faulty? Maybe... enough to rid autometer from my shop, darn skippy.

I don't know what has happened. I know they are the "gauges of NASCAR" & the "Top in xxx, yyy, zzz, & PDQ sanctioning bodies" but unless you are buying top teir product, in my experience in the last 10 years, they don't measure up.

Stewart Warner Performance, Equis, Sun Pro all have proven more accurate & reliable for me & my customers.



I have recently passed on two different custom gauge companies after finding they rely on Autometer foundations for their custom dash builds. I ask now. Its important to me & my customers.

Sorry for the long post, but Autometer has just dropped the ball & has let that ball ride on its coat tails. They need to get back to what made them famous... great service & superior products.

Lastly: like someone else said, unfortunately if you need a "whole slue" of gauges from brake pressure to boost/vac... Autometer is the only full range option... ugh.....

Rob

Rob,
Next time you need something give us a call, all of our product is fully customizable and built here in Detroit, where auto parts should be made. And, not involved with the above companys in any way.
Mark