On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:56:27 -0700 (PDT), bubbabubbs@yahoo.com wrote:

>I've been thinking about what my next commute car is going to be. 80
>miles/day, it's just me and my briefcase, so thinking of a small
>vehicle with great gas mileage. Yaris hatchback, Scion xD, or Honda
>Fit would work for me. Problem is, none of them has a water temp
>gauge, just an "idiot light."
>
>Would you consider buying a car (brand new) that only has the water
>temp "idiot light", but no water temp _gauge_ ?

Yes. On many of the cars that have gauges now the gauge is nothing
more than an idiot light with a needle. The gauge is either cold,
normal or hot. Same with oil pressure... It's either 0 or normal. I
was told manufacturers started doing this because people would bring a
car back in for warranty repair when the gauge reading was still
"normal" but not exactly like it always was.


>Btw, do these "idiot lights" come on early enough to prevent major
>engine damage, or only after the engine has overheated to the point
>where the head gasket is blown?

They aren't as good as a gauge, but really who has cooling system
problems anymore? The last time I had a car overheat it was because a
hose blew out and in that case neither the gauge nor the idiot light
detected it in time to avoid damage. Since neither was in water
anymore they didn't detect the rising temp until waayyy to late.


>
>Also, the next bigger models that do have the water temp gauge would
>be Toyota Corolla, Matrix, or Honda Civic. But the extra purchase/
>ownership cost may not even offset the possible repair costs resulting
>from a Yaris/Fit/xD engine overheating (which, if happens, would be
>several years down the road.)
>

I wouldn't upgrade just for that feature. Replace all the hoses every
five years and don't worry about it.