Heads Up?

[Captain Pants]

Anybody using a heads up display to overcome not being able to read the speedo in the gloomy recess of the Ducato X290 dash? I was looking at the Scosche HUD2 which uses the OBDII port. Not expensive, but is it any good?

 

[Riverbankannie]

We just use one of our phones with a free app to show the speed

 

[Casper46]

Anybody using a heads up display to overcome not being able to read the speedo in the gloomy recess of the Ducato X290 dash? I was looking at the Scosche HUD2 which uses the OBDII port. Not expensive, but is it any good?

We have a Scosche with the display showing low down on the A Class windscreen. It’s great and much safer the staring at the speedo. we had a problem with the plug coming loose as to hide the cable the input is at the bottom. I sorted it with some stretchy bandage to hold it in place.

 

[Casper46]

Anybody using a heads up display to overcome not being able to read the speedo in the gloomy recess of the Ducato X290 dash? I was looking at the Scosche HUD2 which uses the OBDII port. Not expensive, but is it any good?

We have a Scosche with the display showing low down on the A Class windscreen. It’s great and much safer the staring at the speedo. we had a problem with the plug coming loose as to hide the cable the input is at the bottom. I sorted it with some stretchy bandage to hold it in place.

 

[The Wino]

The phone sounds a lot better to me and cheaper.

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[colyboy]

My Garmin satnav shows the speed. No problems and very safe.

colyboy

 

[The Wino]

My Garmin satnav shows the speed. No problems and very safe.

colyboy

Also if up to date most satnavs show the speed limit.

 

[Captain Pants]

Also if up to date most satnavs show the speed limit.

Thanks for the alternative suggestions, but I just want to jump in and go without faffing about or worry about some lowlife smashing the window and nicking my phone/sat nav if I forget to disconnect it when I leave the van for a while.

 

[Diabalo]

You can get a standalone GPS speedo on fleabay for about £12 or one with heads up for a bit more.

 

[PeteH]

You can also get an app for any smart phone too. Not sure about HUD though?.

Example on Amazon, they seem to be all about this cost?. Amazon product ASIN B01LJCA1B0
One Benefit, is that the GPS signal will likely be more accurate than the Vehicle readout.

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[sid1234]

He seems happy with this one. https://www.gadgetjohn.uk/fitted-a-heads-up-display-hud-to-our-campervan/

 

[Podney]

I don’t mean to be rude.....but.......the Specsavers ad comes to mind!

Is the speedo really that bad? If so,how the hell did it get past all the R and R? Bizarre!

 

[Scotch mist]

I bought this as find the Ducato speedo difficult to read especially in km , love it & much easier than the sat nav

 

[peterc10]

Is the heads up display bright enough to be read on a sunny day?

 

[Scotch mist]

I don’t use mine as heads up because I was worried about being able to read it in daylight , I use it as you see it above , the numbers are big and bright & easy to see in any light

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[Casper46]

Is the heads up display bright enough to be read on a sunny day?

Ours reflects onto a circle of reflective foil which is stuck onto the inside of the windscreen.
We made sure it is in a position to not affect vision for the driver. We have made many trips to France without the sun affect it.

 

[Tonykwales]

I have a HUD on my Peugeot Boxer cab. Shows RPM actual temperature of the engine, gear and fuel economy, £16 or £17 off EBay. Plugs in the OBD port and is brilliant, especially abroad as I have it set on Kms which are really tough to read on the original. ??

 

[peterc10]

Ours reflects onto a circle of reflective foil which is stuck onto the inside of the windscreen.
We made sure it is in a position to not affect vision for the driver. We have made many trips to France without the sun affect it.

Is that legal? I thought you could not obstruct the swept srea of the windscreen?

 

[Captain Pants]

I don’t mean to be rude.....but.......the Specsavers ad comes to mind!

Is the speedo really that bad? If so,how the hell did it get past all the R and R? Bizarre!

1) Yes, absolutely and 2) good question.
I suspect all is well until the swivel seats are installed raising the seat height and restricting the angle of vision to poorly illuminated instruments, partially hidden under a deep binnacle. The indistinct detailing on the instrument face doesn’t help either. Not a problem on earlier models.

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Is that legal? I thought you could not obstruct the swept srea of the windscreen?

Is that a condition of continental driving only or does it also affect the UK?
Is this a highway code regulation?
News to me if it is either.

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[friscan]

I don’t mean to be rude.....but.......the Specsavers ad comes to mind!

Is the speedo really that bad? If so,how the hell did it get past all the R and R? Bizarre!

My thoughts exactly, the Ducato dash is very well laid out and perfectly readable. I have seen a trend to sticking just about every gadget (sat nav, phone, dash cam, tyre pressure monitors, rear camera etc) onto the Ducato dash with wires running everywhere!. How to people concentrate on their driving with all that tech to watch?.

 

[Captain Pants]

My thoughts exactly, the Ducato dash is very well laid out and perfectly readable. I have seen a trend to sticking just about every gadget (sat nav, phone, dash cam, tyre pressure monitors, rear camera etc) onto the Ducato dash with wires running everywhere!. How to people concentrate on their driving with all that tech to watch?.

Correction...YOUR dash is perfectly readable. The speedo in my 2018 X290 Ducato is most definitely not (and I don’t use a white stick!) The whole point of ‘all that tech’ is to compensate for something that should work, but doesn’t. You’ll see quite a few references to this problem on MH forums, we're not all making it up!
It’s my reality and thanks to those here who’ve provided info on using a HUD.

 

[peterc10]

Correction...YOUR dash is perfectly readable. The speedo in my 2018 X290 Ducato is most definitely not (and I don’t use a white stick!) The whole point of ‘all that tech’ is to compensate for something that should work, but doesn’t. You’ll see quite a few references to this problem on MH forums, we're not all making it up!
It’s my reality and thanks to those here who’ve provided info on using a HUD.

I agree. The dash is very poorly lit on the X290, even after Fiat's alleged "cure". And the top of the speedo is cut off by the binnacle even though I am only 5' 8" tall. I have actually bend my back forward and down to able to see the numerals for everything between about 50 and 80mph. Never had these problems with my previous Fiat X250 based motorhome.

I have a built in to the dash sat nav running most of the time and use that to check my speed.

 

[two]

Poor visibility of the Fiat dash is one of the reasons I intend to go back to Merc in future and never use Fiat again. I bought a HUD to overcome Fiat's display problem but used it to view directly, rather than reflected off the screen. At first, I thought it was my failing sight that was the problem but I then noticed how clear the speedo of another vehicle was as soon as I got into it.
In the UK, I use a Road Angel to provide speed data and warnings of excess. It is, however, rather expensive, especially for occasional use, as there is an annual fee to use it and their use is banned in France.

 

[Puddleduck]

I bought this as find the Ducato speedo difficult to read especially in km , love it & much easier than the sat nav


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I don’t use mine as heads up because I was worried about being able to read it in daylight , I use it as you see it above , the numbers are big and bright & easy to see in any light

Similar to what we have if not identical. We plug ours into the 12v socket behind the driver's seat but the unit sits on the right had side of the dash, outside the swept area.

As navigator I have the satnag and give verbal directions as and when required because the satnag can be distracting for the driver.

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[Casper46]

Is that legal? I thought you could not obstruct the swept srea of the windscreen?

It’s not on the swept area, it’s below the wiper sweep, where you would put a tax disc but on the drivers side.

 

[tonyidle]

Is that legal? I thought you could not obstruct the swept srea of the windscreen?

It is see through.

 

[peterc10]

It is see through.

My comment was in reply to Casper46 who said he used a bit of reflective foil on the windscreen, so not see through. Has been confirmed that the foil is not in the swept area.

Is that a condition of continental driving only or does it also affect the UK?
Is this a highway code regulation?
News to me if it is either.

Requirement for UK MOT I understand. But nothing to do with HU display directly, but the foil that Casper46 said they used on the windscreen.

 

[Casper46]

It is see through.

Not see through. It’s looks like a piece of baking foil but more substantial. I have it there because I’m short. If I was taller it could go where the mirror would be. The box sits on the dash and reflects onto the screen. I expect that without the foil it would be difficult to see in sunshine.

 

[tonyidle]

My comment was in reply to Casper46 who said he used a bit of reflective foil on the windscreen, so not see through. Has been confirmed that the foil is not in the swept area.

Requirement for UK MOT I understand. But nothing to do with HU display directly, but the foil that Casper46 said they used on the windscreen.

I'm only going by the ones I've seen all,of which use a rectangle of material on the screen that reflects the HUD but is also see-through. I assumed Casper46 s would be the same.

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