Really, it is. I mean, what's the point? It does not make the van go faster. And even if you could go that fast, you would never go that fast; not on the street, anyway. And there are very, very, very,* (*stop me already) few Odysseys that will ever see a track.
In the end, it only makes it harder to read the instrument at the speeds you actually travel at.
Honda really should have just stopped at 120 or wherever the governor on the new Ody kicks in. Or maybe at 140, and only then because that is where the old one stopped and it might be understandable if the marketing guys at Honda didn't want their new van to have a lower top number than the old one (although the old one probably should have stopped at 120, as well).
Thumbs down Honda for being goofy, especially as the rest of the van seems excellent.
I dont believe it is an "oversight" or being silly...
I believe it is done that way to have the speedometer's hand to be at the same angle for a given speed. For example, when going 80mph, the hand is in vertical position. This way drivers can switch between cars and can just "glance at" the speedometer to get a general idea of their speed.
In the 2005, the available arc for the speedometer got more room, thus the increase in the max speed.
It irritates me too. A small thing to be sure but just senseless. I can think of no reason other than marketing crap to make it go so high. The 05 is governed at 117mph, so the speedometer should top out at 120, anything higher is a waste. Had it been 120 it would have larger graduations between tick marks for a more accurate reading.
I'd prefer a 160MPH speedo over the 110MPH one in the Sienna. At 80MPH it feels like I'm going 120 because in every other car we own, 120MPH is where 80 is on the Sienna.
Face it...Some people complain about ANYTHING! No automaker (or manufacturer of anything) can make everybody happy. The object (with a high volume product) is to have as broad appeal as possible.
However, if the only thing that bothers people is speedometer markings, Honda's done a darn good job in its design.
Ever watch people who are not enthusiasts look at a sports car (Auto Show/Dealerships/etc)....it's funny when the speedometer becomes an indicator of performance.. "Oh, look honey it 'does' 180mph!". I have the same thoughts regarding Honda's 05 dash.
It's like the amps going to 11 in the mockumentary "Spinal Tap"
My comment regarding Civics with 140 mph speedos: there are guys who hop up their Civics and take them to tracks and go that speed. (Probably true of Tiburons, too.)
But in the Odyssey a 160 MPH speedometer (or go to 11) serves no purpose whatsoever and makes the speedometer less useful than it could have been.
You guys are right. I ain't buying no stinkin' van with a 160mph speedo!! Give me the good old days when the speedo went to 85, and the 55 had a big box around it so's I could see it.
There are Indiglo gauges.... white face gauges.... I am surprised that no aftermarket company is building a gauge face with a regeared speedo. I am sure a 300mph speedo would sell to the Civic, accessorized by Pep Boys crowd
Umm... has anybody thought that 160 is there for a reason? Like if someone de-limited their van, it would go over 140, requiring the 160MPH speedometer.
Iv'e been over a hundred many times, however briefly. All you have to do is pass some bozo who thinks 70 is an appropriate speed for the number one lane of an interstate. The next thing you know you wife is yelling and your'e going a hundred.
"I have made good judgements in the past, I have made good judgements in the future."
"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
Dealing with something that people have good reason to care about both inside and outside of America's borders, I have to say that the irony of a Bush supporter quoting Kerry malapropisms is brilliant, just brilliant!
Keep up the good work and good luck to you and all of the other Kerry supporters.
(Can you say malapropism, Georgie, ho ho? "Malapropism, what's that," Georgie asks Dickie; "Do you think the people will believe us if we say it's a weapon of mass destruction?")
You guys are missing the whole plan! Honda knows about the new super expressways being built in America where we will be doing 140 on average. Heck I drive my 03 ody at 90 and 100 mph every time we travel !
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