Are VDO gauges inferior to Autometer?

[Steves87]

I just bought VDO gauges and getting ready for install. I have spoke with a couple people in the past few days stating these are terrible gauges and inaccurate. Stating they don't compare to Autometer at all.
Have any of you with the VDO's experienced any issues? Do you feel they read properly?
I would like to know before I commit and install them. At least at this point, I can return them and go another route.
Steve

 

[BJM]

VDO tend to be found more in European cars and are OEM in many cars. As far as I know Autometer are not OEM anywhere. However, my GNX dash is all Autometer and I like them, style wise more than VDO.

Electrical gauges are for the most part just voltmeters with different units painted on them. The quality issues come down to the sender quality. This is something I bet VDO has nailed down pretty well in dealing with OEM applications.

I know when Autometer first brought out its current generation of electronic speedos they had to recall a bunch of them due to a design flaw. Nobody is perfect.

It will be interesting to hear what others say.

 

[TurboDave]

In my experience:

My 86 is full of VDO's
My 87 is full of Autometer's

I'll never knowingly buy a VDO gauge again. IMHO they're crap.

 

[mark b]

IMHO, yes VDO is inferior to Autometer.

Watch for the difference between Autometer and Autogauge ... Autogauge being lower quality stuff.

 

[Anthony K]

Mercury Marauder is factory equipt with Autometer ultralights

 

[2QUIK6]

I have a little mix of everything or have had it in a variety of different cars. Current VDO guages are mechanical boost and water temp. Both seem to be accurate, just the temp gauge doesn't have enough graduations marked on it.
The last gauge I bought was a Autometer electrical fp gaige, and it rocks compared to the others as far as accuracy, gauge face graduations, and easy of install, every thing is plug and play, harness just plugs into sender and plugs into the back of the gauge, the only splicing was to tie into a 12v source and for the backlight and ground.
I will but Autometer from now on, a little more $ but worth it!