The Interior of my 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme International

I just love the interior of my car. Almost all automobile enthusiasts and auto reviewers would disagree sharply with my opinion. Everyone seems to prefer analog dials and big knobs for A/C controls. Some people even prefer a car with very few dash lights (I guess they're very easily distracted). Not me, I think analog dials are boring and ugly to look at. I like my digital instrumentation to look busy and light up like a Christmas tree. I also think the electronic pushbuttons on my Climate Control with backlit icons are so much more cool looking than knobs. Not ergonomic? Maybe, but my Climate Control is fully automatic anyway. I never have to adjust it for any reason, and in the rare occurrence that I do, the controls are duplicated on the steering wheel so I don't have to look down. I'm obsessed with computerization... maybe it's the techno-geek in me that loves digital instrumentation so much. I have the same philosophy with all my electronics - the bigger the screen, the happier I am.

If it's not digital, I don't want it!
The aqua-colored digital instrumentation is very pleasing to the eyes. The digital dash is just awesome, I never tire of looking at it. No, it's not a cheesy digital dash with nothing but a digital readout and a fuel gauge... it has a nice digital dash which actually has several useful gauges. It has the digital readout for the speedo, but also has an "analog" bargraph speedo. The tach is an "analog" bargraph tach. There are bargraph gauges for voltage, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and fuel-level. When the dash is switched into metric, all the displays and even the bargraph scales change. Even the Climate Control changes to Celsius and the Driver Information Computer's built-in clock changes from AM/PM format to a 24-hr format. How high does the speedo go? The analog bargraph stops at 85, but I don't know the limit on the digital. As an experiment, I decided to try to find the digital speedo's max. I took the car to 112mph and stopped there (the 130HP 2.8L V6 took long enough to get to 112mph that I was starting to chicken out at that point). I imagine it can probably go to 199mph (the speedo, not the car!).

Here's an animated picture of my digital dash which I made with my digital camera

Those crazy fools at GM

Yes, the interior of my car is definitely not ergonomic. My car has something you'll never find in a European or Japanese car - rear bucket seats with a center console! What were the people at GM thinking? Who wants rear bucket seats? I DO!!! Of course, I love that, too. What looks more cool than 4-identical-looking seats? Of course, most people would hate it, they're not comfortable, they're too low, they don't fold down, and the head-rests aren't adjustable. They're there primarily for looks, but man do I think they look cool! Hey, it's a 2-door car anyway, who's going to care if the back seat is comfortable when it's enough of a pain just getting in and out of the back?

Interior:

• Electronic Instrument Cluster (aqua colored vacuum fluorescent) - Digital readout for speedometer and trip/odometer, bargraphs for speedometer, tach, volts, oil pressure, coolant temp, and fuel gauge. English/Metric switchable. Very, very cool.
• Electronic Climate Control - Automatic control of heating and A/C.
• 8-way power driver's seat
• 8-way power seat comfort adjustments (both)
• Front and rear bucket seats
• Console mounted gearshift, front and rear consoles.
• Steering wheel controls for Climate Control and factory stereo
• Driver Information System computer - Has an alphanumeric vacuum fluorescent display that provides clock, calendar, RPM, actual coolant temp, battery voltage, avg. fuel econ, inst. fuel econ, trip computer, oil change due warning, and diagnostics (special mode).
• Keyless Entry system (replaced with alarm)