Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Product arrived quickly and seemed to be of high quality. Faces were covered with a protective "film" to keep clean and scratch-free during shipping.
Installation takes approximately 3 hours, including letting the paint dry on the needles.
Looks very sharp and I have received many compliments on the look of this mod. I had read many reviews on how to do this before actually proceeding. Installation was straight forward and made much easier by reading the posts provided here!
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97
White gauge face kit
Product is first rated. Instruction is very easy to understand. My only comment is that you need to actually start the engine and bring it up to the normal temp (Team Miata's instruction suggests that you don't start the engine when installing needles). This will give you a better idea of where needles should be. Do not push needles all the way until you are completely satisfied with the position. I used Pinkish-red nail polish to paint needles. It looks better than Green. I painted one needle with Montegoblue, but it didn't look good on white face. Removing the speedometer cable is difficult as the holding tab is at the bottom. The connector for the rear defogger makes your job bit more complicated. Overall, however, the job is not as difficult as my expectation. Total hour I spent was 3 hours.
The first impression is "My God! Did I pay $95 for this??" as the whole kit is simply 5 pieces of plastic. But what a difference it makes!!! It is worth $95. I am VERY pleased with this product and strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to add a personal touch to your Miata.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '99 +
White gauge faces (oil, temp, fuel, speedo, tach) to replace stock black faces. Team Miata part number TM-297. Cost was $95 + $6 S&H.
Overall the directions were right on target. I found them alittle confusing on my first read while sitting on the couch, but once I was in the car with a screw driver it all made sense. The quality was first rate, although I did need to ream-out some of the holes to complete installation - i.e. the holes for the stop pins and the upper guide holes on the speedo and tach were alittle small, but easily corrected with a small flat blade screw driver. A few tips that might help the next person doing an install.. - Team Miata recommends using a paper clip to remove the needles from the gauges. I could not get the leverage I needed from a paper clip, so I used a 12" peice of dental floss instead. Simply wrap the floss around the post of the needle an pull from above - the needles will slide right off. (continued in general comments section)
-Don't agonize over the task of repainting the needles. It's important to remove all the white paint, but when you reapply your color of choice, it doesn't need to be as "neat" as the factory job - trust me, you won't be able to see that "perfect paint job" once the cowl is reassembled. I used Testors #1103 Red with the white gauges w/ green letters - it looks pretty good. - The biggest problem I had was realligning the needles. Fortunately, I thought of taking a few digital photos before I began the job, so I used the photos to reorient the needles when I finished. I'd also recommend taking the car for a short drive before reattaching the cowl and steering column covers - I did need to make some minor adjustments to the oil pressure in spite of my photos. The entire job took about 3 hours, including the time I spent "perfecting" the red paint on the needles.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to '90 - '97 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Orange on white replacement gauge faces
Instructions included
The quality and workmanship of the gauge faces was first-rate. The tools recommended for this procedure are basic, and found in any Miata owners' tool kit. Some extra needs for this project a "small" (read jeweler's) Phillips screwdriver -- this is for the tiny screws holding the faces to the gauge module, an X-acto knife, touch-up paint for the needles, and Super Glue (I used the gel type) for the needle stops. Since these are orange on white faces, you'll need to scrape the paint off of the existing needles, and paint them in a contrasting color -- orange or red are good. All in all, it was a fairly easy project, and a product that will renew the fun -- the look is eye-catching and gives your Miata a visual lift.
Product Summary If you've got to have replacement faces, you can't beat these.
Best Points Good budget approach to the gauge face replacement category. Straightforward instructions. Good delivery.
Worst Points No significant problems
Cost $95 plus 5$ S/H
Value Good
Difficulty easy to moderate
Frustration Level low (if you're patient)
Time allow 2-3 hours
Reviewer's Note My review of this product on 11/3/99 was in error - the paper covers peel off, but this wasn't readily apparent. (The instructions are being revised)
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
| Back to Product Reviews | 15 June, 2001 |