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I am posting a new, dedicated thread on the NEW RTX series gauge system from Dakota Digital, because over the last week, as I mentally wrestled with the decision to either keep the VHX series that I bought in 2016 but never installed OR put the VHX up for sale (for $700) and spend $700 MORE for the RTX-68D-CHG-X system, I found out how new the RTX is, and how little information is available for those who may be weighing their gauge and dash layout options. I am excluding the VFD series because those are "Vacuum Fluorescent Display" gauges, and use "blocky" letters and numbers, and don't resemble the factory gauges at all. When off, the VFD gauges are black and devoid of any kind of visually discernible characteristics.
**First thing is the PRICE difference, which is considerable. To make the best comparison, I will refer to list and minimum advertised price for each.
The VHX system is the one that I have seen and admired for years, rightfully so, because it has a modern "tech" appearance but that is tempered by using analog style needle gauges.
I liked it so much I bought one in 2016 and that was a major purchase but it was a special treat for my car and myself. I have seen the VHX sell from $895 to $995 for the 1968-70 Dodge Charger, 1969-70 Coronet R/T, 1968-70 Plymouth Super Bee, and 1970 GTX and Road Runner.
The "more technologically advanced" version of the VHX series is the HDX series gauge system. $1,420 to $1,495
Visually it is almost the same as the VHX, with the important difference being 2 larger "square" full color TFT displays, 1 at 6 o'clock in the speedometer gauge and 1 at the 6 o'clock position of the tachometer gauge. The features of the HDX and RTX are basically the same.
The RTX series gauge system is the one that I just read about a week ago, and from a technical features and functional perspective is basically the same as the HDX series, except the RTX only has 1 large square TFT color display in the speedometer gauge. The RTX series is also $1,420 to $1,495.
**So there's the prices and the pictures of the 3 series. Since the function of the HDX and RTX series are the same, the following are the reasons why I just chose the RTX over the VHX (I've been having and was about to have installed), and I would have been happy and excited about the VHX, but for me, the RTX had enough additional features to make it worth the additional cost.
** The most appealing features the RTX brings that are not in the VHX for me are: The Smart Phone APP provides easy setup and adjustments, but it also functions as a “remote dash” with real time readouts, and when I’m under the hood adjusting the 6bbl carbs, I can monitor the RPMs and more importantly, display the A/F ratio or Lambda of my Innovate Motorsports DLG-1 dual wideband O2 sensor system. I had to buy 2 of the Dakota BIM-13-2 wideband modules ($95 each), as they only have a 2 wire input, and I have 2 pair of wires, 1 pair per side of the exhaust’s O2 sensors. The data will display on the TFT display of the speedometer gauge, and on the phone app, per the “higher ups” in DD tech support. I also like the on dash warning lights AND buzzer, so if I’m taking in the scenery and there’s something important I should know, I will get a visual AND audible alert.
That sums up the most important differences from a functional perspective, the remote dash and impossible to miss warning capabilities, and I’m sure I’ll appreciate the ease of setup and adjustments the app brings, especially when I take advantage of the 30+ color combinations available with the RTX. The painted on factory redline is below my current shift point, and way below where my BME 541 stroker will shift, but the lights that sweep the arc around the RPM hash marks are programmable, so that will help me keep tabs on how fast my mill is spinning, and the “tach warn” output (also in the VHX) will trigger my LED stand alone shift light. Thanks to the BIM-13-2 modules, the shift light will be the ONLY thing that is not integrated into the gauges in the dashboard, so as nice as the Innovate DLG-1 dual readout gauge is, I’ll have a much cleaner presentation on my dash.
So “thanks” (sort of) again Mopar Connection and Dakota Digital. You raised the standard of what was the best looking gauge setup in the VHX to a new level with the RTX, but the “sort of” is, after careful consideration, I have justified the extra $700 for the features that are truly a practical added value for making the most out of my investment when I’m tuning, and if some problem should occur that needs immediate attention, I will certainly be made aware of it…
Oh-did I mention the “Tic-Toc Tach”?
https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm?ptype=results&category_id=697&mode=cat
**First thing is the PRICE difference, which is considerable. To make the best comparison, I will refer to list and minimum advertised price for each.
The VHX system is the one that I have seen and admired for years, rightfully so, because it has a modern "tech" appearance but that is tempered by using analog style needle gauges.
I liked it so much I bought one in 2016 and that was a major purchase but it was a special treat for my car and myself. I have seen the VHX sell from $895 to $995 for the 1968-70 Dodge Charger, 1969-70 Coronet R/T, 1968-70 Plymouth Super Bee, and 1970 GTX and Road Runner.
The "more technologically advanced" version of the VHX series is the HDX series gauge system. $1,420 to $1,495
Visually it is almost the same as the VHX, with the important difference being 2 larger "square" full color TFT displays, 1 at 6 o'clock in the speedometer gauge and 1 at the 6 o'clock position of the tachometer gauge. The features of the HDX and RTX are basically the same.
The RTX series gauge system is the one that I just read about a week ago, and from a technical features and functional perspective is basically the same as the HDX series, except the RTX only has 1 large square TFT color display in the speedometer gauge. The RTX series is also $1,420 to $1,495.
**So there's the prices and the pictures of the 3 series. Since the function of the HDX and RTX series are the same, the following are the reasons why I just chose the RTX over the VHX (I've been having and was about to have installed), and I would have been happy and excited about the VHX, but for me, the RTX had enough additional features to make it worth the additional cost.
** The most appealing features the RTX brings that are not in the VHX for me are: The Smart Phone APP provides easy setup and adjustments, but it also functions as a “remote dash” with real time readouts, and when I’m under the hood adjusting the 6bbl carbs, I can monitor the RPMs and more importantly, display the A/F ratio or Lambda of my Innovate Motorsports DLG-1 dual wideband O2 sensor system. I had to buy 2 of the Dakota BIM-13-2 wideband modules ($95 each), as they only have a 2 wire input, and I have 2 pair of wires, 1 pair per side of the exhaust’s O2 sensors. The data will display on the TFT display of the speedometer gauge, and on the phone app, per the “higher ups” in DD tech support. I also like the on dash warning lights AND buzzer, so if I’m taking in the scenery and there’s something important I should know, I will get a visual AND audible alert.
That sums up the most important differences from a functional perspective, the remote dash and impossible to miss warning capabilities, and I’m sure I’ll appreciate the ease of setup and adjustments the app brings, especially when I take advantage of the 30+ color combinations available with the RTX. The painted on factory redline is below my current shift point, and way below where my BME 541 stroker will shift, but the lights that sweep the arc around the RPM hash marks are programmable, so that will help me keep tabs on how fast my mill is spinning, and the “tach warn” output (also in the VHX) will trigger my LED stand alone shift light. Thanks to the BIM-13-2 modules, the shift light will be the ONLY thing that is not integrated into the gauges in the dashboard, so as nice as the Innovate DLG-1 dual readout gauge is, I’ll have a much cleaner presentation on my dash.
So “thanks” (sort of) again Mopar Connection and Dakota Digital. You raised the standard of what was the best looking gauge setup in the VHX to a new level with the RTX, but the “sort of” is, after careful consideration, I have justified the extra $700 for the features that are truly a practical added value for making the most out of my investment when I’m tuning, and if some problem should occur that needs immediate attention, I will certainly be made aware of it…
Oh-did I mention the “Tic-Toc Tach”?
https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm?ptype=results&category_id=697&mode=cat
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