You'll want one !!
Discussion
About three years ago, I fitted an ESTIKA display to the Esprit. This is a scrolling LED display like the ones you see everywhere, only smaller. It is about 40 cm long and about 8 cm tall. It is black, cylindrical and stands on two self adhesive brackets at the ends. The whole thing is mounted by sticking it to the outer rear window with 4 small bits of double sided tape. (provided) I cut them into 4 in order to avoid placing adhesive over the elements of the heated rear window. The display features a scrolling message which is initialised via a remote control similar to a TV remote. The message can be anything from the pre programmed menu of about a hundred standards like "Back off" to one of ten user programmable messages. There is a limit to the memory but I have never reached it.
The whole thing runs on 12V and comes with a car adaptor. I have channelled the wiring from the rear window, through the conduit of the aeriel and along the centre tunnel under the carpet. I have fitted a small switch in the centre tunnel oddments compartment which isolates the whole thing. It is then hard wired (via an in line fuse)to the switched live of the stereo so that it can't be left switched on without the ignition being on. I keep the remote in the glove box, ready and waiting for a hapless victim!
The only problem is heat. The device will overheat and die if left switched on for any length of time at the same time as the engine being hot. It seems that the device has to be able to dissipate its own heat and can't do this in a hot environment. I lost my first one this way and hence the fitting of the switch!
You should also know that there is a profanity filter and so certain words come up as"********!" if you store them in one of the user memories.
The rear window layout of the Esprit means that you can only see the bottom two thirds of the outer window. The device is therefore invisible in the rear view mirror whils being clearly visible to the driver of a normal height car between immediately and thirty metres behind within about 30 degrees of directly behind. This is the case if it is mounted near the top of the inside of the outer rear window, if you see what I mean.
The display is almost invisible during daylight hours but startlingly clear in the dark. I have programmed a variety of messages into the unit with various responses. For some reason, "Back off!" always seems to work whilst, "350 bhp, - Be Serious!" never fails to elicit a laugh from your Astra GTE driver!
Once you have seen one of these, you will probably want one! I got my first from the Gadget Shop for £99 but they don't do them anymore. I got my second one, and the repair following the overheat, from the distributor, Acoustic Solutions: (01327 340601).£70 this time for a factory re-con unit. They were a very helpful lot and I am now known as: "the bloke with the mid engined car which broke the display unit by overheating."
This is the perfect Xmas gift and, even with the hard wiring, only tookabout two hours to fit. The main difficulty was researhing what height to put the unit so that it could be seen from behind but not in the mirror.
Please let me know if you know of a better novelty for under £100.
The whole thing runs on 12V and comes with a car adaptor. I have channelled the wiring from the rear window, through the conduit of the aeriel and along the centre tunnel under the carpet. I have fitted a small switch in the centre tunnel oddments compartment which isolates the whole thing. It is then hard wired (via an in line fuse)to the switched live of the stereo so that it can't be left switched on without the ignition being on. I keep the remote in the glove box, ready and waiting for a hapless victim!
The only problem is heat. The device will overheat and die if left switched on for any length of time at the same time as the engine being hot. It seems that the device has to be able to dissipate its own heat and can't do this in a hot environment. I lost my first one this way and hence the fitting of the switch!
You should also know that there is a profanity filter and so certain words come up as"********!" if you store them in one of the user memories.
The rear window layout of the Esprit means that you can only see the bottom two thirds of the outer window. The device is therefore invisible in the rear view mirror whils being clearly visible to the driver of a normal height car between immediately and thirty metres behind within about 30 degrees of directly behind. This is the case if it is mounted near the top of the inside of the outer rear window, if you see what I mean.
The display is almost invisible during daylight hours but startlingly clear in the dark. I have programmed a variety of messages into the unit with various responses. For some reason, "Back off!" always seems to work whilst, "350 bhp, - Be Serious!" never fails to elicit a laugh from your Astra GTE driver!
Once you have seen one of these, you will probably want one! I got my first from the Gadget Shop for £99 but they don't do them anymore. I got my second one, and the repair following the overheat, from the distributor, Acoustic Solutions: (01327 340601).£70 this time for a factory re-con unit. They were a very helpful lot and I am now known as: "the bloke with the mid engined car which broke the display unit by overheating."
This is the perfect Xmas gift and, even with the hard wiring, only tookabout two hours to fit. The main difficulty was researhing what height to put the unit so that it could be seen from behind but not in the mirror.
Please let me know if you know of a better novelty for under £100.
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