Why has GM gone away from the Heads Up Display? My GP has it and I love it. Was it not profitable or were few people getting this option? Or has the availability of large central info screens (such as nav units) eliminated the need to HUD? I don't know of any GM model that now offers HUD.

Corvette still offers it. It was never an option on any Holden model so it never made the tranistion to the G8. It requires a specific windshield as well as the dashtop projector. Anyone who has had it, like you and I, will surely miss it. In fact I would take HUD over NAV in a heartbeat.

Corvette still offers it. It was never an option on any Holden model so it never made the tranistion to the G8. It requires a specific windshield as well as the dashtop projector. Anyone who has had it, like you and I, will surely miss it. In fact I would take HUD over NAV in a heartbeat.

Agreed - me, too.
- Ray
Driving a 'Vette w/HUD...

I would take HUD over NAV in a heartbeat.

Ditto.

Too bad the Commodore was too far along in it's development by the time Pontiac came asking for HUD.

I didn't realize the Vette still had HUD. Thanks for the info. Vehicles in my sites include the HHR SS, Malibu LTZ, Impala SS, G6 convertible and G8 - none of which have the HUD.

Another missing the HUD. Of course, the ultimate is the Nav tied into the HUD. The Holden substitute is the DIC between the tach and speedo.

Chip

Another missing the HUD. Of course, the ultimate is the Nav tied into the HUD. The Holden substitute is the DIC between the tach and speedo.

Chip

Map overlay full-size, right on the real road. Now we're talking.

Map overlay full-size, right on the real road. Now we're talking.

I'm right there with you. :bubbrubb:

Chip

Map overlay full-size, right on the real road. Now we're talking.

Right. The whole windshield can be a monitor just transferring what's in front of you on to the windshield and then you can overlay things like the actual distance to the car in front of you and directional arrows from the Nav. Talk about the ultimate head-up (please notice there are not multiple heads, well of course this fictional one may be a 'heads'-up since I'd imagine the passengers would see the display too) display.

Yeah, I don't see why nav can't be projected on to the windshield - I think it would actually be less of a distraction than having to look over to the right and down.

I have a portable Magellan GPS nav unit and I mount it right below the rear view mirror. It is real easy to look at without losing your eye for the road.

Its in the works folks..
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gps/virtual-ribbon-puts-your-gps-navigation-out-in-front-of-you-334941.php

I have HUD on my '01 GTP. Handy, but not essential. I suspect trying to display a moving map in color on the windshield would be a nightmare in angles, brightness and safety. I have my Garmin nuvi 760 mounted low on the windshield which is perfect. It is below my line of sight, but right where I can see it's big bright screen without taking eyes off the road. I can't think of a better solution. If you ever had to replace one of those special HUD windshields, you'd think twice about projecting nav onto one large enough to be able to see it clearly.

I wish it had a HUD. I loved mine in every corvette that i have own. I hardly ever looked down at my speedometer and tach when i had it activated

or 2010 gt

Things such as turn signals & high beam indicators in the HUD you won't miss. The speed & tach, maybe. I guess I prefer to look just a little down & watch the tach needle sweep around. You might ask one of the members that have one if they can take a pic of their digital speedo (while sitting a 0 mph, of course) for a comparison. The big digital speedo on the GTOs was a very thankful item. One quick glance. Plus, if you're extremely paranoid about taking your eyes off the road, slow down.

I've gotten so used to my HUD in both my GTP and my GXP that when I drive the GTO or the Wife's van, I miss it!

It's a totally innocuous feature, but you don't realize how much you actually use it until it's gone.

With that said, yes, HUD equipped vehicles also have a special windshield (which helps with the reflectivity in general as well as clarity in high light/sunlight situations but it ISN'T necessary.

Things such as turn signals & high beam indicators in the HUD you won't miss. The speed & tach, maybe. I guess I prefer to look just a little down & watch the tach needle sweep around. You might ask one of the members that have one if they can take a pic of their digital speedo (while sitting a 0 mph, of course) for a comparison. The big digital speedo on the GTOs was a very thankful item. One quick glance. Plus, if you're extremely paranoid about taking your eyes off the road, slow down.

It's not so much that you I don't like to look down and watch the tach or anything, but while your cruising along, flipping stations, adjusting volume, and just driving in general, it's a nice little "hey, this is what's happening" thing.

HUD is very cool and the only feature I missed when I bought the GTO after the GTP.

Test drove a GMC Acadia last weekend(for the wife) and to my huge surprise it had HUD. Not sure why though. My wife didn't like the HUD, she said it was too distracting and I have to agree with her.

Yeah, I don't see why nav can't be projected on to the windshield - I think it would actually be less of a distraction than having to look over to the right and down.

I have a portable Magellan GPS nav unit and I mount it right below the rear view mirror. It is real easy to look at without losing your eye for the road.

My Nuvi 660 is mounted directly to the left of my rearview mirror. It's not in my direct line of site but it's easy to reach and easy to glance at.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i110/PMDGTO/IMG_3718Medium.jpg

Test drove a GMC Acadia last weekend(for the wife) and to my huge surprise it had HUD. Not sure why though. My wife didn't like the HUD, she said it was too distracting and I have to agree with her.

Famous last words. My Wife said the same thing when I first bought my GTP. "That HUD thing is annoying!" were the first words out of her mouth while we were test driving it.

Then her car (a Dodge Interpid) had issues and I got stuck driving it for awhile until I had the time to fix it, so she had the GTP.

Well, needless to say when I fixed her Intrepid and gave it back to her, within 5 minutes of sitting down at my desk that next morning, I got a phone call from her... "I miss the HUD! I got so used to it being there! AND I LIKED IT!"

My wife likes the HUD, too, but I'll bet she likes the G8 better than her '01 GTP!

I found it distracting at first in the 2000 GTP I used to have but after a while I really liked having it.

The 05 - 08 GP HUD will make me miss it even worse than the HUD in my 97 GTP. There is alot more info available, especially with the Nav option.

Chip

The only car I remember being sold in Australia with HUD was the Nissan Bluebird from around 2000. Not sure whether is was not a very good system, but there has not been a demand for it since here.

I defintely miss my HUD and Nav but love the G8. I am going to try the OnStar Nav. If it comes up on the DIC like it did on my GXP, then I am cool with it. The map was alright, but all I cared about was the directions that came up on the HUD. I never used the voice directions. The other thing I hope is that a Nav is available on the 2009. If it is I should be able to get a replacement head unit for the stereo if I really want it.

i could only imagine when these cars get older and the people who own them need to replace the windshield, but only have liability on the car... lol!

i don't need the HUD... if it were a 100k+ car, sure, but come on...

Well insurance took care of mine in the past. Not that it is essential, but it was nice that the GP had it.

i could only imagine when these cars get older and the people who own them need to replace the windshield, but only have liability on the car... lol!

i don't need the HUD... if it were a 100k+ car, sure, but come on...

Windshield's for HUD cars aren't all that more expensive than non HUD cars. When I had to have mine replaced in the GTP is was about $80 more than a non-HUD unit. Hardly enough to break the bank.

I'm just glad I figured out how to di the digital speedo on the DIC. I forgot how to read an analog guage! :o

Windshield's for HUD cars aren't all that more expensive than non HUD cars. When I had to have mine replaced in the GTP is was about $80 more than a non-HUD unit. Hardly enough to break the bank.

you had the Grand Prix right? in that case, it's the only windshield that doesn't require special lamination for the HUD... when you look at any other car, it has a 8x8 (or about) square for the HUD to appear clear.. without this, it shows up fuzzy... for some reason you don't need to purchase the hud specific one.. :drool:

just for price differences, in the 08 Corvette's the price difference between the non-hud and the hud windshield is $200... this number increases if you have the hud and the gps as well..

My GP GXP has a HUD but GM screwed up the design. The beauty of the HUD is stealth mode but GM forgot to disable the dash leds during stealth mode.

It's night and you turn of the HUD stealth mode and switch on your high beams and a 1,000,000 candle power high beam indicator blinds you!! Stupid design.

you had the Grand Prix right? in that case, it's the only windshield that doesn't require special lamination for the HUD... when you look at any other car, it has a 8x8 (or about) square for the HUD to appear clear.. without this, it shows up fuzzy... for some reason you don't need to purchase the hud specific one.. :drool:

just for price differences, in the 08 Corvette's the price difference between the non-hud and the hud windshield is $200... this number increases if you have the hud and the gps as well..

Umm, actually no, the Grand Prix has a unique windshield for HUD equipped cars with that additional laminate pieces just like any other GM vehicle with HUD. I know, I worked in service and could get you the specific service requirements for said vehicles if you'd like. And mine was a crystal clear as looking at a digital readout.

Excerpt taken right from the Grand Prix tech manual;

The Winshield is part of the HUD system. If you ever need a new windshield, be sure to get one designed for HUD. If you don’t, the HUD image may look blurred and out of focus.

Tonight I’ll look up Service procedures, TSB, and other notes regarding Grand Prix HUD’s in Service Information.

Umm, actually no, the Grand Prix has a unique windshield for HUD equipped cars with that additional laminate pieces just like any other GM vehicle with HUD. I know, I worked in service and could get you the specific service requirements for said vehicles if you'd like. And mine was a crystal clear as looking at a digital readout.


well since we stock both parts (for insurance purposes) i can get you pictures of both windshields.. we are an automotive glass shop that has been in business for several decades...dw1288 and dw1289 to show you that there is no box for the HUD....

perhaps the factory part provides a flamboyant way of showing you the HUD area, but i haven't seen any indication that requires an OE glass manufacturer to show you the difference, visually, between a HUD and non HUD windshield.. besides the different part numbers...

http://www.garlic.com/~childers/grandprix/hud.jpg
here is one picture of a GP with HUD, notice there is no box...

Most, if not all, that I've seen, including mine, will say something like "Shaded-HUD" in the corner with any other identifying marks.

Pontiac and General Motors have had varying degrees of success with the HUD. It is still in many of our products where performance and convenience counts. Outside of Corvette, Grand Prix and some Cadillac models, it is offered in the GMC Acadia with SLT package. It will not be offered in the G8 for reasons already addressed in this forum. The cost of retrofitting the Holden harnesses and electrical systems are the reason for also not offering a NAV, XM radio, automatic D/N mirror among other features found in previous GM offerings. Maintaining a price competitive vehicle with the performance aspects that G8 offers required some decontenting. Look to the GXP for possible option enhancements.

Pontiac and General Motors have had varying degrees of success with the HUD. It is still in many of our products where performance and convenience counts. Outside of Corvette, Grand Prix and some Cadillac models, it is offered in the GMC Acadia with SLT package. It will not be offered in the G8 for reasons already addressed in this forum. The cost of retrofitting the Holden harnesses and electrical systems are the reason for also not offering a NAV, XM radio, automatic D/N mirror among other features found in previous GM offerings. Maintaining a price competitive vehicle with the performance aspects that G8 offers required some decontenting. Look to the GXP for possible option enhancements.

Are you a dealer or ? XM is already standard on the 2009 model G8s. And the current mirror looks like one of the GM standard offerings, nothing unique to Holden because of Onstar. I expect someone will replace it fairly easily with an auto dim mirror from another GM vehicle before too long. What will the GXP add? According to Pontiac, it will have all of the options of the G8 GT standard except for the sunroof. Just wondering since a number of the things you stated are not lining up with previous information.

Chip

Hmm.. I like the HUD.

05+ GP nav instructions were on the HUD.

I do miss it when I drive a car without it, but you get used to it (either way).

It'd be nice to have but, I'll trade my HUD for RWD, V8...thank you.