Let Me Feel You Better Bertha - STRI X-line gauges

I've had used the same line of STRI gauges on my previous car, but sold it off to the guy that bought it. A pity, i really would have loved to use it on Bertha. So when it came to buying gauges for Bertha, I was eyeing for that same line from STRI as well. Some of you might ask why i'm not going for more distinguised brands like defi? Simple, Price. A set of used defi gauges (3 gauges+controller unit)would easily set you back 1k+, which is pretty insane for stuff that for most of us, serves more as a decorative piece in the car than anything else. Sure, it churns out important readings on our cars, but for me, STRI gauges serve the same function, at a fraction of the cost. So, i got my hands on a set of used, practically new STRI gauges. The previous owner bought it but decided to not use it as one of the gauges, the oil pressure's sensor adaptor couldn't fit in his Forester.. Hmm i didn't really think too much into it and he said that it shouldn't have any issues fitting a wrx, so i bought it, something that would bite me in the ass later.

Decided to have it fixed at the same workshop that installed my exhaust. Yes, I practically swore off going to that workshop again after my last experience, but decided to go back there still because that workshop sells the same brand of gauges, so they shouldn't have any problems fixing it on my bertha, and plus, their service charge was cheap. Being the stingy fool that I am, I lamented. Well, that oil pressure sensor fitmet issue on the forester i've mentioned earlier, guess what, it doesnt fit on my wrx as well. Actually, i found out later that this fitment issue depends on the oil pressure adaptor you were using. This workshop used a special T-joint adaptor just just feeds off from your oil return line in the engine bay. And the size of the sensor adaptor is such that its too big to fit in the small confines of the oil return line. There is a normal and more conventional method though, which is to use an oil pressure/temp adaptor sandwich plate that sits in between the oil filter and your oil exit area(not sure what to call it). But that requires having to put the car on the lift, take out the oil filter, wait for the oil to drain out... In short, the latter method is more tedious, messy and I guess the mechanic didn't want to go down that route. Even after i insisted, he said that it still wouldn't fit, whatever. No worries, i'll just install the oil pressure when i install my oil cooler, which already comes with the oil pressure/temp adaptor sandwich plate. So this 3 gauges (Water temp, Oil temp, Boost) will have to do for now. Yummy, bertha's interior looks so much more fiercer after installing this 3 amber faced gauges. And of course, now i know when Bertha's running a lil hot under the collar... Papa loves you bertha.. :-)