My 1992 Miata came with an honest-to-god oil pressure gauge in it, that gave you real oil pressure readings. The pressure gauge moves back and forth with engine RPMs, because the oil pump is driven off of the engine. More RPM = more oil pressure. That's how cars work.
In 1994, Mazda removed it, and put in a "Dumb" gauge. It looks like a gauge, but really is either on above a certain PSI or off below that. They did this because so many people were bringing in their cars for service because they didn't understand how the real pressure gauge worked, and thought something was wrong.
There are actually lots of cars like this. My Ford Explorer has a dumb oil pressure gauge. My Honda Fit doesn't even have a coolant temp gauge. So I only know when the thing gets too hot, or if the coolant is too cold. Can't tell if the car starts running hotter than normal to catch a problem before it destroys something.
The dummy gauge in the 1993 Miata is part of the reason I ended up buying a '92. Having a real oil pressure gauge just makes the car feel so much more accessible and 'real'.
As an aside, the 'dummy gauge' is arguably worse than a lamp because it's much easier to overlook a needle being out of range than it is a light that's always off suddenly being on.
The first generation Miata is an amazingly fun car to drive - it's not fast, but it feels 100% mechanical (even though there are a few computers in the engine).
I have a 93 Miata and I love those kinds of things about it. Even the odometer is mechanical. I love how real and direct cars from that era feel. In contrast, I’m always discouraged when for example I try to figure out how to even make the radio work in my girlfriend’s 2017 Odyssey.
In 1994, Mazda removed it, and put in a "Dumb" gauge. It looks like a gauge, but really is either on above a certain PSI or off below that. They did this because so many people were bringing in their cars for service because they didn't understand how the real pressure gauge worked, and thought something was wrong.
There are actually lots of cars like this. My Ford Explorer has a dumb oil pressure gauge. My Honda Fit doesn't even have a coolant temp gauge. So I only know when the thing gets too hot, or if the coolant is too cold. Can't tell if the car starts running hotter than normal to catch a problem before it destroys something.