Advice/Information on Tachometer/Guages

For starters, does anyone know the reason why Honda omitted a tachometer on their manual cars?

Anyway, I have a great desire to install one, so I really need advice on what companies/models exist for someone looking to have some quality parts. So if anyone could make recommendations for me to begin researching on I'd really appreciate it.

Specifically, I am not looking for something 'ricey', that being a giant globe poping off my dash, so recommendations which at least meet that requirement would be great.

I would even prefer to replace the entire inner 'guage screen' of the car (what's the real term?) and put something with better lighting on top of that. I have strong sense for subtelty, modifications I make to this car must not stand out too much, but they must be visually appealing in that way. I'm not afraid to spend a bit if it gets me something as I describe.

Thanks.

My girlfriends 03 has a tach... it is an EX so I dont know if the trim would have anything to do with it but that just seems crazy if it doesnt have one.

Im not for sure but I would imagine you could swap out the gauge cluster of an EX without any problems. If so I would look around some junk yards nearby, it will be cheap and look stock.

Check out civicforums.com 7th gen section. The cluster swap would be the best bet. (There may be a few pins that need exchanged or something similar ??) The odometer mileage reading stays with the clusters.