Exchanging the Radio Unit for the VW Sat Nav Unit

[monk180]

Hi Guys,

I have a Golf MK 5 with the standard radio unit, a rather clunky and out of date thing.

If I got a VW Sat Nav Unit, probably off eBay, are all the wires in the car for A: It to work and B: Will the Sat Nav work if the car did not have it in the 1st place?

Thanks

p.s Is a GT TDI - hope you do not mind an Oil Burner on this forum!

[boardyuk]

If you were to go with the MFD2 unit then it's pretty much plug and play, if you go with the newer RNS510 then there's a little more to it, you will need a GPS receiver for either of them (normally bundled with them on eBay). Either should just work though, mine did anyway 

If going with the newer RNS510 them you will also need a Fakra antenna adaptor, easy to find on eBay and also depending on the year of the car a new CAN Gateway to stop battery drain which will need coding to the car, there's loads of info about that on here. There's other sat nav units I believe but those are the ones I have experience with.

I swapped to the MFD2 first myself and pretty quickly upgraded the gateway and got an RNS as its a much nicer unit. Depends what you want really, most will go for the RNS though 

[monk180]

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed reply - much appreciated.

So for the MFD2:

1. GPS work fine with no add ons?
2. Connect to the CD Auto Changer under the arm rest?
3. If I wanted the phone / Bluetooth - would I need to fit a mic?

The car does not have any wheel buttons, I assume it would still work fine?

Thanks

[monk180]

Just after a cheap upgrade, the car is 05 and done 88k, so should rein in spending too much money on it anyway I guess.

With the older MFD2 - I assume no DAB, and the TV will be analogue?

What is a cheap way to upgrade the maps?

Thanks.

[boardyuk]

To answer your questions -

1. The only things you require are the GPS antenna and navigation disk which should both be included with a unit (best to check).
2. CD Changer will work no problem.
3. I'm not sure about the phone connection on the MFD2 as I never used it.

My original wheel in the car wasn't a multifunction wheel so didn't have any buttons either, worked without issues. There's no DAB/TV on the MFD2. The screen isn't LED and not the sharpest thing around. The only way to run maps is to use a navigation disk in the units drive, there is no built in storage on the MFD2. Upgrading the maps is as simple as getting a newer disk.

[monk180]

Cheers.

Looks like the newer unit will be the better bet.

There are non VW units on offer, but as they are cheap, I expect a pixel-ly screen and clunky and slow touch screen.

Think I will go for the new unit, thanks for the help, would have dived into the older unit, and I imagine be a little disappointed.

Fred

[TFSI]

Ive got the rns 315 in my ed30 it's much better than the mfd I had before comes with nav bluetooth handsfree and streaming audio dab radio aux and SD card MP3 playback cd / MP3 playback touch screen led screen all built in

there very good value for money but

It will work with your cd changer ive got the ipod doc in mine but tbh your best removing it and selling it as it's got MP3 playback streaming bluetooth audio etc so it's pointless really

Hope this helps

You will need to change the can gateway or the battery will drain

You will need a dab arieal

You will need a GPS arieal

You will need to fit a mic for handsfree

Ive seen the headunits around the 250 / 300 mark

[monk180]

Cheers - yes may pull out the CD Changer, pretty out of date, may get a few quid for it on eBay to go towards the Unit.

In terms of the GPS Arial and the DAB Arial - where do they go?

Do they tuck behind the unit? My car has no Sub, so I guess there is room inside the Top of the Dash.

THanks

[mvb12]

you ain't getting a DAB units i can gaurentee you that. not very often do they come up and they cost a tidy some too.

all of the options you want will need additional modules.

If your in London i can supply and fit RNS.

when you have 10 posts or more PM to discuss.

[J400uk]

The RCD 510 DAB can be had quite cheaply for around £200. Lots of them get sold as people upgrade to the Nav units, so it depends which you'd rather have.

I found the RNS 310 (Nav but no DAB) to suit the Mk5 Golf well and it can be picked up for about the same price. Doesn't cause battery drain for pre-08 cars, and it works with the Highline display (RNS 315 doesn't)

[monk180]

Thanks for the reply.

What about the non VW units like this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-Car-DVD-GPS-VW-Polo-Sharan-PASSAT-TIGUAN-TOURAN-CADDY-GOLF-5-6-T5-SEAT-Jetta-/321424586798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ad665f82e


They seem better than the cheapest VW unit.

But I get a feeling there will be issues, like for example they drain the battery  ect.....

Guess I am better forking out the extra and getting the RNS 510?

If I went for the RNS 510 - how much of a hassle is putting in the Mic?


Thanks

[paulw123]

You need to decide on your must haves.
Do you need nav (use your phone), tv (watch at home), DAB (do you use radio a lot), reverse camera, blue tooth music(better quality with SD), sd card etc
An OEM option will mean an £80 canbus upgrade, plus for blue tooth, plus for phone.

How about a Dynavin, just seems better quality than other Chinese ebay stuff, in that they are happy to pay to put Parrot hands free into it etc. , saves all the extra OEM costs.
Pm some of the guys who have fitted one?
http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,87290.0.html

In term of aerial, if you already have roof aerial, something like this. You will need to run extra fakra cables under roof lining, but that's easy to do.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/NEU-Original-Antenne-6R0035501D-Dachantenne-new-VW-SKODA-Radio-Telefon-GPS/271751941578?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29320%26meid%3D7e863710b0754afabd06e5fc478725d5%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D301523001311

[numec]

I just installed this last month. Direct plug and play. No drain no extra steps needed.
Just an alternative if you opt to go non-VW unit..

[bpbenprice]

I just installed this last month. Direct plug and play. No drain no extra steps needed.
Just an alternative if you opt to go non-VW unit..

where did you route the 18 cables too mate? Antenna and that, really looking into upgrading my unit, got a 2004 Golf MK5


Ben Price MK5

[numec]

I just installed this last month. Direct plug and play. No drain no extra steps needed.
Just an alternative if you opt to go non-VW unit..

where did you route the 18 cables too mate? Antenna and that, really looking into upgrading my unit, got a 2004 Golf MK5

Ben Price MK5

As said, it was a direct fit as the Kenwood was designed for VW group HU. So it comes with the quadlock (for all the cable connections including steering wheel control etc), radio antenna converter etc.

It suits my budget and laziness to do any coding or upgrade the can gateway, that's why I bought the HU. Although, my ipod dock is useless and need to sell the RCD500 soon..