MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: fruitmachinestu on August 31, 2015, 06:50:21 pm

Title: upgrading to a non vw stereo
Post by: fruitmachinestu on August 31, 2015, 06:50:21 pm

Am i right in thinking if i upgrade to a non vw stereo, i dont need to upgrade the canbus. Or is that wrong.
Ive looked about but there is conflicting info.
I have the standard rcd300 and its pants. Not to mention mw is non existent.
I need help.

Title: Re: upgrading to a non vw stereo
Post by: shail on August 31, 2015, 07:09:16 pm

You're right, no need to do anything with canbus.  If you have steering wheel controls you'll need an additional bit ofbkit to make it work.

Also, don't hold out too much hope for your MW to be any better with a non VW unit. 

Title: Re: upgrading to a non vw stereo
Post by: fruitmachinestu on August 31, 2015, 10:38:44 pm

thanks for the quick reply. I was hopeing that would be the case.
Im not to fussed about keeping the stock look.
Do i take it the poor mw is a trait of golfs or do you think i have an underlying issue,

Title: Re: upgrading to a non vw stereo
Post by: shail on August 31, 2015, 11:30:04 pm

On my original VW unit (rcd500) the MW was spot on.  VW use a twin aerial system which aftermarket units seem to struggle with. 

Look up 'twin fakra adapeter' for more info.  I had bought a twin fakra apadpter made by Celcus which improved things on FM a lot but MWbis still not great (but better than when I had a single fakra adapter).

I went with a DAB enabled unit which gives me Talksport.