MDI cable

[Umai Naa!!]

Spot-on.

Salespeople don't read the accessories lists too well. You would think that if there's a few different cables, then they would ask which one you'd want.

[K1W1]

Yes, as someone else said, it is like having to option and buy the tyres separatley from the wheels!

Anyone who gets bullied into paying for a cable is too soft.

That's rubbish. Virtually every car these days is fitted with a USB or other (in VWs case MDI) interface port. How many cars are supplied to customers with USB cables?
The cable is not part of the car and it's nothing like supplying a vehicle without wheels. I bet 90% of the MDI interfaces in VW group vehicles never get used in these days of Bluetooth streaming and SD cards and when you find out how bad the iPod integration and control is via the cars ICE system you will probably cease using the interface as well.
The fault here is simply that dealers do not tell their customers that the cable is an option and nowhere is it mentioned as an option in the Skoda sales literature as far as I can remember.

[sbm]

That's rubbish. Virtually every car these days is fitted with a USB or other (in VWs case MDI) interface port. How many cars are supplied to customers with USB cables?
The cable is not part of the car and it's nothing like supplying a vehicle without wheels. I bet 90% of the MDI interfaces in VW group vehicles never get used in these days of Bluetooth streaming and SD cards and when you find out how bad the iPod integration and control is via the cars ICE system you will probably cease using the interface as well.
The fault here is simply that dealers do not tell their customers that the cable is an option and nowhere is it mentioned as an option in the Skoda sales literature as far as I can remember.

In my case it wasnt rubbish and usb is not standard on the Skoda, i think you have missed the point of the original post. I got told "it has MDI, so you can plug your phone in and access you play lists etc through the touch screen". noting was mentioned about a separate cable that had to be purchased. So yeah it is like saying "here is the car, see these tires on the wheels? the are great for driving on!", so you would assume that they come with the car. But then get told car doesn't come with them, just the rims after buying it.
But the deal i got for the car outweighed that anyway. Its just frustrating.
Anyway the problem got solved by the OEM part from the UK for 12 pounds.

[K1W1]

Every car ad you see today says much the same thing and none of them are supplied with cables. Many TV commercials show phones connected to cars while smiling passengers happily changing music for the camera but do not mention that it's byo cable. Brochures show phones or music devices connected to car systems but never mention that it's byo cable.
The MDI is nothing more than another pig headed attempt to keep an open standard (USB) proprietary. If the Germans were to forgo their arrogance for a while and simply scrap the next to useless MDI serial interface and replace it with a world standard USB one this whole issue would be resolved but cars would still not be supplied with cables.

[Umai Naa!!]

Don't know about Skoda, but the factory-fitted ones in VWs (the one in the centre console), comes with a USB cable.

If you bought the kit as an accessory (dealer-fitted), it comes with no cable at all.

[DunlopRS]

Don't know about Skoda, but the factory-fitted ones in VWs (the one in the centre console), comes with a USB cable.

If you bought the kit as an accessory (dealer-fitted), it comes with no cable at all.

Mine was factory fitted - no cable. Got USB and iphone cables from different UK ebay sources - total of less than $30 delivered.......... (appeared to be in genuine VW packaging) - and in my mailbox within a week of placing the order.

However I agree it makes little rational sence not to go with the USB standard. If they were genuine VW cables it must in the end cost VW/skoda money not to use the standard.............

should say that I would rather buy in AUS but when the differential is like this ($200 vrs $30) there is no way I can support the local pricing policy.....