rapid stereo upgrade query

[zed50]

Hi there,
I've just joined this forum after having ordered a Rapid spaceback. I figured i'd post in this subforum as this is the only one I could find with a Rapid thread. I was initially in the market for an octavia but couldn't afford new and so chose the new rapid over a used mk2 octavia.
It's a few months off arriving but i want to get rid of the 'swing' radio and fit a 'columbus' (RNS510). My opinion is that the swing looks a bit outdated and that fitting a columbus would have the additional benefit of being able to get rid of my horrible navman and it's associated cable.
I'm excited to find that the VAG offer the dash fascia for the columbus for my car and even more excited to find out that the navigation can be integrated with the MFD after having had it programmed via VCDS.
I've noticed that I could save some money by buying the columbus unit from Europe. I'd like to know whether i could buy a 2nd hand columbus from Europe and change the maps to Australia?
Further, is the VCDS programming of a skoda the same as for a VW? If so, I'll post on the general VCDS location thread nearer the time.

cheers,
Zed50.

[Hillbilly]

Keep the Navman.

The maps will be far more up to date than any VW map. They only come out about once a year if you are lucky and the text to speech is woeful. Absolutely woeful.

[zed50]

Thanks for the advice. I really liked the Columbus in the Octavia 2 that I test drove. I guess I didn't venture into any new roads or changed layouts that would have tested the maps. I can't remember the text to speech at all. What is bad about it? I liked that the next turn and distance was displayed in the mfd. The untidiness of the navman cable gets to me bit the maps and routes are ok. Off topic but I preferred my old tomtom over the navman, for the ability to set a destination as the intersection of two streets, a feature which I used regularly.

[Hillbilly]

I agree about the Tomtom. You can always route the cable carefully up the side of the dash and just remove the unit and leave the cable I have front and rear dashcams and you cant see the cables for them except for about 4 inches right at the camera. The text to speech has crap pronunciation of Australian names and never says the name of the street you are turning into. It is also too early and has caused me to drive up a blind street close to the one I wanted. As welll the mpas are far more out of date than the Tomtom ones

[spud75]

Hi there,
I've just joined this forum after having ordered a Rapid spaceback. I figured i'd post in this subforum as this is the only one I could find with a Rapid thread. I was initially in the market for an octavia but couldn't afford new and so chose the new rapid over a used mk2 octavia.
It's a few months off arriving but i want to get rid of the 'swing' radio and fit a 'columbus' (RNS510). My opinion is that the swing looks a bit outdated and that fitting a columbus would have the additional benefit of being able to get rid of my horrible navman and it's associated cable.
I'm excited to find that the VAG offer the dash fascia for the columbus for my car and even more excited to find out that the navigation can be integrated with the MFD after having had it programmed via VCDS.
I've noticed that I could save some money by buying the columbus unit from Europe. I'd like to know whether i could buy a 2nd hand columbus from Europe and change the maps to Australia?
Further, is the VCDS programming of a skoda the same as for a VW? If so, I'll post on the general VCDS location thread nearer the time.

cheers,
Zed50.

The maps for australia are just a DVD that is copied onto the rns510 hdd. Not like Audi where the DVD has to stay in the unit. I am retro fitting a rns-e right now.

True the maps will be more out of date than a ñavman or tomtom, but if you want a clean look then rns510 is the way to go. There is a thread in the Octavia of a rcd510 I think which may work for you. One thing you can do with rns510 ís mod to add reverse camera. I am doing this too even though not offered ôn mk II octy.

You should be able to buy from Europe ok especially uk, or Octavia - 1Z - Octavia - Skoda Euro Car Upgrades

Some of the vcds programming is the same, but á lot is not.

Ćheck out briskoda yo see if similar has been done.

What is really cool though in Europe as an option is they have screen replication of android phone to stereo screen so they don't even offer sat nav. They don't offer here as you can't do it for iOS yet. Might be worth looking at if you have android. AS then your maps are really, really current.

[spud75]

Hi there,
I've just joined this forum after having ordered a Rapid spaceback. I figured i'd post in this subforum as this is the only one I could find with a Rapid thread. I was initially in the market for an octavia but couldn't afford new and so chose the new rapid over a used mk2 octavia.
It's a few months off arriving but i want to get rid of the 'swing' radio and fit a 'columbus' (RNS510). My opinion is that the swing looks a bit outdated and that fitting a columbus would have the additional benefit of being able to get rid of my horrible navman and it's associated cable.
I'm excited to find that the VAG offer the dash fascia for the columbus for my car and even more excited to find out that the navigation can be integrated with the MFD after having had it programmed via VCDS.
I've noticed that I could save some money by buying the columbus unit from Europe. I'd like to know whether i could buy a 2nd hand columbus from Europe and change the maps to Australia?
Further, is the VCDS programming of a skoda the same as for a VW? If so, I'll post on the general VCDS location thread nearer the time.

cheers,
Zed50.

Try this
Retrofit Amundsen+ - Skoda Rapid - BRISKODA.net

[zed50]

Thanks for the additional replies. I've bought a uk rns-510 and gps antenna but still haven't got the car yet.

[wfdTamar]

The on dash GPS (TomTom etc) is good to have for speed & camera warnings.

[zed50]

I'm selling the Swing stereo which is in as-new condition with as-new fascia if this is of use to anyone. I can't post in the parts for sale thread.
Have a small wooden box so i can send interstate if necessary, but prefer local pick-up.
Any reasonable offer considered.