RVC install

[danger17]

Hi everyone.

I'm in the market for an R36 wagon and am wrestling between finding one with low(ish) kms and the options that I want.. When it all comes down to it, it's more important to me that the car has low kms as opposed to an auto tailgate, but what's not negotiable for me is that it has a RVC.

I've heard and read that the cabling for a RVC is a no-no.. Nobody who knows how to do it, wants to do it and doing it myself would probably result in the car catching on fire (I'm not that handy).

Questions:
1. Does anyone know of somewhere in Sydney that I could have this done for a reasonable price
2. Are there any wireless solutions that are worth looking at, or are they rubbish?

Thanks guys!

[kamold]

Don't bother with wireless, install OEM.

There are plenty of places that can install either the highline version (has bending guidelines displayed on the screen depending on steering wheel angle) or lowline (static guidelines). Obviously highline is more expensive.

Cabling is just time consuming and labour intensive due to the need to remove and reinstall trim etc.

Depends which part of Sydney you are in, most good car audio places will be able to do the installation for you. They may or may not be able to do the coding of the car for the new feature, but any of your local VCDS-enabled forum members can do this for appropriate compensation in beer etc.

[snerlo]

It's definitely possible as I retro fitted a RVC to my R36 wagon. To be honest, it isn't too bad if you are a little handy with removing trim. The only pain the ar$e is getting the cable through the rubber boot near the hinges. That consumed quite a lot of my time as the cable attachment, just purely wouldn't fit through the hole. I ended up punching a hole through beside it and going in there. As said above, a good shop should be able to install. Coding was very simple and someone with VCDS should be able to do it for quite easily as Kamold has said. Obviously, you need to make sure you have the suitable headunit to take the reversing camera. Either an RCD510 with the mustard coloured RVC plug, or the RNS510 which is the satnav version.

[prn31]

I've just recently gone down the path of retrofitting an RVC to my MY10.5 R36 Wagon that I purchased in June this year.

In doing my research I learnt that the RVC on MY10 and 10.5s weren't bundled with the RNS510 Satellite Navigation system - it was a separate option. One of the cars I test drove, an ex-Dealer Principal MY10 demo had just about every option except the RVC. It was similar with my R36 - Sat Nav but no RVC. It may be apocryphal, but I heard that someone at Volkswagen Australia forgot to tick the box for RVC on MY10 R36 Wagon orders and none of them came with factory RVCs....!

Anyway I had a lowline RVC fitted - at the time I didn't know there was a lowline and a highline! My understanding is that the highline includes an RVC Control Unit Module that has to be fitted in the spare wheel well. The cost of the kit is more than twice that of the lowline and the install would be more because of wiring in that additional component plus other complications.

I bought my OEM RVC kit off ebay (from a Sydney VW tech guy) and got a VW specialist to do the work - they had previously done installations. I was quoted three hours labour but it took much longer than that because the mechanic was snaffled by the same problem that snerlo had - getting the cable through the rubber boot near the hinges. What made things more difficult was that I have a powered tailgate and that cable goes through the same rubber boot, which eventually had to be cut open and then rejoined with sikaflex. My RVC cable was taken through the panels above the door whilst I believe that snerlo took the cable through the door sill plates - I don't think it really matter how you do it though.

Whilst I'm handy working with older cars, I'm glad I didn't try and tackle this job myself...

[danger17]

Thanks guys. Sounds like it's definitely a job left for the professionals.

I've reached out to a few mobile installers. Heard back with quotes of $150 and $90.

vw_parts_aus @ eBay has quoted me:
9w7 bluetooth - $440 ($340 supply and $100 install)
RVC lowline - $240 (supply only - but happy to hook up and code). Have asked for a quote for highline.

@kamold - This is Paul. The search for an R36 is getting close...

[prn31]

Thanks guys. Sounds like it's definitely a job left for the professionals.

I've reached out to a few mobile installers. Heard back with quotes of $150 and $90.

vw_parts_aus @ eBay has quoted me:
9w7 bluetooth - $440 ($340 supply and $100 install)
RVC lowline - $240 (supply only - but happy to hook up and code). Have asked for a quote for highline.

@kamold - This is Paul. The search for an R36 is getting close...

This is the same guy that I went to with my RVC. Can't remember the guy's name but he is located at Seven Hills. When I was there he had two Golfs he was fitting Bluetooth to.

I doubt that he will have a highline RVC. jku.com.au on the Sunshine Coast have one for $699 (I think it came out of a car so isn't brand new) and to install would be $499. Not sure whether they can install in Sydney - you would need to ask them.

$90 to $150 to install seems on the lowish side - I would budget for twice that. I saw my installation take place and a lot of trim panels need to be removed. It certainly wasn't straight forward.

Good luck with your search - there are certainly plenty of R36 wagons for sale at the moment...

[Darkhorse Developments]

$90-$150 for install is way too cheap....I would say that installer has never fitted one.. more like $300+

[seanmau5]

Even the unhandiest of people can remove panels right? If so, do all the annoying panel removal and preparation and let the professionals do the actual install? Then put it all back together! Should save you some labour costs.


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[nat225]

Even the unhandiest of people can remove panels right? If so, do all the annoying panel removal and preparation and let the professionals do the actual install? Then put it all back together! Should save you some labour costs.


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true. anyone can remove panels. easy.

but to remove panels n to refit without breaking any clips, plastic bits & pieces, that requires experience and skills and know how.

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