Bluetooth help needed for my10 118TSI

[RosscoMK3]

That refers to the dealer fitted genuine accessory, whereas the line highlighted in pink refers to the factory fitted 9W7 unit. As he has a 118TSI (highlighted in yellow), if he had a MY12, bluetooth would have been standard.

As for retrofitting, RNS510 was piss easy. 9W7 was slightly more difficult but still easy. More or less followed the guide posted by Ryan_R, however rather than removing the A Pillar trim, I just pushed the cable under the rubber seal. Also purchased this unit Bluetooth VW RNS 510 9W7 UHV AD2P / 7P6 035 730 F!!! 2012!!! newer than 5K0! | eBay which, unlike the unit in the guide, plays the streaming audio through both left and right channels. However to be compatible with RCD310, RCD510 and RNS510 the microphone in and out (on the head unit) are bridged on the wiring harness, which people have reported to cause interference. This can be easily changed as per this post... http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...tml#post727210.

I've been looking at the " newer than 5KO" ebay link you provided. That seems like a pretty good buy.
Do the mods solve the interference issues while retaining full compatability? Does the MFD work also?
Sorry if I'm missing obvious things but my head is starting to hurt with all the reading I've been doing today.

[jameshero]

I've been looking at the " newer than 5KO" ebay link you provided. That seems like a pretty good buy.
Do the mods solve the interference issues while retaining full compatability? Does the MFD work also?
Sorry if I'm missing obvious things but my head is starting to hurt with all the reading I've been doing today.

Yup, the modification to the harness allows for full compatibility, both stereo streaming and voice control of both RNS510 and 9W7. You can control bluetooth via either the MFD and the RNS510, however to get it to display in the MFD, coding is required.

All I need to decide on now is how much I want to install (including RCam etc.), whether or not to use the rns510, or go down the aftermarket path for a better gps experience.
I'm still yet to get into a car with OEM navigation that is any better than above average.

OK, so the navigation part of it is alright, if I just want to get somewhere with minimal effort then I use it, the instructions come up in the MFD as well which is nice. However some of the routes it chooses are very peculiar, the speed limits it displays is wrong, there is no warning for speed and traffic light cameras and the estimated arrival time is WAY out.

Also the latest maps disc that is easily obtainable has no traffic service, but while CD_7703 does, the TMC service in Australia is super, super bad. (Google search Suna Traffic). On the rare occasion it does work, messages only come up if the traffic is worse than usual (thats is if they come up at all). Eg: Rosanna Road through Heidelberg is a nightmare every morning, and therefore no message is broadcasted. However while a TomTom takes traffic history into account as well, the RNS510 does not, and therefore will drive you straight into traffic, if that traffic is there every day at that time.

During peak hour I always use TomTom on my iPhone with live traffic, as the routes are better, it avoids traffic, it tells me about traffic cameras and the estimated time is normally within 1 or 2 minutes of my actual arrival time.

However on the plus side the RNS510 does allow you to use the OEM Reversing Camera. Personally I wouldn't be able to deal with a third party reversing camera with a little screen attached to the dash. My plan to install the Reversing Camera was a large part of my decision to purchase the unit. The way the camera pops out under the boot latch is also very cool. =D The touch screen makes using your mobile much much easier as well, as using the MFD for telephone is really quite frustrating. While you could just buy RCD510, I decided the few $100 difference between the two was worth it.

EDIT: Also maps tend to be rather out of date, 2011Q1 Maps became available on the internet in 2012Q1.

[RosscoMK3]

Thanks so much for the insight guys. I'm really starting to get a feel for the system now and that makes my options a whole lot more clear cut.
The Kenwood system is really tweaking my interest as it does away with a lot of the hassles. Can I wait? Who knows.

Before saying any more I need to say that I love my, almost new, 118TSI. I'm not trying to hate on VW. I turned down a 1 year old, MPS luxury model with $2k more on the price tag for this car and couldn't be happier.

When people speak of coding, how hard is it? More importantly, how expensive is it and what is the best way to go about it?
For a pleb like me, that is.

[jameshero]

When people speak of coding, how hard is it? More importantly, how expensive is it and what is the best way to go about it?

Very easy. You need the cable found on this website Ross-Tech Store: VCDS License with Micro-CAN Interface which is $249 or many people are happy to code/let you use their cable for an hour for a slab of beer.

[Ryan_R]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...ary-50749.html

[RosscoMK3]

Awsome Guys. Thanks, but it might take some time to read through all the links.
In the meantime, take care, and thankyou for all your help.