Had my Bluetooth kit fitted today, very pleased with it. Made and received a couple of calls on the 2 hour journey home and it performs very well indeed - the integration with the Maxi dot is fantastic.

Big thanks to Rich for a trouble free purchase and a very fair price, and to Stu for supplying the missing parts and doing a very quick and professional install.

Reward offered for the first person to figure out some way of using voice dialing without a MFSW

What's the reward? I know a way

I'd need to give it some reward-thought, depending on how feasible/cheap/doesn't involve the Skoda phone cradle your 'way' is

Very feasible, already in use in several Audis, less than $150 at last check and no phone cradle in sight

A chap on audiforum.us (previously navplus.us) developed a device a long while ago that can emulate CAN signals, one of which is the PTT button. So you install the device (called CANGate), wire it up to a button on the dash (I have two blanks down near the ESP button I think so I'd put a button there perhaps?) and Bob's your mother's brother.

I've emailed him to see if he has any/is still making them and I'll let you know as I might do the same thing even though I'd like the full blown MFSW.

Interesting to read - I think there would be a few people interested here judging by recent posts - very quick Google search looks like he stopped making them a while back, but do please keep me posted if you get anywhere.

A pint for you next time you're in Bristol, we can have a mini VRS meet

Edited 14 February, 200917 yr by Timmyboy
Spelling :)

I do get down there occasionally, so I'll take you up on that!

Interesting to read - I think there would be a few people interested here judging by recent posts - very quick Google search looks like he stopped making them a while back, but do please keep me posted if you get anywhere.

A pint for you next time you're in Bristol, we can have a mini VRS meet

Im in Bristol all the bloody time! Can I have a pint! lol

Had my Bluetooth kit fitted today, very pleased with it. Made and received a couple of calls on the 2 hour journey home and it performs very well indeed - the integration with the Maxi dot is fantastic.

Big thanks to Rich for a trouble free purchase and a very fair price, and to Stu for supplying the missing parts and doing a very quick and professional install.

Reward offered for the first person to figure out some way of using voice dialing without a MFSW

Can you explain how the system works in actual use? Does it use the car's speaker system as an output? What about the mic, where is that?!

I'm trying to understand why this system would be better than say, a mobile with a bluetooth headset?

What was the cost by the way? Do you have a link for what it is you actually have?

Some details of the OEM stuff here - Octavia-vRS.com - OEM Integrated Bluetooth Telephone Install

The link above is exactly what I have. I won't tell you what it cost me as it involves a couple of people on the site, but there are a couple of frequent sellers on eBay e.g.

VW Golf/Skoda/Seat MFD2 RNS 510 Full Bluetooth *FITTED* on eBay, also Bulbs Lenses, Lights Lighting Accessories, Car Tuning Styling, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 28-Feb-09 19:47:53 GMT)

Price has gone up recently due to the bad exchange rates we're seeing at the moment.

If you're patient and fairly lucky, you may see one for sale here - a complete kit went for £150 a couple of months ago, leaving you to either fit it yourself or get someone to do it for you.

Function wise, if you're happy with a Bluetooth headset then there is little point in forking out.

I have a few reasons for buying it, none of them huge however:

- no headset to charge / run out of power at an annoying moment

- don't have to rely on voice commands

- I find headsets uncomfortable on long journeys and it spoils listening to music to some degree

- assuming you leave Bluetooth switched on on your phone, your car and phone will pair without you doing anything other than getting in the car. I would often no bother using my headset on short journeys, but this seemed to be the time I missed the most calls!

- nothing on display, other than the maxidot, which was there anyway

The list goes on. Nothing major, but lots of little nice points.

I had a JVC head unit in one of my old cars which had integrated Bluetooth and got spoiled by it, quickly ditching my headset. The only annoyance was having to take the facia in and out of the car - the OEM kit solves this.

The pics on Stu's site sum it up really - it doesn't do anything fancy (fancier if you have the MFSW as you can use voice dialling) but does its job very well indeed.

The mic is in the panel with the reading lights - there will be a little grill on yours with nothing behind it - nice of Skoda to include all the fittings for you

I've just noticed those cheeky fecks have used my picture!!

I wondered that myself, then refrained from asking whether they had nicked it from you, or you from them

To be honest, it would have been a neat solution, but I don't want to spend £400 on it!

It's just not that big a problem for me, besides, I think my wife is getting me a bluetooth headset for my birthday now