It's been literally years since I posted on here but I've just ordered myself a new Fabia vRS and have a bit of a quandry!

As I wanted the car by January, I decided to ring round to see what's at the docks or if any demos were up for sale. After many hours of ringing round lots of dealers countrywide and not having much luck, I happened to drop on one that had exactly what I wanted:

Candy White

Black roof

Black wheels

Cruise control

Rear parking sensors

Climate control

Centre armrest

Rear electric windows

It sounds like a cancelled order as it's been allocated a build week but crucially hasn't been built yet.

My quandary is that I've convinced myself that I want the Bluetooth and phone prep kit as it's something I'd like (and use!) and does seem a popular option. In the excitement of trying to find my car, it completely went over my head and didn't think about it till afterwards. The problem is that we've agreed a price on the car as per above spec and I've left my local dealer a good deposit for it.

I'm due to go in and sign the order forms tomorrow as so far I've only given a deposit with my card over the telephone. If I tell the dealer I want this added extra then firstly I'd have to see if that option can be added before the car goes to production stage (week 4 I've been told). Secondly, even if it can be, I think the dealer would be more than willing to fleece me for every penny he can claw back to add it on! I reckon I haggled pretty hard to get the deal I've got but now this is just really getting to me.

What do you guys think and how would you approach the dealer? I don't want to wind him up too much as this is my third Skoda from them and they've been pretty good over that time.

If they can I would only pay 2 3rds of the full price, if they cant no big deal get a parrot kit or a tom tom with bluetooth, mine even reads out my text messages!

If they can I would only pay 2 3rds of the full price, if they cant no big deal get a parrot kit or a tom tom with bluetooth, mine even reads out my text messages!

If they genuinely can't add it then I'll still be having the car anyway because in every other respect it's just what I'm looking for, especially that colour combo. Kicking myself at the moment for not thinking about it before.

I could go the Parrot route or the GPS route (I have a Garmin Zumo which has Bluetooth) but I'd rather it be a part of the car as I don't often use my GPS much and it's faffing about.

I can't see my dealer giving me a discount even if he can get it added to the order but could I use the fact that I haven't yet signed any forms or contracts to try and lever it a bit or is that just plain taking the Michael?

Is the OEM Bluetooth even worth that much or is aftermarket the way to go?

*Update*

I spoke to the dealer just now and the good news is that it can be added on. In his words the only things that can't be changed are the engine and transmission which, considering there's no alternative on those 2 things it wouldn't matter anyway.

He did strongly advise that I don't go down the OEM route though as firstly it's expensive and secondly an aftermarket Parrot would be much better. He said compatibility is assured doing it this way (I have an iPhone 3GS at present) and generally they do more than what the factory fitted option does. He said that both managers who have vRSs have a Parrot system through choice and not the factory fitted one.

If it were integrated with the car, there'd be no button on the steering wheel but there would be a control panel somewhere instead. This can be integrated with the stereo I would think. The other alternative is to get a portable system that just mounts on the sun visor and is voice controlled. This obviously wouldn't integrate with the stereo though.

I've left it as we can discuss aftermarket options and even getting the dealer to fit it nearer the time when the car is delivered. I'm seeing him on Saturday to sign the order papers anyway so I guess I've got until then to decide what I'm doing.

Thoughts?

Thats good news to you mate.

Thats good news to you mate.

Which part exactly? The fact it can be added on or that I should look at aftermarket options anyway?

I am guessing you should take his advice not to choose the OEM option, as what hes saying obviously makes sence if both the managers done it that way. After all its in his best interest to sell you it, so when hes telling you to go for a aftermarket one then i would..

Health to enjoy you motor, sounds crackin:D

The fact that it can be added on, even through it is expensive.

I am guessing you should take his advice not to choose the OEM option, as what hes saying obviously makes sence if both the managers done it that way. After all its in his best interest to sell you it, so when hes telling you to go for a aftermarket one then i would..

Health to enjoy you motor, sounds crackin:D

His advice makes sense and it's not that I'm adverse to having an aftermarket system fitted, I just prefer things to be integrated rather than added on. A phone button on the steering wheel along with dash information looks better than having a separate control unit and info box, that's my train of thought. Also a small part of me wonders what difference it would make to the resale value in around 3 years time.

It'll be around mid-Feb at the moment before the car is delivered but the test drive blew me away. Coming from a long line of turbo diesels I was completely taken by surprise at how the TSI unit delivered the power.

At the moment it's impossible to say when the car will be delivered but if it's going to be at least mid-Feb then I'll ask the dealer not to do so until 1st March when the new reg comes out!

If it was me, i would go down the oem route. Yes its more expensive, but it integrates fully with the car and gives you control of the system at your fingertips rather than via an external control box. As the system is fully integrated you get better call quality because the microphone is a quality one mounted out of site with the audio routed through the car headunit. Also when you leave the car there is no sign that the system is fitted so its less tempting for thieves and it getting stolen.

If it was me, i would go down the oem route. Yes its more expensive, but it integrates fully with the car and gives you control of the system at your fingertips rather than via an external control box. As the system is fully integrated you get better call quality because the microphone is a quality one mounted out of site with the audio routed through the car headunit. Also when you leave the car there is no sign that the system is fitted so its less tempting for thieves and it getting stolen.

Thanks, that's something I had thought about. The main issue seems to be centred around compatibility it seems. The dealer reckoned that as phone technology is constantly changing, there's no guarantee that the OEM system will work with future phones. He mentioned something to do with GSM 2 and GSM 3 phones but that means nothing to me. Surely this would apply to any bluetooth kit though and not limited to the OEM one?

All I want to know is that it'll work with my phone, an iPhone 3GS running OS4.1 and any future phone I may upgrade to.

Was all set to order the OEM kit when I rang this morning but for now the dealer talked me out of it. Don't know what to do for the best, I'm not bothered about a portable system as I would much prefer the stereo integration.

He mentioned something to do with GSM 2 and GSM 3 phones but that means nothing to me. Surely this would apply to any bluetooth kit though and not limited to the OEM one?

The dealer mentioned GSM2 & GSM3 as this was VAG's faux-pas in introducing rSAP functionality to the factory-fitted bluetooth. Basically GSM2 provided bluetooth HFP (hands-free profile), GSM3 provided bluetooth rSAP (remote sim access profile). The problem is that while it is technolgically superior, only a sub-set of bluetooth capable phones support rSAP (mostly Nokia) and consequently lots of popular handsets such as iPhone, Android and Blackberry could not connect to the VAG GSM3 bluetooth as they required HFP. Unfortnately SUK misjudged the market and introduced GSM3 to the UK while other countries such as Eire stuck with the more universally supported GSM2.

Good news is this has all been sorted out. As of model year 2011 (2010 build week 22) the VAG GSM3 fitted to Skodas now supports both HFP and rSAP, though I believe this is still referred to as GSM3. You will be fine with your iPhone if you choose to go down the OEM route, you should also get A2DP so that you can stream audio from the iPhone to the head unit. Not sure whether this works with the standard fit 'Swing' head unit, maybe someone else can confirm.

Best regards

David

Edited 12 November, 201015 yr by cookdn

The dealer mentioned GSM2 & GSM3 as this was VAG's faux-pas in introducing rSAP functionality to the factory-fitted bluetooth. Basically GSM2 provided bluetooth HFP (hands-free profile), GSM3 provided bluetooth rSAP (remote sim access profile). The problem is that while it is technolgically superior, only a sub-set of bluetooth capable phones support rSAP (mostly Nokia) and consequently lots of popular handsets such as iPhone, Android and Blackberry could not connect to the VAG GSM3 bluetooth as they required HFP. Unfortnately SUK misjudged the market and introduced GSM3 to the UK while other countries such as Eire stuck with the more universally supported GSM2.

Good news is this has all been sorted out. As of model year 2011 (2010 build week 22) the VAG GSM3 fitted to Skodas now supports both HFP and rSAP, though I believe this is still referred to as GSM3. You will be fine with your iPhone if you choose to go down the OEM route, you should also get A2DP so that you can stream audio from the iPhone to the head unit. Not sure whether this works with the standard fit 'Swing' head unit, maybe someone else can confirm.

Best regards

David

Thanks David, that makes sense.

I managed to swing by the dealers this afternoon, knowing he had a Fabia vRS with bluetooth, to test if my iPhone works properly with the OEM kit and it does. It can stream music via A2DP and it can do phone calls, display the phonebook, recent calls etc etc so I'm confident that this is the solution to go for.

Going to ring the dealer this afternoon and get it added to the order. For the difference in price between a decent aftermarket kit and the factory fitted option I'd much rather have the latter. Don't reckon the dealer will cut me any slack on price though!!

Do I need to order both the phone prep kit AND the steering wheel or are the controls already there?

It is worth asking on price if he says no push for mats and full tank of fuel, my mates wife just got one, will edit this post after looking at the spec,< don't think it has mfsw >

EDIT yes it has bluetooth but not MFSW http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/178222-wifes-new-vrs-pictures/

Edited 12 November, 201015 yr by bluvrs2

It is worth asking on price if he says no push for mats and full tank of fuel, my mates wife just got one, will edit this post after looking at the spec,< don't think it has mfsw >

EDIT yes it has bluetooth but not MFSW http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/178222-wifes-new-vrs-pictures/

I'll certainly ask about price but can't really get anything extra thrown in as I went for the car mats on the deal anyway which he's throwing in. Tried my hardest for a tank of fuel but no joy on that front. There isn't anything else I can think of that I could get him to throw in?

As I say, we've agreed on the deal before I started with the bluetooth option so I can't see him having any motive for giving me any more. That won't stop me asking though!

Will I need the steering wheel option as how will I control the phone functions otherwise?

Pm chris on the link I sent you he is online now regarding bluetooth , try doing a better deal on the fixed servicing maybe

Thanks David, that makes sense.

No problem.

Going to ring the dealer this afternoon and get it added to the order. For the difference in price between a decent aftermarket kit and the factory fitted option I'd much rather have the latter. Don't reckon the dealer will cut me any slack on price though!!

Even if you ened up paying list price of £220 I reckon it is a good choice. Unless you are confident fitting this sort of stuff yourself, an aftermarket kit such as a Bury CC9060 is going to cost upwards of £175 for supply and installation.

There isn't anything else I can think of that I could get him to throw in?

USB MDI lead? Failing that you can pick them up on eBay for about half the Skoda list price, even less if you are patient. I managed to pick up the USB and iPod MDI leads on seperate auctions for about £15.

Best regards

David

Edited 12 November, 201015 yr by cookdn

Thanks for the replies guys.

I ordered the factory kit in the end but I couldn't shift him a penny on price. Apparently the dealer makes a tiny margin on extras (around 5% he told me) and he couldn't offer any more discount than what he'd already given me.

It cost £220 for the Bluetooth but also £150 for the steering wheel which includes controls for the phone. I asked why they were sold separately if they were both required and the service guy explained that it's something to do with a different wiring loom?

I'll get the MDI cable off him nearer delivery time as I'll use the fact that it states 'including cable' in the brochure. I'll get it one way or another!!

The phone prep kit and steering wheel on the SE comes out at nearly £700 by the way. Scandalous!!

It cost £220 for the Bluetooth but also £150 for the steering wheel which includes controls for the phone. I asked why they were sold separately if they were both required and the service guy explained that it's something to do with a different wiring loom?

Ouch ! Didn't realise that the MFSW was required in addition to the bluetooth. Probably still worth it; I've had steering wheel controls on my last two cars and I wouldn't choose to not have them now. Worth it for the audio controls on their own, especially if you have MDI.

Best regards

David

Ouch ! Didn't realise that the MFSW was required in addition to the bluetooth. Probably still worth it; I've had steering wheel controls on my last two cars and I wouldn't choose to not have them now. Worth it for the audio controls on their own, especially if you have MDI.

Best regards

David

They were my thoughts really. The standard vRS steering wheel has controls for the radio but not the phone apparently. Your £150 of hard-earned gets you a phone button and a bit of jiggery pokery behind the dash.

Nobody seemed to know whether Bluetooth can be specified without the MFSW upgrade but looking over the options for other trim levels we worked out between us that both were necessary for the complete system. Having faffed around for 5 mins with the demo car, I couldn't work out how the phone could be controlled without the MFSW upgrade.

Expensive I know but worth it in my opinion for a number of reasons.

Did you pm Chris I am sure he hasn't the MFSW but got bluetooth and he got the cable free

Did you pm Chris I am sure he hasn't the MFSW but got bluetooth and he got the cable free

I'm afraid not as I've been typing replies from my iPhone while out and about.

To be honest, I would've taken the MFSW option anyway but I do wonder how the system works both with and without it? Logic dictates that the system would be more convenient with the MFSW?

Well if you are spending all that dosh he better give you a cable free!

Well if you are spending all that dosh he better give you a cable free!

He better or I won't be a happy bunny!

They were my thoughts really. The standard vRS steering wheel has controls for the radio but not the phone apparently. Your £150 of hard-earned gets you a phone button and a bit of jiggery pokery behind the dash.

Nobody seemed to know whether Bluetooth can be specified without the MFSW upgrade but looking over the options for other trim levels we worked out between us that both were necessary for the complete system. Having faffed around for 5 mins with the demo car, I couldn't work out how the phone could be controlled without the MFSW upgrade.

Expensive I know but worth it in my opinion for a number of reasons.

I was quite impressed with the three-way integration between the HU, the maxi-dot dashboard display and the MFSW on the Superb just for controlling the audio. Took a bit to workout the button combinations but being able to skip back through podcasts playing from an SD card was very convenient. I guess MDI will be the same.

Maybe I'm easily impressed?

Best regards

David