The unit's arrived now and really do like the look of it

Do I need anything else to fit straight into the Fabia? I've got the removal tools (thanks Lee) so I'm wondering if I need a loom adaptor or anything?

Steve

The unit's arrived now and really do like the look of it

It feels really well-made and good quality' date=' doesn't it?

Do I need anything else to fit straight into the Fabia? I've got the removal tools (thanks Lee) so I'm wondering if I need a loom adaptor or anything?

Mine just plugged straight in (after swapping the yellow & red cables). The metal housing sleeve was a tight fit - so much so that I didn't bother bending the tangs over to hold it in place. You will probably want to get the original Skoda fascia insert for about

When you turn the W7027 off or turn the ignition off' date=' the bottom section comes up so it's 90 degrees to the Head unit. It then waits a while for you to slide off the very back piece of the control section and then continues to fold up. You take away with you the back of the button section and Kenwood supply a small carry case.

With the back left on all you see when you look in the car is a black plastic block. When you take the the back section off you are left with a black block with a few contacts with a small flashing LED.

If you get it pinched within 12 months of purchase and you have the anti-theft panel Kenwood will replace your head unit free of charge.

[/quote']

Precisely the reason I chose a Kenwood. I absolutely hate having to carry the HU around. My "flip side" looks even more inconspicuous than Lee's! The only times I take it out are in Amsterdam's shadier neighbourhoods, in all other 99% of occasions the mask flip works for me.

I don't like Kenwood's display design (too flashy) and for that matter the actual design of the HU itself, but the mask feature was too big an advantage to drop the thought of buying a Kenwood.

I will also readily believe that it doesn't produce the absolute best sound, but then I'm not an audiophile. (Audiophiles shouldn't be listening to reduced-quality MP3s with car surround noise anyway! )

Precisely the reason I chose a Kenwood. I absolutely hate[/i'] having to carry the HU around. My "flip side" looks even more inconspicuous than Lee's! The only times I take it out are in Amsterdam's shadier neighbourhoods, in all other 99% of occasions the mask flip works for me.

When I lived in Amsterdam (1981-4), my Golf GTI was broken into three times. That wasn't in a shady area. It was Apollolaan, in the well-to-do Nieuw Zuid district, I guess it's good pickings in the less shady areas.

I hid the unit in the console, just in front of the gear lever, with a blank plate over it. The normal radio slot was filled with three VDO dials.

When I lived in Amsterdam (1981-4)' date=' my Golf GTI was broken into three times. That wasn't in a shady area. It was Apollolaan, in the well-to-do Nieuw Zuid district, I guess it's good pickings in the less shady areas.

[/quote']

Apollolaan? People get shot there in broad daylight!

http://www.rtl.nl/(/actueel/rtlnieuws/dossiers/dossier_paginas/jaaroverzicht_2004/)/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/rtl_plus/jaaroverzicht_2004/2004_mei_endstra.xml

Apollolaan? People get shot there in broad daylight!

Godverdomme! Ik ben er goed weg! I don't know whoch end Endstra's office was. Maybe it wasn't there 20 years ago. I lived at no. 30.

My car was damaged when broken into. Junkies just rip things out. A friend of mine with a Golf Mk 1 had his car broken into very neatly. The rear window is flat. They put suckers on it, pulled it out and rested it by the side of the car. They crawled in and unscrewed the music system carefully before removing it. Respect!

Godverdomme! Ik ben er goed weg!

Well' date=' let's just say that not all rich people earn their money in an honest way - Endstra was one of them...

My car was damaged when broken into. Junkies just rip things out.

Then again, the same applies to some poor people.

My car was damaged when broken into. Junkies just rip things out. A friend of mine with a Golf Mk 1 had his car broken into very neatly. The rear window is flat. They put suckers on it, pulled it out and rested it by the side of the car. They crawled in and unscrewed the music system carefully before removing it. Respect!

Indeed! Come on, you bad guys out there, show some class and bring back traditional workmanship-like Dutch thievery!

P.S. Mike, the Apollolaan is still a very nice place to live. Well, most of the time!

Try www.caraudiosecurity.com they've always got some good deals going!

Sony do a model with the active black front, it flips down when needing to insert cd's but the facia is totally black when not in use has one of those fancy oel type displays...sells for 190 smackers!

oH B-LOX! I read the whole post! Not much use recommending anything now when you've gone and got one. That's what happens when yer in work @ 5 in the AM..... :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Mine just plugged straight in (after swapping the yellow & red cables). The metal housing sleeve was a tight fit - so much so that I didn't bother bending the tangs over to hold it in place. You will probably want to get the original Skoda fascia insert for about

Mine doesn't appear to have come with the metal cage' date=' which is a pain - will have to sort that out

I've given it a test fit, and the cabling's plugged in fine, thanks. I have a question about the aerial connection though. The Skoda cable doesn't seem to plug in, as the Pioneer has a resessed plug :confused: Do I need an adaptor for that, or has something else been left out of my box?

Cheers

Steve[/quote']

Oh yes. Sorry about that - I forgot. It does need an adaptor. Some people think it also needs an amplifier, but I have no problems with it. I don't understand why you didn't get a metal fitting cage. Are you sure it is not already on the unit?

Thanks Mike, any idea on part number/price for the adaptor? I'll probably go down to Halfrauds for convenience's sake.

On the cage, see image below, it doesn't look like it's got the cage on already??

Steve

Thanks Mike' date=' any idea on part number/price for the adaptor? I'll probably go down to Halfrauds for convenience's sake.

On the cage, see image below, it doesn't look like it's got the cage on already??

Steve[/quote']

The adaptor should be easily identified visually. I'm sure Halfrauds will advise. However, I am wondering if you have a returned unit where the previous owner didn't return the cage :(. It looks as if one was on there at one time because of the wear marks on the side.

Thanks Mike, I'll pop down there. Could I pick up another cage from Halfrauds as well, do you think?

Steve

Thanks Mike' date=' I'll pop down there. Could I pick up another cage from Halfrauds as well, do you think?

Steve[/quote']

I don't know about another cage. I don't think they are universal - otherwise there wouldn't be different keys. Where did you get the HU from?

Another quick one - I've sorted out the cage issue, and picked up an antenna adaptor. But I just can't get the darn thing to fit. I get the cage and HU within about an inch of home and nothing budges. I'm at risk of bending the cage if I push anymore!

I've also tried fitting the cage first, just to test, and it finishes in roughly the same position. So I'm thinking there must be something in the recess halting progress. Anyone else had this? Any hints/tips?

Thanks,

Steve

I had to remove the glovebox and get my hand up behind the HU to stop the loom bunching up behind the HU.

When you say antenna adaptor, do you mean a 12V powered antenna booster? These tend to get in the way when sliding the HU in.

If the cage doesn't slide and lock in place with the head unit when it's not fitted in the car then it looks like it's the wrong cage.

Lee

Oh brilliant :( Well, at least I know other people haven't had it easy either!

On the adaptor, I think it's a ISO to DIN antenna adaptor, so that the Fabia's pin antenna connector can fit the back of the Pioneer?

Steve

Oh brilliant :( Well' date=' at least I know other people haven't had it easy either!

On the adaptor, I think it's a ISO to DIN antenna adaptor, so that the Fabia's pin antenna connector can fit the back of the Pioneer?

Steve[/quote']

I know other people have said you don't need one but FM reception is far better with a powered antenna booster. You really notice a difference when picking up weaker stations or weaker traffic broadcasts. Also stops alot of the frequency hunting when listening to Radio1. Most BeeSting aerials have a seperate booster but VAG fit the booster in the standard HU.

My local ICE place had them for

Another quick one - I've sorted out the cage issue' date=' and picked up an antenna adaptor. But I just can't get the darn thing to fit. I get the cage and HU within about an inch of home and nothing budges. I'm at risk of bending the cage if I push anymore!

I've also tried fitting the cage first, just to test, and it finishes in roughly the same position. So I'm thinking there must be something in the recess halting progress. Anyone else had this? Any hints/tips?

Thanks,

Steve[/quote']

I never had any problem with the cage. It is only about half the depth, or less, of the HU. It was a very tight fit, though. The HU was a bit difficult because the wiring bunched up. You need to tie it together as compact as possible and help poke it in to the right place (there are gaps in the side of the recess) with a metal ruler as you slide the HU in.

Of course, the cage must go in before the HU. There are tangs that bend outwards to hold it in place, although these are hardly necessary because it is so tight anyway. There should be no problem at all with the cage but, if there is, at least you can see what they are because the HU is not in the way.

Mine was a firm fit in the Fabia to be sure, the oddments tray pushes up a bit on it but at least it wasnt going to fall out.

Now has been taken out to go in the new vehicle, looking forward to that job..lol.

OK guys, cheers. I'll take more time, maybe at the weekend, to try and get everything tied up and neater. It must be the cage rubbing or hitting against something then. I'll look more at that too.

On the FM reception, I'll bear it in mind, but I hardly ever listen to the radio, and the reception on local stations (FM) and Radio 1 seemed fine on the driveway

Thanks, Steve.