Thanks for the info, very informative.

How often does a unit appear on eBay?

And would I be pushing my luck to ask for a part number for the pre facelift PD and pre facelift PD VRS units!?

UPDATE: Went to see Ben at Shark Performance yesterday, left it with him went for brew at Tesco, and in no time at all I had a lovely new Maxidot up and running!!!!

Everything working perfectly - not as many options on there as i'd have liked, but in fairness I was aware of this possibility with a retrofit anyway....

Only small hitch was I'd forgotten that the radio code would be needed and i'd left the manual at home!! So a drive back to Wigan with nothing but the sound of the Octy.

What options do you not get with a retrofit?

Depends which options are already coded on the car really. You should end up with the same things possible, that would be with a factory-fitted Maxidot.

A PD vRS Maxidot set of clocks will go in a std PD car. But if the set was originally destined for a CR-engined model, than they won't work in a PD. And vice versa.

If that makes sense! Pretty sure this was the issue Brimma had - he sourced one but it turned out it was from a PD vRS and couldn't be made to work in his CR. Then Mike took it and it worked fine in his car PD140.

Steve

10/10 - go to the top of the class

Haha - thought that was how the story went

Just occurred to me that I didn't praise the excellent service that i received from Ben at Shark

After disturbing his holiday on Saturday pestering to get the Octy booked in - I ended up calling on Tuesday with a "I know it's short notice but......".

Ben was excellent - managed to squeeze me in! Speedy Service, everything works perfectly, and he even coded back in the service details

Only problem was the last question he asked before I left - - "Why haven't you had it remapped yet?" .... Damn it! Now i'll HAVE to get it done! I'll be back to Shark after Payday! :p

Quiet a lot. Not sure it its possible to retrofit to a new build car either yet.

You get better more descriptive descriptions of things. Eg. which door is open, low screenwash, low oil level, when a bulb fails it tells you exactly which one rather than a generic bulb failure light. You can alter car settings which would otherwise need a dealer trip, and a lot more.

Standard display will show, range, mpg (instantaneous/constant), time, trip data and thats about it.

Is the screenwash warning part of an additional pack, such as Xenons, or should it be accessible under Convenience? Mine has never told me it's low, just fizzled out on me again last night!

Ben was excellent - managed to squeeze me in! Speedy Service, everything works perfectly, and he even coded back in the service details

That matches my experience!

Top bloke.

Is the screenwash warning part of an additional pack, such as Xenons, or should it be accessible under Convenience? Mine has never told me it's low, just fizzled out on me again last night!

*Think* it's included as part of the xenon package, on the FL. But you have an FL, so it should be coded as standard to warn you!

The only option would be to get someone with VCDS to plug in, find the option for the low washer warning, and activate it. It's not one of those hidden options that will just start working when the coding's updated, as you need the sensor to be fitted to the washer bottle, in order for the car to know when it's empty...

I have become totally comflumexed by all this maxidot stuff. Don't you recieve any manufactureres instructions on what it can do and how to set things. Sounds like some of the old atari games where you could find 'secret worlds and levels

Yes you do get instructions. But it can do more than the manufacturer perhaps tells you it can

Hence the secret worlds and levels analogy being accurate really

Just got a quote from my local dealer if £680 + VAT for maxidot unit alone!? Does that seem right?

From memory the highline for my Mk5 GTi was "only" £270 or so.

Talk to Ben about the unit price for confirmation, but I remember a retrofit unit being in the £200-300 bracket.

That quoted dealer price is WAY too high, even factoring in fitting...

Talk to Ben about the unit price for confirmation, but I remember a retrofit unit being in the £200-300 bracket.

That quoted dealer price is WAY too high, even factoring in fitting...

When I got maxidot added to my new order (being built next week) on my new order form thing its price is down as £108.33 obviously this would be the additional cost over the standard unit but DAMN!!!! the dealer retrofit price is out of line which dealer was that so I know not to ever call in ??

Good point, I'd forgotten other members have had it done by a dealer too. Any of you mind telling me what you paid?

It was a dealer over in NI- there only are 2 sadly!

If I was on the mainland I would have got Ben to do it already. My choices are limited though!

Edited 16 February, 201115 yr by Lyonzo

Ferry cost would be way less than that

Good point, I'd forgotten other members have had it done by a dealer too. Any of you mind telling me what you paid?

The above comment on getting it added was based on a new factory order, which is obviously the cheapest and best way of doing it.

In my experience there's very few dealers actually capable of undertaking the work and getting everything right. Which is a bit of a sorry state of affairs but there you go. Many will tell you straight off that it can't be done... :wonder:

Good point, I'd forgotten other members have had it done by a dealer too. Any of you mind telling me what you paid?

It was a dealer over in NI- there only are 2 sadly!

If I was on the mainland I would have got Ben to do it already. My choices are limited though!

was that Mervyn Stewart on the Boucher rd or John Mullholland in Randlastown ?? I have always used John Mullholland myself but am getting my new one on the mainland due to work location. Always more than happy with John Mullholland for my fabia VRS until last time it was in for console bushes and I took a courtesy car went outside and had 2 VERY illegal tyres on it went back in changed paperwork over gave me their other fabia one and went out again BALD tyres and one of their mechanics said to person helping me "yea we have them ordered for the first car last week" but still were trying to palm it off on me said "how far do you have to go?" Was less than impressed as another customer who must not have checked had returned it just ahead of me, ended up with some tin can Hyundai 1.0 THING! was horrible. And its tyres were JUST hitting markers on rears ......... Used to work in a multi franchised dealer as an apprentice mechanic never seen anything like it only for their previous excellent service to me I didn't go to SUK about it.

You could try getting the 2 dealers to haggle it out a bit would certainly get something off that price but still cant see it being worth it !!! BIG MONEY

Edited 16 February, 201115 yr by FUBAR

It was Mervyn Stewart. I'm still not convinced it was right.

Wardy, I'm sure I've read that other folk have had it retrofitted by dealers.

It was Mervyn Stewart. I'm still not convinced it was right.

Wardy, I'm sure I've read that other folk have had it retrofitted by dealers.

I bought mine from Skodateile - cost the equivalent of about £250 to fit it. My local dealer charged me £85 to fit it, but that was because of a problem with a previous attempt. If you get the right unit for the car, and the dealer knows what he's doing, it shouldn't take them too long

I know a few folk on here have used that site. Ben mentioned that I need to be careful though and the unit needs to be new or virginised, and it may need the original codes etc.

I'm starting to lose patience with the whole thing!

Oh yes, many have had them fitted by dealers. And then there's a fair few that haven't been particularly happy with the service, or have had to go back numerous times.

Just trying to prepare you for the worst. Then it turns out better - bonus

Cheers,

Steve

Lol, indeed.

I've seen a thread recently about what dealers do the retro fit, so I'll dig it up and fire some PM's around!