Hi need help, I want to buy a sat nav system for my Skoda Octavia Vrs 2008, I have a crappy cd player but want to uprade to a sat nav system, ive found a Bolera sk1zoo35156f was in a 2009 octavia scout will this be ok ? so confusing can't find what systems will fit, if anyone knows what system originally gets fitted would help. many thanks in advance for any help.

Bolero is not a sat nav stereo, if you want built in sat nav, its the skoda factory Columbus or a aftermarket stereo.

It's going to cost at least £400 upwards ( secondhand Columbus) unless you buy a Chinese clone.

And this is going to be a long thread......

Edited 14 April, 201214 yr by studmuffin

For what it's worth, I've had a few built in systems but I prefer a portable satnav because it's easier to update. At the moment I have a Garmin nuvi & I have put the round mounting disc inside the cubbyhole on top of the dash so that when I'm not using there is nothing to see, either on the dash or the windscreen. I did have to buy a longer mount that sticks to the disc but I find that it is worth it.

A Columbus is an excellent unit. I had one retrofitted last October and would recommend one if it's a fitted one your after.

Advantages:

• OEM looks
  
• Built in hard drive (20GB for music)
  
• SD slot
  
• Good sat nav
  
• upgradeable with bluetooth and MDI (ipod connector)
  
• Plug and play (with most Octavias - there are some early ones which may need a gateway upgrade)
  

Disadvantages:

• Quite expensive
  
• Lots of dodgy ones on ebay (well, there are a lot from Lithuania)
  
• Bluetooth and Ipod connectivity not standard and are quite expensive upgrades
  

Others to consider include the Zenec 2010 and Kenwood DNX 520VBT both of which are fully compatible and have bluetooth and ipod connectivity built in - but are both expensive!

I use the ones on my phone (Android). Google Navigation is great (as long as you get a data signal every now and then) and Copilot is pretty good too. Means it's always on you (you usually have your phone with you) and the quality of the navigation is far superior to that of the built in systems in my experience. Mate of mine had it built into his RS4. That was bloody awful.....lots of knob twiddling to do anything and it's postcode DB was pathetic.

Buy a columbus off ebay. Not all are dodgy - check feedback etc.

10 minute fit.

Ignore portables - I have a very late model TomTom and is crap compared to the Columbus.

I have Tom tom ap with HD traffic on my iPhone together with a Brodit dash mount. Navigation is excellent and voice instructions are through the stereo. Also the brodit kit charges phone in situ. Brodit make bespoke kits for the Octavia and your choice of phone. Mount and phone holder are about £60 and no drilling required as it clips securely to your dash. In my opinion this is a far better way of in car navigation and more cost effective. You could spend the saved money on an audio upgrade.

I vote for the Columbus(with latest maps and software). Put one in my Octy and think it is brilliant for all the reasons big man states and a lot more

Seemless integration with Bluetooth for my phone (can all be controlled from the touch screen), Bluetooth streaming and ful integration with the car

Add voice control and it gets even better

Love it

I realise this is an old ish thread but can anyone tell me if this Columbus stereo / sat nav radio will plug straight into a Octavia 11 VRS 2006?

And will the sat nav and phone facility work as it should?