Columbus in my 2008 VRS?

[Jack VRS]

Hi there!

Still relatively new to this site and was wondering what i would need to do and if i can put the Columbus head unit into my 2008 VRS, My old vectra C Facelift had built in sat-nav and i would also really like this on my new car! and it would be a nice upgrade, Im aware that these are around the £500 mark on ebay but i would really like one!

Any advice is welcome! Thanks in advance, Jack.

[vRS Carl]

Yes it is a straight fit.

Just ensure you get either the factory fit roof antenna (circa £70) or wherever you get the Columbus from it comes with a GPS Antenna (usually a hockey puck type you stick in the dash or roof lining somewhere)

The only other thing you will need is the Surround as it is different to the Stream/Bolero you currently have.

Carl

[vrs777]

If you get one off ebay (irish seller?) tell them your car model/year and they can put the correct firmware on the unit to stop battery drain problems that some earlier Octavias suffer with when a Columbus is retrofitted.

[vRS Carl]

A 2008 car will not suffer with Battery Drain. It's only Pre-March 2007 that suffer with it (and some earlier still don't if they have a K revision Gateway). Unless the car has been sat on a dockyard somewhere and has a lower than K revision gateway it will be fine.

[jerbear]

I recently fitted Columbus to my 2008VRS. No problems with battery drain. Interested in vRS carl's comments on original fit aerial as I am having few problems with gps signal strenght on a hockey puck type that came with radio. Also what is surround. Hve to admit that Columbus is well worth the money and I am pleased with mine so far

[vRS Carl]

The surround is the silver bit of trim that fits around the columbus. The columbus is a different shape to the Bolero/Stream HU.

I got the factory fit GPS Antenna for my 2011 vRS and have no issues at all with GPS Signal.

[Jack VRS]

Thanks for the advice guys, i just got to get the money together now to buy one!

[jerbear]

God, I'm a plank. Should have known what surround is.

[bigman1976]

Out of curiosity, what head unit do you have in your car currently? If it's a Stream or other 2nd generation head unit (MFD2 sat nav is another) you may well need to get an aerial adapter.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-MFD3-RNS-510-310-315-210-RCD-radio-antenna-aerial-adapter-Seat-Skoda-Columbus-/251033303519?pt=UK_CE_GPS_Accessories_Software_ET&hash=item3a72c039df

I needed one in my 57 plate (08MY) VRS. It's also worth noting that there is minor swap of wires in the block on the back to ensure that the CD changer and aux input work properly. Anyone with any skill at all with wiring should be able to do this no problem.

Finally, the car may need a bit of coding using VCDS if you have Maxidot. It will work fine without coding if you haven't got the maxidot anyway, but if Maxidot is fitted, you won't have the full operation without a little change!

Hope that hasn't confused you! The Columbus is a superb head unit - you'll not be disappointed.