Did you buy the Kenwood in the end? I'm thinking of doing the same with mine so just wondering you got on with it if you did go ahead with it.

John

Yep, I bought it and installed it myself...quite an easy job. It had to be really, because I'm a complete nitwit when it comes to anything practical.

Love the system. Sound quality is superb, even with the standard speakers, and the speed of the bluetooth and Satnav is excellent.

Highly recommended.

That's just what I was wanting to hear as I've pretty much convinced myself to get one - the only downsides seem to be the front mounted USB port (can get one of those tiny USB drives though), no Maxidot (which I don't have) and no parking sensor display or climate control but I don't have the latter either and would lose the parking sensor display with any other system.

Where did you buy yours from?

John

Edited 31 March, 201313 yr by JohnMcL7

An essential mod (which would be my first) on any non vRS/Scout MkII pre-facelift Octavia would be to colour code the black plastic rubbing strips along both doors and both front and rear bumpers.

It makes a world of difference.

That's just what I was wanting to hear as I've pretty much convinced myself to get one - the only downsides seem to be the front mounted USB port (can get one of those tiny USB drives though), no Maxidot (which I don't have) and no parking sensor display or climate control but I don't have the latter either and would lose the parking sensor display with any other system.

Where did you buy yours from?

John

John - got mine from eBay. A VW employee who makes a few extra quid selling units on. it's been in the car a month or so now and I've had no problems at all. Paid £500 for it, sealed in the box still.

I posted in the ICE forum too (there's a thread about this specific unit) as there are a few minor gripes, but nothing I wasn't expecting (AUX point and Skoda 6CD changer won't connect to it) and they are more than offset by the main reasons for buying this particular unit (sound quality, bluetooth connection and speed of the SatNav).

An essential mod (which would be my first) on any non vRS/Scout MkII pre-facelift Octavia would be to colour code the black plastic rubbing strips along both doors and both front and rear bumpers.

It makes a world of difference.

Yeah, my car is just at that point where the grey plastic is starting to lose its sharpness. Sounds like a difficult and expensive job though.

Could sell you a set of lovely 17" vrs alloys

Pics and price?

Pics and price?

Pics are in the for sale section mate

Yeah, my car is just at that point where the grey plastic is starting to lose its sharpness. Sounds like a difficult and expensive job though.

You might be suprised how easy it is.

All the inserts simply unclip. You may need to buy some spare clips as they might be a little brittle by now and a few may snap when removed.

A quick sanding to rough up the surface, some paint code matched plastic paint (easy to order online) and away you go.

OK, some pics of the first few small projects I've completed.

Quite happy with how things are shaping up so far, whadda ya thunk?

Edited 7 April, 201313 yr by nutters_uclan

You might be suprised how easy it is.

All the inserts simply unclip. You may need to buy some spare clips as they might be a little brittle by now and a few may snap when removed.

A quick sanding to rough up the surface, some paint code matched plastic paint (easy to order online) and away you go.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to do this, but wrap them rather than paint.

Here's the installed Kenwood unit and carbon-wrapped trim. Sweeeeeeet.

LED lights now installed too. It's shaping up nicely.

I like the stereo, and the carbon wrapped interior. Maybe wrap the door strips now to tie it all in.

I like the stereo, and the carbon wrapped interior. Maybe wrap the door strips now to tie it all in.

Yeah, I need to think about what I'm going to wrap on the rest of the car. I love the effect on the radio trim, but don't want to go overboard and make it look tacky. I think I shall scour some cabin pics on the forum later today and see what others have done.

By door strips, do you mean the lighter silver ones? I kinda like those as they are for the contrast myself.

Yeah the silver ones mate. Would all match then. Seen one with a gloss black interior and it looked very good.

Other suggestions, depends how far you want to go. Some of them I've done, others I haven't

Facelift vRS steering wheel

Gearknob upgrade

vRS pedals

Chrome inserts for the side seat adjusters (already been mentioned)

Black headlining from a salvage vRS if the light-coloured one bothers you

Different seats....

Exterior changes:

Different wheels

Suspension

Rear ARB

Exhaust tips/entire s/steel system

Yeah the silver ones mate. Would all match then. Seen one with a gloss black interior and it looked very good.

If I did those AND the vent surrounds on the dash, is that going over the top? There's the door handle trims as well...

Other suggestions, depends how far you want to go. Some of them I've done, others I haven't

Facelift vRS steering wheel

Gearknob upgrade

vRS pedals

Chrome inserts for the side seat adjusters (already been mentioned)

Black headlining from a salvage vRS if the light-coloured one bothers you

Different seats....

Exterior changes:

Different wheels

Suspension

Rear ARB

Exhaust tips/entire s/steel system

I'll go for chrome pedals and new wheels at some stage. I've got a set of half-leather VRS interior to install in a couple of weeks! Sweet! Can't wait for that. What do you mean by black headlining?

Headlining on the non vRS models is a light colour. The vRS has a black headling, so you could swap them if you really wanted

The vRS has a black headling, so you could swap them if you really wanted

I'm doing that this week!

If you want my old headlining for free (you can try dyeing it) you can come and get it.

Oh, the centre ceiling hit...got ya. Hmm, I like that as it is TBH.

Cheers for the offer though kbphoto.

I would leave the handles mate but all the strips would be a subtle change. Why not try doing it in gloss black?

This is an example I seen the other day. Can't remember who's car it was I hope they don't mind me sharing this. I saved it for inspiration on my interior!!!

I would leave the handles mate but all the strips would be a subtle change. Why not try doing it in gloss black?

This is an example I seen the other day. Can't remember who's car it was I hope they don't mind me sharing this. I saved it for inspiration on my interior!!!

Aye, Nick's car is nice. I do like that - not over the top at all.

Although the silver trim does not come off the doors its possible to wrap them as there is just enough flex to move them to tuck the vinyl away neatly

OK, i started on the silver trim bits. The two small bits behind the steering wheel were easy to prise off, but the section above the glove box is connected differently! I've discovered this by breaking one of the clips that screws into it. Doh!

So, how do I get this thing off without destroying my car!?

The door cards sound like a real pain in the ass to do...I think I'll tackle them on a day I'm feeling especially patient!