That's interesting and I shall mention that to the lady from Skoda UK when she calls. Has your order been confirmed?

Anyone else had their order confirmed or come across the MKIII estate with Columbus and Apple (Mitsumi) Interface?

I will post details of Skoda UK response on here.

Confirmed and it's been built. Hoping to get it in the next week or two.

Ordered;

Candy White VRS Estate DSG diesel

1. Adaptive Cruise Control + Front Assist incl. city automatic emergency braking

2. Black design package

3. Bluetooth+ (wireless aerial connection)

4. Columbus sat nav with European maps and colour Maxi dot

6. Heated front seats

7. High beam assistant

8. Parking assistant (parallel, bay and manoeuvring out of a line of cars)

9. Sunset glass from B pillar back

10. Trunk lid power closing

11. vRS leather (contains some artificial leather)

12. Electric interface for external use, without adapter line (AMI)

13. Heated washer nozzles, front

14. Heated windscreen

15. Canton sound system (10 speakers, digital equaliser, subwoofer)

Attached is a photo of a vrs with Columbus and ami fitted.

Confirmed and it's been built. Hoping to get it in the next week or two.

Ordered;

Candy White VRS Estate DSG diesel

1. Adaptive Cruise Control + Front Assist incl. city automatic emergency braking

2. Black design package

3. Bluetooth+ (wireless aerial connection)

4. Columbus sat nav with European maps and colour Maxi dot

6. Heated front seats

7. High beam assistant

8. Parking assistant (parallel, bay and manoeuvring out of a line of cars)

9. Sunset glass from B pillar back

10. Trunk lid power closing

11. vRS leather (contains some artificial leather)

12. Electric interface for external use, without adapter line (AMI)

13. Heated washer nozzles, front

14. Heated windscreen

15. Canton sound system (10 speakers, digital equaliser, subwoofer)

Attached is a photo of a vrs with Columbus and ami fitted.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1379633445.245746.jpg

Many thanks for this ollybroad. I love this forum so much, you can always rely on someone to come up with the answer/information that you are looking for.

OK so here is the update on my 'Skoda say you can't have the Apple Interface/Mitsumi MDI with Columbus sat nav' saga.

 

Turns out the dealer, Vindis Group, kept getting error messages on their system when they tried to load on the order with Mitsumi MDI and Columbus. They claim that they spoke to the factory who told them that they couldn't build in the Mitsumi MDI with the Columbus. Anyway, when they rang me with this info, I expressed my scepticism and told them about the info I had found on this forum, most of all the fact that ollybroad had had his order confirmed, his car built and had even kindly supplied a photo showing Columbus and MDI in the same console. I told them that I would email them a copy of the relevant parts of the thread (why isn't this forum required reading for all Skoda dealers?!) and asked that they take it up with Skoda again. I also told them that connecting my ipod to the USB and using bluetooth to transmit to the audio system was not an acceptable alternative solution!

 

In the meantime I decided to speak to Skoda UK myself. Dan at SkodaUK was extremely helpful, immediately understood my concern/disbelief at the situation and asked me to hold for a couple of minutes whilst he checked with their sales team. A minute or so later he was back with this:

 

'Right, it's not that you can't order it the Mitsumi MDI, it's just that you don't need to order it because it comes as standard with the Columbus sat nav.' Apparently this is because the Columbus is top of the range sat nav. It's only if you go with the cheaper sat nav options that you have to specify the Mitsumi MDI.

 

Dan also told me that any vRS' built from production week 45 onwards will be fully compatible with iphone 5. Those built prior to that date will require an adaptor from Apple.

Dan also told me that any vRS' built from production week 45 onwards will be fully compatible with iphone 5. Those built prior to that date will require an adaptor from Apple.

Hopefully that's just a different adaptor cable that can be ordered from the dealer rather than having to use an apple adaptor.

Might need to check with Skoda uk.

 

'Right, it's not that you can't order it the Mitsumi MDI, it's just that you don't need to order it because it comes as standard with the Columbus sat nav.' Apparently this is because the Columbus is top of the range sat nav. It's only if you go with the cheaper sat nav options that you have to specify the Mitsumi MDI.

That's interesting I've ordered Columbus but not the Mitsumi so I was expecting the USB interface but it would be a nice surprise to have the Mitsumi instead. The cars being built this coming week so not to long to wait to find out.

That's interesting I've ordered Columbus but not the Mitsumi so I was expecting the USB interface but it would be a nice surprise to have the Mitsumi instead. The cars being built this coming week so not to long to wait to find out.

I'm still not utterly convinced by the explanation so would be really interested to find out if yours does arrive with the Mitsumi. If it doesn't, hopefully there will still be time to get my order put right.

 

Am I right in assuming that the MDI allows you to connect any device (not just Apple devices) if you use the right connecting lead? If it doesn't, I doubt non-Apple users will be very happy if their car suddenly turns up with an Apple-specific connector unexpectedly fitted as standard.

I'm still not utterly convinced by the explanation so would be really interested to find out if yours does arrive with the Mitsumi. If it doesn't, hopefully there will still be time to get my order put right.

 

Am I right in assuming that the MDI allows you to connect any device (not just Apple devices) if you use the right connecting lead? If it doesn't, I doubt non-Apple users will be very happy if their car suddenly turns up with an Apple-specific connector unexpectedly fitted as standard.

That is my fear, I spec the Columbus but don't want the MDI!

You can still connect non apple devices. You can get a USB and mini usb lead to connect other devices.

I don't buy that reason, firstly the part with iphone 5 support as it already does support iphone 5 just not video. This is a limitation of the lightning connector so it will never support video.

VW still don't do an mdi-lightning cable so I would be shocked if Skoda have one first.

Dealer has now found this confirmation on Skoda Desktop:

 

 

Columbus satellite navigation system with MDI
The USB and aux-in connection sockets (standard) provide full functionality with Apple devices without having to order the Mitsumi Apple device connection separately.
Code: PNE
RRP: Unchanged

 

 

Dealer has now found this confirmation on Skoda Desktop:

Lol, how can power from the USB and an aux-in provide full functionality?

Lol, how can power from the USB and an aux-in provide full functionality?

Remember the USB port is also supports mass storage mode normally, so I suspect when hooked up to Columbus it has additional functionality.

P

Edited 24 September, 201312 yr by paulobrien

Remember the USB port is also supports mass storage mode normally, so I suspect when hooked up to Columbus it has additional functionality.

P

But you can't access music on an iPod/iphone via mass storage....

But you can't access music on an iPod/iphone via mass storage....

No, but what i'm saying is that the USB port isn't purely a dumb charging port... when hooked up to the Columbus it may well function differently.

P

No, but what i'm saying is that the USB port isn't purely a dumb charging port... when hooked up to the Columbus it may well function differently.

P

If this is true of switch my order of admunsden + Mitsumi to Columbus. Anyone know for certain ? I don't fully trust anything printed by SUK.

So with this previous post and this one, things are starting to make sense:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/281518-iphone-owners/?p=3380385

Lol, how can power from the USB and an aux-in provide full functionality?

I think you are right, it can't. Certainly the one in the vRS Hatch that I had for a test drive couldn't. However, I think it is extremely badly written and what they should be saying is that the USB and aux-in have been replaced with the MDI on the Columbus!

Right, so after a 6 month wait my vRS Hatch was finally delivered and guess what?

 

The Mitsumi interface was not fitted as I was told it would be by Skoda UK!

 

It clearly doesn't come as standard with the Columbus system and where it should have been is a USB/aux-in.

 

To say that I am angry is a massive understatement and I am now waiting to hear back from Skoda UK as to what they intend to do to rectify the situation.

 

In the meantime, does anyone know whether the Mitsumi Interface can be fitted post build, either by Skoda or independent in-vehicle entertainment companies?

Edited 2 May, 201412 yr by RoyalBlue

As I understand it - you don't need the Mitsumi interface with the Columbus, you can just use the USB socket and it gives you all the functionality of the Mitsumi socket does for the other units.

As I understand it - you don't need the Mitsumi interface with the Columbus, you can just use the USB socket and it gives you all the functionality of the Mitsumi socket does for the other units.

 

This is correct, columbus has full apple compatibility built in, just plug in via the USB and it'll work the same as Mitsumi.  It's impossible to order Mitsumi with Columbus (it does say words to this effect in the brochure) so RoyalBlue you need to be asking for £100 back off your dealer.

This is correct, columbus has full apple compatibility built, just plug in via the USB and it'll work the same as Mitsumi.  It's impossible to order Mitsumi with Columbus (it does say words to this effect in the brochure) so RoyalBlue you need to be asking for £100 back off your dealer.

 

Hi, you guys are brilliant and this forum seems to know more about Skodas than Skoda themselves!  I have just tried it and everything works fine - full functionality. If I was to be slightly picky, my initial impression is that the menu structure and interface isn't as clear as on the old Columbus with Mitsumi but it works.

 

I have just rung the dealer (as we were told Mitsumi came as standard they hadn't charged me) and they said that the Mitsumi is still showing as an option in the info they are supplied with and that they were unaware of the USB Apple compatibility.

 

I have also rung Skoda UK to pass on your knowledge and suggested to them that they might benefit from employing a few members of this forum. In the meantime, this forum should be mandatory reading for Skoda UK and their dealers!

Edited 2 May, 201412 yr by RoyalBlue

On further reflection I suspect a lot of this confusion comes from terminology. The  'it'  in  'Don't need to order it because it comes as standardard with the Columbus' could have been intended to mean full Apple functionality through USB, rather than Mitsumi connector.

 

However, it would seem that the dealers and Skoda UK themselves still aren't entirely clear about what comes with what and how it all interfaces.