I've just picked up my VRS SE and I tried fitting the Pioneer X8500DAB Single Din head unit I bought.

 

I've got the wiring sorted and the bit of trim required to let it sit nice and flush, however it seems VERY tight when trying to push it in (abnormally so) - I don't think I'd be able to push it all the way in without excessive force.  I seem to recall some people saying they trimmed some of the housing off on a thread here but can't find it for the life of me now - is this common? :/

 

The other thing I'm coming up against is fitting the DAB Aerial and Handsfree mic, wanting to route them past the glove box and mount them at the top of the windscreen - has anyone attempted this and found it a fairly easy job? I must admit I'm pretty tempted to just pay someone to do it (paranoid I'd break something!) so on that note can anyone recommend a fitter in Milton Keynes?

 

Thanks in advance

You're having trouble getting the head unit to click in place, or put the trim on? It is quite tight with the wires behind.. I just routed my dab aerial underneath the glove box, pull the rubber trim from the edge of the door and put behind that, then behind the a pillar trim, which is just held in place by clips. Be brave and just pull lol

Sorry, wasn't clear enough! Trim is on fine, but can't get the head unit in, meeting a lot of resistance when it's about two thirds in :(

Lol no worries. It is tight. I just ended up pushing (forcing) it in til it clicked then job done. Still works fine 12 months later. But not the best practice I suppose. People have cut the wires shorter at the back so there's less to bunch up. You could just try and get your hand round the back and move the wires as you push.

If it's just the h/u and wiring, a couple of suggestions...

 

 - can possibly leave out the oddments tray under the h/u until it's mostly home. Can possibly get a hand under the h/u to arrange the wiring before trying to push the h/u and tray home.

 - Cut the hell out of the plastic spacer behind the h/u. From a wiring perspective, it gets n the way.... And tends to hold on to the wiring when you try to remove the h/u.

 - Also possible to remove the glovebox - though unless fitting additional pre-outs or amps, maybe not ....

I just gave it ago and it's pretty much in - though I did have to remove the glovebox and the tray underneath the head unit (Don't think it will go in unless I put it in before the head unit?) - need to drill a hole in the back of the tray to feed a USB cable through anyway so I'll be revisiting it later - but the aerial/handsfree cables are now running behind the glovebox and all working fine!

 

Thanks very much for the advice

Have now fitted it with the tray (and run the USB cables through a hole in the back of it), though I've now got a gap between the head unit and the tray (see below pic), anyone else had this when fitting their single din unit?

 

I had the same problem on my Fabia, it was very tight and I ended up having a gap as you have shown.

So I put the head unit in the bottom position, and fitted the cubby hole upside down in the top position. Now I have no visible gap.

Interesting, thanks! Reluctant to pull it all out again (got away with just the one cut yesterday...) but definitely want to try and get rid of the gap

hey there mate , just a quick question , how does the new unit work with the 6 disc cd changer under the passangers seat ?

It doesn't! I don't plan on using CDs anyway, the head unit has 2 USB ports and a SD card slot behind the faceplate

Interesting, thanks! Reluctant to pull it all out again (got away with just the one cut yesterday...) but definitely want to try and get rid of the gap

Sorry it took so long, but here are some pics with the head unit in the bottom position: