Hello:)

First time Skoda owner as of today, and so far i´m very happy.

As I am quite young, I bought a cheap 2010 model Octavia, and its lacking a little extras.

 

First of all, it has the Skoda Blues single DIN unit. This (I find) really makes the car get a cheaper look in the interior, so I was wonder if it was possible to change it to a double DIN unit like the Bolero? If so, simple to do?

 

Also I was considering mounting an armrest. Anyone know if that is a difficult job?

 

Thanks in advance, 
Regards Smailey

I didn't even know it was possible to get a single DIN radio OEM on an Octavia at all not to mind a 2010 one, which presumably is the facelift version. If it's the same setup as my car to take the radio out just pull gently at bottom of the fascia panel above the ashtray. If you open the ashtray lid half way you can reach behind to pull on it. It'll unclip all the way up to the part that surrounds the radio. Then in the case of my radio there are rectangular covers that pop off the expose Torx head screws that hold the radio in. Hopefully you've got a blanking plate or a cubby hole filling in the second DIN slot, so you will only need to remove this to fit a bigger radio. If the fascia panel only has a singe DIN hole cut in it you'll have to order the double DIN replacement unless you're very skilled indeed with cutting plastic neatly.

 

After that, thanks to Skoda using a German parts bin, the standard plug on the back of the replacement radio should fit the plug to the car. On the radio in my car there's a very large blocky connector which holds a standard radio plug as well as other plugs for communication from the parking sensors, ECU and climate control so the radio screen updates as you change climate settings and engage reverse as well as giving the outside temperature. On the models with satnav, the car's speed and steering angle is also read by the radio in order that it can still update your position where there is no GPS reception.

 

As for the arm rest, it's part of the centre console on my car as far as I know, so I'm guessing it'll get expensive to source and fit an OEM one as the whole centre console needs to be replaced (If you find a scrapped Octy and get the part cheap this is an option though). There are after market options that should fit. There are some here, but there are probably better deals given my local motor factors is usually for anything I've been looking for:http://www.micksgarage.com/search.aspx?Keyword=arm+rest+octavia

Edited 30 October, 201312 yr by psycholist