I popped into the dealer I bought my Octy VRS from(Faintree Skoda Telford) to enquire about the Wavelink rumours and getting it retro fitted, the reply was "NO" at the moment but it has filtered down on the VW range of vehicles, so will more than likely be available in the future.

 

Any way while I was there, and because I mentioned using my phone via Wavelink as a Sat Nav, they told me I can now have a Garmin Sat nav retro fitted.

It retains the standard Bolero head unit, but gets hard wired to it, and gets accessed via the media button rather than having it's own Nav button a la Amundson-Columbus units.

 

Cost?

 

£500 all in fitted!

Considerably less than the two factory fit "options".

 

I didn't ask about map updates etc and is still a lot more expensive than just buying a unit that sticks to the windscreen, but I am tempted!

If you've got a smart phone, put co-pilot on that, updates are free, its with you wherever you are. Great when abroad,cheep,transferable for life.Just buy a car mount.

Or even cheaper if you have windows phone/android get Nokia Here Beta maps for free and use them on or offline. Bloddy excellent maps and much better than gmaps for long journies.

The garmin add-on is a kenwood system that came out a few months ago, pretty pricey but I had the same nav on my kenwood Dnx-520 and it was brilliant.

Do you have any more info on that Garmin retrofit? I may be tempted if I can get it here.

I suspect it may be the same as the Kenwood setup that has recently been released through VW dealers. There was a thread about it on the golfgtiforum a couple of months ago, with a link to a YouTube video showing how it worked.

http://www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk/car/oem/vw/GVN-MIB1/

Edited 9 May, 201511 yr by Czechers

Looks v good but its never going to quite match the integration of the OEM units (maxidot integration a big thing for me.....though that said i expect the nav capabilities are probably a bit better on the Garmin

Looks v good but its never going to quite match the integration of the OEM units (maxidot integration a big thing for me.....though that said i expect the nav capabilities are probably a bit better on the Garmin

What nav capabilites would you recon is better on the garmin? I think the nav on the Columbus is way better than the 4yrs old garmin nüvi I had in my old car. The Columbus is more detailed and it shows more detailed pathfinding in intersections and roundabouts.

I recon much has happened with garmins in the last years, but I cant say I miss anything on my Columbus.

Edited 9 May, 201511 yr by Gromle

What nav capabilites would you recon is better on the garmin? I think the nav on the Columbus is way better than the 4yrs old garmin nüvi I had in my old car. The Columbus is more detailed and it shows more detailed pathfinding in intersections and roundabouts.

I recon much has happened with garmins in the last years, but I cant say I miss anything on my Columbus.

It's a fair point but not everyone is willing to spend the kind of money Skoda charges for the Columbus. This system costs less than half what the Columbus costs, and has the added benefit that as it's effectively plug and play it can be removed and either transferred to another car or sold on at a later time.

It's a fair point but not everyone is willing to spend the kind of money Skoda charges for the Columbus. This system costs less than half what the Columbus costs, and has the added benefit that as it's effectively plug and play it can be removed and either transferred to another car or sold on at a later time.

I know. The Columbus is expencive. And it really doesnt do anything that a 100£ tablet would'nt do better. So it would be quite fun to hear how they defend the price.

I was just wondering what he ment that the garmin system was better at since Ive never tried newer garminunits.

Because a Columbus (or any built in SatNav) is more than a sat nav. Generally it is an improved amplifier than the stock radio, it uses the CAN network to determine how fast and what direction you  are travelling whan GPS signal is low. it doesn't require a data connection, it works with the maxidot / DIS to replicate the instructions in an easy to read format, doesn't require a sucker on the screen or separate PSU with cables trailing over the cabin. It is designed as with as all components built to meet certain safety standards in the automotive industry. Plus it mutes the stereo when giving commands!

 

I much prefer using the Columbus in my Superb with 2 years old maps than using a holder and LG G3 in the Fabia. I will be putting in a second hand Amunsden or Columbus to the Fabia in due course