Just taken delivery of my new SSD drive unit and fitted it this evening. All I can say is that this is how the unit should've been produced to start with. It boots up in a quarter of the time, and the nav is usable straight away. Much improved over the older version I took out (and is now for sale btw) and is well worth the extra cost over the older HDD units.

One happy camper here.

 

Yes I have found this too with mine. It responds really quickly to re-routing your navigation too....

Couple of quick questions:

 

- How can you tell if a unit has a SSD or not?

- Can a spinning disk can be replaced with any PATA SSD of an appropriate size?

 

I assume the answer to the second question is yes but I'm unsure of the first. Is it just done on part number?

As far as the RNS510 goes, it's from version 1T0 035 680 R onwards. Mine is a T revision. Essentially, you need to be looking for a unit which has 62** firmware from the factory. Anything 52** is hard disc.

 

You can change the HDD for an SSD, but that's only half the story. The GPS technology is much improved on the later versions which helps with nav routing etc. Mine acquired a 7/11 satellite lock within seconds of turning it on, and placed me straight away outside my house. The older ones can take a few minutes before they register and lock on, then it can also take a while before they realise where you are and set your location correctly.

The newer DAB enabled part numbers ending in 686 also appear to be SSD, and use the 62** firmware I believe.

STOP IT! I've just spent all my money getting Bluetooth working (and other stuff)

 

:p :p :p

I have a Columbus DAB unit (3C0 035 686 C - 2013) which I've just removed in favour of the SSD one. It's running 5238 firmware and isn't SSD.

I've thought about going DAB, but the only channel I listen to doesn't get good reception here, so I use the internet instead.....which I can do with the new BT unit installed.

The SSD for faster menu action would be nice, but not an essential, and music doesn't play any faster

Faster lock-on comments are interesting, mine's never take more than about 15 seconds to tell me where I am. :S

I have a Columbus DAB unit (3C0 035 686 C - 2013) which I've just removed in favour of the SSD one. It's running 5238 firmware and isn't SSD.

Actually now you mention it I forgot to mention its the H suffix and above that are SSD...

Mine's 1T0 035 680 P and its not SSD.

 

According to my-gti.com......

 

Manufactured CW45/13 onwards

• New GPS chip
• 40GB SSD Hard Drive

C14 Part Numbers

• 1T0 035 680 T (1T0035680T) – RNS 510
• 1T0 035 680 R (1T0035680R) – RNS 510, EU West V10 Maps
• 1T0 035 680 S (1T0035680S) – RNS 510, EU East V10 Maps
• 1T0 035 686 G (1T0035686G) – RNS 510 DAB/DAB+
• 1T0 035 686 E (1T0035686E) – RNS 510 DAB/DAB+, EU West V10 Maps
• 1T0 035 686 F (1T0035686F) – RNS 510 DAB/DAB+, EU East V10 Maps

 

http://www.my-gti.com/3983/volkswagen-rns-510-hardware-and-software-firmware-versions

686E or above then ha ha...

According to 'My GTi' (and my research) it's ...035686 E or later that had SSD's factory fitted.

I'm on the look out for a sensibly priced SSD / DAB+ unit (sub-£700) if anyone wants to part with one...

Think I might take a non-DAB SSD one having checked the radio coverage in our area (and how little radio I actually listen to).

Someone has just put a DAB one up for sale in the classifieds.

That's my old one.

Lol. Yes just realised that!

I've toyed with the idea if retro-fitting an SSD, but it looks like it's got to an an IDE-SSD, plus it seems to be a "take the whole thing apart" exercise to do as well, so CBA wins on that score.

I've toyed with the idea if retro-fitting an SSD, but it looks like it's got to an an IDE-SSD, plus it seems to be a "take the whole thing apart" exercise to do as well, so CBA wins on that score.

Yep, it is indeed.

64Gb IDE PATA on eBay for £42.

My Columbus has to come apart to fix the aerial connector on the main board so I might fit one at the same time to see how much difference it makes first.

Tutorial for this is on the Australian VW forum with lots of pictures and links to modifying the partition allocation on the firmware.