I recently bought a 2012 Superb SE that came with a standard Bolero (6CD) Radio, but no Bluetooth or Satnav. Initially I was planning to first retrofit the original BT module, and then later on to replace the head unit to a Columbus. But now it has just happens that I can get my hands on a new Columbus (later LED Version) reasonably cheap, and am thinking about swapping it out first.

 

As far as I understand Radio, CD, basic Navi, optical parking display etc. will work out of the box without any additional coding required. But to make the Columbus work with the Steering Wheel Buttons and integrate it with the MFD it will require coding. How much coding is required, and does it require a lot of expertise? I have a neighbor who has a VCDS, but has stated that he is no Expert with it, and would require some advice in advance of getting started.

 

As I am based in Northern Ireland the pool of knowledgeable people with VCDS seems severely limited, unfortunately.

 

Thanks,

DSAB

 

 

I thought that if you change any equipment on that level that they will require recoding.

What works "out of the box" will depend entirely on what car it was fitted to previously, and how it was coded to suit that car. So how much coding is required isn't really relevant as it will need the correct coding to suit your car. If your meighbour has VCDS then it's fairly straight forward to enable the required controller in the cars gateway (just tick a box essentially), and then using the long coding helper it's not much of a job to select the configuration of your own car.

It 'might' work as soon as you plug it in (probably will). But there will always be unresolved errors logged in the cars memory. You won't see them or know they are there, but it would bug me just knowing they exist...

 

You will need to get it coded (tick boxes mostly) to let it know that navigation is fitted and you may need to change the communication protocol to allow it to communicate with Maxidot (if fitted). It is straight forward for anyone with VCDS and a little time to search and read this forum as well as the Ross Tech website (there is a page on retrofitting the RNS510 (VW variant of the Columbus).

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.

 

BTW... is there a need to change the Standard Steering Wheel Buttons when adding Bluetooth as well? Or will the existing ones suffice?

sell me the Bolero mate.....buddy......chum

 

XXX

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.

 

BTW... is there a need to change the Standard Steering Wheel Buttons when adding Bluetooth as well? Or will the existing ones suffice?

your right side set won't have the phone button also the wheel on the left side set can be coded for push to talk functions but will need vcds / i swapped my buttons to add phone button plus coded them & works like a charm, look for a cheap set on eBay as the dealers charge silly prices for the buttons.

how many issues would i have putting this in Fliss?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Skoda-RNS510-Columbus-LED-Sat-Nav-Navigation-mfd3-Octavia-Rapid-Superb-/182000490941?hash=item2a601319bd:g:OLgAAOSw34FVHCG2

I'm not sure about that advert. He's listed it as part number 3T0 035 680, but the picture is of a different part number unit (you can see the suffix letter at the end of the part number on the label on top). Also, if it's 3T0 035 680 then it'll have the earlier LCD poor quality screen and possibly a 30Gb hard drive. It's either a badly worded advert or a misleading one. In any event for the money there'll be a better one out there.

 

As for would it fit in "Fliss". Who or what is Fliss?

I'm not sure about that advert. He's listed it as part number 3T0 035 680, but the picture is of a different part number unit (you can see the suffix letter at the end of the part number on the label on top). Also, if it's 3T0 035 680 then it'll have the earlier LCD poor quality screen and possibly a 30Gb hard drive. It's either a badly worded advert or a misleading one. In any event for the money there'll be a better one out there.

 

As for would it fit in "Fliss". Who or what is Fliss?

 

 

where can u see the label?

 

my plate is FL15 ---- Fliss

where can u see the label?

 

my plate is FL15 ---- Fliss

 On the picture in the advert. You can see the part number string on the label on the top, and although you can't read it you can see there's a letter suffix at the end.

I take it your car is a Mk2 Superb rather than a Mk3?

 

Edit: Also, on the picture of the unit in the advert there's an aftermarket warranty sticker on the front implying it's been opened and resealed.

Edited 24 February, 201610 yr by Rustynuts

you have better eyesight than me.....

 

 

Do you doubt me? :p

Edited 24 August, 20169 yr by Rustynuts

In any event, any Columbus will fit and code to your vehicle (provided it's a Mk2 Superb, rather than a Mk3), as long as the installer has VCDS and knows what to do, the security code, and a GPS antenna. After that there might be little intricacies such as fascia changes for different styles of head units (don't think this applies to you but I'm unsure), and different units will have different specifications (such as screen resolution, hd size, firmware, maps etc.)

You'll need a bluetooth module to go with this too. The Columbus doesn't have bluetooth built in, so it's something else that needs to be wired through the car, along with the GPS antenna (You can get away with mounting this as high up as possible in the space behind the radio under the centre vents). Usually the bluetooth module is mounted under the driver's seat, but it's possible you can get away with putting it behind the radio as well. Wherever you put it, tie it down well to avoid creating rattles.

 

One question that I'd ask looking at the parts needed is whether buying an after market head unit running Android would end up being cheaper. It would certainly have more functions and a better, faster interface. Most aftermarket radios at this level will read canbus data for steering wheel buttons and other functions, some even read your fault codes for you without a separate OBD connector since they're on the canbus already, which makes using apps such as Torque to provide otherwise unavailable data from the car on the radio screen as you drive an entertaining possibility.

Do you doubt me? :p

 

 

looks like a dead fly to me

Well, that's what it must be then.

Why you asking all the questions, then start second guessing the answers?

Ive asked the seller for clarification and also found many suffixed parts numbers - A to H and some without

Here's another advert from the same seller where his chicanery is a little more obvious.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-VW-RNS510-LCD-Sat-Nav-Navigation-mfd3-hdd-Golf-mk5-mk6-passat-scirocco-/181993357816?hash=item2a5fa641f8:g:BToAAOSwDlxU3NfG

 

He's listed it as a 1T0 035 680 B unit, with the correct specs for that unit. But he's selling it using a picture of a newer unit.

One question that I'd ask looking at the parts needed is whether buying an after market head unit running Android would end up being cheaper. It would certainly have more functions and a better, faster interface. Most aftermarket radios at this level will read canbus data for steering wheel buttons and other functions, some even read your fault codes for you without a separate OBD connector since they're on the canbus already, which makes using apps such as Torque to provide otherwise unavailable data from the car on the radio screen as you drive an entertaining possibility.

 

Has anyone here tried their hands on one of those 3rd party Radios? A good experience? Could work out quite a bit cheaper and easier then having to get BT and the Columbus seperately. I had a look at the following, and it looks quite neat, and seems to support all the features the Columbus has (except for not having a HDD). Previous buyers on Ebay left very good feedback, but is it really any good?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RNS510-STYLE-HD-DVD-GPS-SAT-NAV-SKODA-FABIA-OCTAVIA-RAPID-ROOMSTER-SUPERB-YETI-/111905726841?hash=item1a0e19e179:g:5QcAAOSwhcJWLlRS

Edited 24 February, 201610 yr by dsab

Here's another advert from the same seller where his chicanery is a little more obvious.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-VW-RNS510-LCD-Sat-Nav-Navigation-mfd3-hdd-Golf-mk5-mk6-passat-scirocco-/181993357816?hash=item2a5fa641f8:g:BToAAOSwDlxU3NfG

 

He's listed it as a 1T0 035 680 B unit, with the correct specs for that unit. But he's selling it using a picture of a newer unit.

 

 

Wont a VW have a different startup screen?....maybe he uses stock images

Has anyone here tried their hands on one of those 3rd party Radios? A good experience? Could work out quite a bit cheaper and easier then having to get BT and the Columbus seperately. I had a look at the following, and it looks quite neat, and seems to support all the features the Columbus has (except for not having a HDD). Previous buyers on Ebay left very good feedback, but is it really any good?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RNS510-STYLE-HD-DVD-GPS-SAT-NAV-SKODA-FABIA-OCTAVIA-RAPID-ROOMSTER-SUPERB-YETI-/111905726841?hash=item1a0e19e179:g:5QcAAOSwhcJWLlRS

 

 

I fitted a DVD/radio, etc to a Tourneo and it suffered from radio interference from the engine

 

played karaoke though, and in a 8 seater taxi on a friday/saturday night that had its moments, 15" flip down screen in the rear

Not having a HDD isn't really a downgrade when there's a USB connection available that you can leave a laptop hard disk permanently plugged into. Also write speeds to the Columbus HDD are shockingly slow on my one anyway, it takes it several hours to upload a mapping DVD for example, so I never use it for music. That looks like a very neat nearly OEM solution. I wouldn't buy without checking to see how easily and regularly the maps on the satnav can be updated though.

 

If my Columbus died in the morning I'd be looking at something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Android-Car-DVD-CD-GPS-SatNav-for-VW-Passat-Golf-MK5-6-EOS-Skoda-Caddy-2698CU-/121377365534?hash=item1c42a79e1e:g:GbQAAOSwa-dWijfY 

Thanks. I think I copied the wrong link to the aftermarket sample I was referring to, and have corrected it. I was looking at this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RNS510-STYLE-HD-DVD-GPS-SAT-NAV-SKODA-FABIA-OCTAVIA-RAPID-ROOMSTER-SUPERB-YETI-/111905726841?hash=item1a0e19e179:g:5QcAAOSwhcJWLlRS

Wont a VW have a different startup screen?....maybe he uses stock images

Yes, maybe he does. In fact, he could very easily say "Sorry for any confusion, I use stock images". But fact remains if he's selling an old unit using new unit pictures he's misleading you.

 

I'm somewhat at a loss here. I've pointed out as many flaws and issues with the advert as I can see, yet you seem desperate to defend him. I'm done. If you think it's a bargain then just buy it.