My wife needs a new radio for her II for her b/day as the DANCE has started to get worse than it always was . Any ideas on supported stereos on the sub £200 category ? Not looking for all singing dancing brand as its only a £2kish car HTP.

 

Would prefer something with USB/card support and OEM if possible

Wouldn't rule out a cheap chinese thing with all bells and whistles like XTONS so long as its reliable.

 

That said the DANCE has never been reliable always skipped for her, like many have found.

 

Any ideas if something like RCD510 may work ? 56D 035 190A

Thanks in advance

edit: ignore this sorry. ready that wrong haha. 

 

You may find a better aftermarket unit for the same price though. OEM units are alot of money for something that isnt overly good in any category. 

Edited 10 March, 201610 yr by fabiamk2SE

Thanks for your thoughts Cheap RNS or RCD 310 came to mind, but looks like can bus upgrade could make this less worthwhile ?

To be honest she only wants CD so might just see what I can do, might even be able to fit an older model OEM CD I have somewhere but just with some kind of fascia adapter or replacement Dance/Swing MP3 on ebay !

 

Actually she just dropped it only as an idea, seems she is quite happy with the unit if it wasn't for scratching and skipping CDs so will probably get her something she really wants (Nickelback tickets for instance and loads of new CD's etc!) rather than a radio -  drop in fascia adapter and use of of my older radios temporarily, maybe its possible to clean this once I get out the car ?

Mentioned about a dual din touch sensitive unit / android compatible and these are terms that just don't seem to get any reaction from her...not bothered

 

I've a Sony CDX and Symphony CD from a Fabia 1 but that has a high top face lip - thinking maybe that won't fit so might have to be the CDX as the temporary replacement.

 

I'm guessing though cleaning the CD mech on a Dance unit properly ( stopping it scratching discs) might be extremely difficult unless just lucky and its some dirt stuck in the loading discs as well.

Anyone want to lend me some more Ed Sheeran CD's to check if they scratch or not after cleaning the Dance unit ?

Edited 12 March, 201610 yr by vRSAnt

I would strongly advise against trying to clean a CD player read head.
CD & DVD cleaning disks have a brush system that you soak in Isopropyl Alcohol (ISA) and "play".
They are a great way to permanently to damage a CD Player - I know, I have done it.
If you can dismantle the player and use a cotton bud soaked in ISA, it might work but avoid the cleaning disks at all costs.

Maybe put a swing in then?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/121908511148

Thats what the facelift cars have. Its not a bad unit. Better sounding than the RCD510's etc. Basic but reliable, if thats all she wants .

I was factoring in the swing but doesn't really seem like much/any improvement on the Dance ( except maybe MDI?)

 

Even then I'd have to get the MDI as well as almost certainly doesn't have it in the car,

and in which case would be just as easy to get aftermarket with a USB socket option. As doing the "hard work" for her of sorting out a USB disk and preload with music for instance, she only wants to keep things simple, not a bluetoother.

I'll keep Swing in mind anyway, seems like either this or another dance or simple aftermarket unit is best to avoid a world of unnecessary pain.

 

For now anyway I've got the aftermarket fascia on order, at least then one of my old radios ( as I have double din or OEM nav in both my other Skodas!) should then fit, and she can have something she wants instead of something she feels she just needs i.e. a basic CD radio !

Thanks for advice.