Sorry, another question.  Does the 2016 Bolero come with DAB? The ad. for my car said it has a DAB radio, but I can only see FM/AM options on the touch screen 'button' in left-hand lower corner.  Perhaps (he thinks hopefully) this is because I'm out of DAB range at present (its parked in the rural north Pennines at present)?

I have a go

Maybe the manual lists all the goodies but only some apply to the Bolero you have(?)........usually clarified by the asterisk or fine print and where the horrible truth is revealed

DAB is an option... some Boleros have it,  others don't.  As Ryeman points out,  the manual lists everything you MIGHT have,  whether you've got it or not.

Sorry, another question.  Does the 2016 Bolero come with DAB? The ad. for my car said it has a DAB radio, but I can only see FM/AM options on the touch screen 'button' in left-hand lower corner.  Perhaps (he thinks hopefully) this is because I'm out of DAB range at present (its parked in the rural north Pennines at present)?

if the radio has DAB it is usually listed when you select FM/AM/DAB. 

when you say it ad stated DAB did you buy the car from a Skoda dealer/ If so go back to the dealer with the ad and ask them where is the DAB radio as advertised.

Definitely just an option which few will have specified, particularly as it comes as standard with Nav so most people will have just upgraded to that. I would be asking the dealer to show you how it works too - and point out it's important to you and ask them what they intend to do about it (if indeed it is that important).

I suspect that it would be too expensive to have different hardware for the non-nav systems - one with DAB one without.

Might it be a feature that they unlock electronically?

I suspect that it would be too expensive to have different hardware for the non-nav systems - one with DAB one without.

Might it be a feature that they unlock electronically?

 

No, it is either fitted, or it isn't.

I suspect that it would be too expensive to have different hardware for the non-nav systems - one with DAB one without.

Might it be a feature that they unlock electronically?

 

The hardware is different; both the radio and the aerial, and there is the additional cable to run from the aerial to the radio.

 

As far as I can tell, the hardware difference with the radio is an additional internal module (to which you then connect the DAB aerial cable), but I don't believe the module is available to retro-fit & re-code.

 

The aerial seems to be available with 3 different bases, FM, FM+GPS and FM+GPS+DAB. The DAB variant also has a different aerial (the screw in sticky-out bit)

 

It's a shame that Skoda don't put in the FM+GPS+DAB aerial and cables into all the cars as that would make upgrading so much easier. But they don't.

 

Upgrading to DAB after the car is built with OEM parts is rather expensive, about £1000 for the DAB Bolero, about £250 for the FM+GPS+DAB aerial and cable plus fitting, so you're probably looking at about £1500 all in.

 

Returning to the OP's question, the DAB was an option (£135 in VAT) on the SE, but it would not be on the standard car unless it was ordered as an option. Of course, if you bought the car second hand and it was advertised as having DAB then you have grounds to have a word with the dealer.

 

If they offer to to a bolt-on DAB rather than upgrade the Bolero, Skoda did do a kit for dealer install of the Pure Highway 300di, which is a very good solution* if you also fit the upgraded aerial rather than use a screen-mounted one. It is however better if you can get hold of the original Alpine EZi-DAB which is a rebadged 300di (https://www.alpine.co.uk/p/Products/dab3842/ezi-dab) as it's the same unit but with green illumination to match the Skoda...

 

I'm using the upgraded Skoda aerial, the installation loom from the Skoda dealer kit and the EZi-DAB and am delighted with it.

 

 

Of course, now the preferred solution would be streaming from the radio app on my phone...

 

* the Pure/ Alpine unit has pause/REW/FF features which are handy if you're stopping for petrol or if the missus starts talking the moment the news comes on...

Edited 18 December, 20169 yr by Gyp

Definitely just an option which few will have specified, particularly as it comes as standard with Nav so most people will have just upgraded to that.

Not unless you are prepared to pay £135 on top of the Amundsen £600 option price.

i have an octavia but i upgraded from standard columbus to dab version and it requires a new aerial as well as a new unit and an extra cable running from the aerial base to the unit.

 

the cost was nowhere near what was mentioned above, i traded in my old unit with rustynuts on here for £250 and that included the digital oem aerial.

 

id advise contacting him for a price and then either keep the bolero for sale time or sell it on although they arent worth a great deal.

 

obviously the added advantage of the columbus is nav but it also has a hdd to store music which i find more useful.

Edited 18 December, 20169 yr by tubbytommy

Do non DAB equipped Yeti's have the vertical elements in the rear screen?

obviously the added advantage of the columbus is nav but it also has a hdd to store music which i find more useful.

 

Don't know about before but post October 2014 Bolero's come with SD slot to store and play music from, I have over 100 albums on a 16GB card, it also shows all Album art, track and artist information.

Don't know about before but post October 2014 Bolero's come with SD slot to store and play music from, I have over 100 albums on a 16GB card, it also shows all Album art, track and artist information.

yes the columbus also has sd slot

i have an octavia but i upgraded from standard columbus to dab version and it requires a new aerial as well as a new unit and an extra cable running from the aerial base to the unit.

 

the cost was nowhere near what was mentioned above, i traded in my old unit with rustynuts on here for £250 and that included the digital oem aerial.

 

Indeed - I was looking at the Skoda list price for the items though (which a Skoda dealer will be looking at when they price up the job), which is hugely higher than you can get them from second hand (which Skoda are unlikely to do)

Do non DAB equipped Yeti's have the vertical elements in the rear screen?

 

No

Indeed - I was looking at the Skoda list price for the items though (which a Skoda dealer will be looking at when they price up the job), which is hugely higher than you can get them from second hand (which Skoda are unlikely to do)

second hand is a bit of a lottery but rustynuts is a long term member who has helped lots of people with units and repairs so if a problem occurred im sure he would sort it for you.

he certainly helped me out in an exchange.

dab is great and i wouldnt be without it now.

Do non DAB equipped Yeti's have the vertical elements in the rear screen?

 

 

No

:thumbup:

That's what I thought, the DAB aerial in the rear screen is only fitted if DAB radio is an option

.

i have an octavia but i upgraded from standard columbus to dab version and it requires a new aerial as well as a new unit and an extra cable running from the aerial base to the unit.

 

the cost was nowhere near what was mentioned above, i traded in my old unit with rustynuts on here for £250 and that included the digital oem aerial.

 

id advise contacting him for a price and then either keep the bolero for sale time or sell it on although they arent worth a great deal.

 

obviously the added advantage of the columbus is nav but it also has a hdd to store music which i find more useful.

Unfortunately, the 2016 Yeti has the new type head units which aren't anything like the one I swapped for you. They're the same shape, but have different quadlock connectors requiring an adapter, and also they suffer from Component Protection which means just buying a DAB unit and fitting it won't work without authorisation from Skoda HQ and through the main dealers.

You can fit an old style DAB Columbus, with an adapter, a new aerial, and not have to fix the CP. but fitting a comparable Bolero with DAB from a 2016 car isn't going to be easy.

Do non DAB equipped Yeti's have the vertical elements in the rear screen?

Yes, mine has.

Hey thanks.  Lots of helpful comments and ideas above. 

 

I've today driven the Yeti to areas where I know the DAB signal is strong (the Beeb DAB website provides a coloured UK map regarding reception in different areas) and it's definitely not functioning in a DAB mode. 

 

I've double checked the Ad. (it was on Autotrader and I've printed a copy off) and it definitely says "This car comes with......DAB Radio/CD/MP3....etc."  Definitely no CD either, just a SD slot, but that's not an issue.

 

I've just emailed the seller to seek advice/confirmation, and maybe a solution.  If they agree they're at fault, and considering the information you've all provided above, it doesn't seems as if a reto fit is an option. 

 

Would a fair compromise be for the seller to provide me with a Smartlink activation code at no cost? Or might there be tech problems with that too?

Edited 18 December, 20169 yr by Ooopnorth

I may have missed something but was it a Skoda dealer sale? If a Skoda dealer I would suggest Smartlink activation would be the ideal compromise (if your head unit has it as it's only an option in the latest ones). If non Skoda it will be harder to argue and you may need to explain why this is an acceptable compromise.

Advertising law is complicated as it's an 'invitation to treat' not a contract and therefore there is still a responsibility on the buyer to check things are as required. Adverts (and brochures) often have a 'get out' in them to protect against errors too. Clearly if you specifically ask if the car had DAB and are told it has, you are on safe ground. If you didn't you are more at the mercy of the dealer wanting to protect their reputation and put their error right, than a legal requirement as this is a minor detail. There is less excuse for a Skoda dealer as they have a better understanding of the brand and access to the dealer database which shows the original spec of the car.

I may have missed something but was it a Skoda dealer sale? If a Skoda dealer I would suggest Smartlink activation would be the ideal compromise (if your head unit has it as it's only an option in the latest ones). If non Skoda it will be harder to argue and you may need to explain why this is an acceptable compromise.

Advertising law is complicated as it's an 'invitation to treat' not a contract and therefore there is still a responsibility on the buyer to check things are as required. Adverts (and brochures) often have a 'get out' in them to protect against errors too. Clearly if you specifically ask if the car had DAB and are told it has, you are on safe ground. If you didn't you are more at the mercy of the dealer wanting to protect their reputation and put their error right, than a legal requirement as this is a minor detail. There is less excuse for a Skoda dealer as they have a better understanding of the brand and access to the dealer database which shows the original spec of the car.

Thanks for that reply. 

 

It was a Skoda dealership and they have speedily emailed me this morning admitting that it should have been DAB, as advertised, and they will send their "technology specialist to come to you" once he's returned from annual leave to "fit the unit into your car",  at my convenience.  That's a 600 mile round trip for them.  Seems like very good customer service for what must be a genuine error on their part.  Given some of the contributions above i wonder how easy a tech fix is going to be - we'll see how it fairs....

Nice result. Let's see how easy it is for him to do in the field.