Hey there everyone

 

 

I can get a Columbus radio head unit with SatNAV etc very cheap. Can I remove the Swing in my fabia and replace it with a Columbus? 

 

I know the RNS310 is a straight swap... but will the Columbus work also?

 

 

TIA

 

If this is your VRS 2012 then yes it'll fit and work okay, as long as it's coded to the car correctly.

Ok cool. Thanks

 

So whats required for coding? 

You'll need VCDS to tell the car it has navigation fitted, and to tell the Columbus what car it's fitted in and what functions to work with.

Do i do that through Skoda themselves? A dealer? 

You could do if you fancy paying their prices. Or you could find someone local with VCDS and pay them some beer money for doing it. Or you could spend £225 and buy the tool yourself for this and future use.

Alternatively, you could always buy a Garmin or TomTom SatNav from Halfrauds for less than £100 and stick with the Swing?

8 hours ago, SeaGoat said:

Alternatively, you could always buy a Garmin or TomTom SatNav from Halfrauds for less than £100 and stick with the Swing?

 

And lose the SD card, dvd drive, 18Gb hard drive space, touch screen functions etc. on the Columbus, while gaining trailing wires and a sticky ring on the windscreen?

4 hours ago, Rustynuts said:

 

And lose the SD card, dvd drive, 18Gb hard drive space, touch screen functions etc. on the Columbus, while gaining trailing wires and a sticky ring on the windscreen?

haha. Yeah true. I dont like aftermarket stuff hanging around.

16 hours ago, Rustynuts said:

You could do if you fancy paying their prices. Or you could find someone local with VCDS and pay them some beer money for doing it. Or you could spend £225 and buy the tool yourself for this and future use.

So, I couldn't use one of these VCDS cables? 

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-DIAGNOSTIC-CABLE-VAG-COM-17-1-3-HEX-CAN-USB-VCDS-FOR-AUDI-VW-SEAT-SKOD-P6/173005227402?hash=item2847ea458a:g:01AAAOSwEaBaHl7t

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Trintron said:

So, I couldn't use one of these VCDS cables? 

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-DIAGNOSTIC-CABLE-VAG-COM-17-1-3-HEX-CAN-USB-VCDS-FOR-AUDI-VW-SEAT-SKOD-P6/173005227402?hash=item2847ea458a:g:01AAAOSwEaBaHl7t

 

 

 

 

Pirate copied software and cheap manufactures hardware.  Forum policy is to only support Ross Tech genuine products.

Ok thanks. Very limited here is Australia with Skoda .... ANYTHING!! Ebay is our friend down under for anything euro... as most refuse to post. 

Genuine products are available.

 

https://hp.net.au/home/product/ross-tech-vcds-hex-v2-pro-diagnostic-cable/

 

https://www.autoequipment.com.au/index.php?route=product/category&path=24_61

I has a Columbus fitted to my wife’s Fabia to replace the Swing unit. It was supplied and fitted by RustyNuts at his residence and it’s amazing the difference it made. It looks standard and you can also watch DVD’s. 

The only issue I could see is that you may need to trim a hole in the plastic at the back of the unit so that the DAB aerial fits as it can stop the unit fitting flush. 

9 hours ago, VRS TDi CR estate said:

I has a Columbus fitted to my wife’s Fabia to replace the Swing unit. It was supplied and fitted by RustyNuts at his residence and it’s amazing the difference it made. It looks standard and you can also watch DVD’s. 

The only issue I could see is that you may need to trim a hole in the plastic at the back of the unit so that the DAB aerial fits as it can stop the unit fitting flush. 

Thanks man for the reply.

 

 

If I plug in the Columbus... without coding it... does none of it work? Or is it just limited to a few things in the head unit?

You won't get some functions like nav directions showing on the Maxidot display in the dash, steering wheel controls etc.  Other stuff like heater control settings may not show on the Columbus.

 

Also, assisted gps won't work (the Columbus uses data from the steering angle and wheel speed sensors to calculate position and direction to aid positioning).

 

It'll work, but not properly.

Been almost a year but I have finally removed the Columbus head unit and the plastic surround and made a modification to allow the dab lead more space. Hope it works. It only took me about half an hour total and I’m posting some photos to assist anyone wishing to do the same. Only 8 screws to remove the plastic surround and could see where the dab aerial had been rubbing.

3 hours ago, VRS TDi CR estate said:

Been almost a year but I have finally removed the Columbus head unit and the plastic surround and made a modification to allow the dab lead more space. Hope it works. It only took me about half an hour total and I’m posting some photos to assist anyone wishing to do the same. Only 8 screws to remove the plastic surround and could see where the dab aerial had been rubbing.

 

 

Thats really good to know. Thanks for that. 

 

 

I bought the columbus yesterday. Its out of a superb. I dont have thr GPS cable yet... or the VCDS ... so still waiting. 

 

Connected the columbus. Yeah... very limited. No sound at all. Through cd... media.. radio. Nothing.

 

Desperate for the VCDS  to arrive now to code it. 

So ive been playing with the ross tech program...and getting very far with it.

 

Got sat nav working. Maxidot  is working with gps. Still have no sound. 

 

I did a sound test. That works!!! All speakers are responding... but cant hear music. 

 

Any ideas would be great thanks. 

Did you buy a genuine lead and software?

Not sure. How do i tell? Its a borrowed one from another skoda owner. 

Run an autoscan and post up the saved log.