Hey all,

 

I’ve recently became a proud owner of an Octavia estate 1.4 tsi 2011 reg...it has the OEM head unit fitted but seems it’s of very basic spec (no Bluetooth, steering wheel controls etc)

 

I'm assuming getting the equipment needed plus recoding is going to be pricey so I figured fitting a plug and play aftermarket unit would be a good idea?

 

ideally I’d like something with Bluetooth, option of fitting a reverse camera and Apple CarPlay (or option to install  CarPlay) 

 

Has anyone done this recently and if so what model head unit did you use? 

 

This is forum seems like a spectacular place for answers with many knowledgeable people, I’d really appreciate some advice guys

 

thanks a tonne in advance

 

I'm also interested in this - unlike you, I have a Columbus with bluetooth  but I'd really like to be able to use Android Auto in a decent head unit, which retains steering wheel controls. I've been eyeing up the various cheap-ish and cheerful Android based units from Pumpkin and Xtrons etc etc - but in pretty much all of the threads I read about them, the owner seems to be annoyed by several issues which I know would just annoy me in the end. The quality seems to be hit or miss too, with many breaking shortly after a year.

 

I'm eyeing up some of the Kenwood or Pioneer double DIN units which support Android Auto - having got any further than eyeing though!

I fitted a JVC Car Play double din to my 2008 Octavia vRS in January. It’s the KW-M730BT. Mechless, but all my music is on me iPhone nowadays anyway.

Has Bluetooth, and will take a reverse camera. Does both CarPlay and Android Auto.

Had to get the canbus loom adaptor which was £45 but it does have the part for steering controls, which I don’t have, but was the only version they had in stock on the day. Also the powered aerial adaptor, as the aerial is powered by the headunit. Facia adaptor was about £20 off eBay. I did lose the radio info on Maxidot, the reverse sensor display and climatronic info. None of which I used anyway.

So far I can’t fault the unit, I’ve had a few JVC units over the years and even the cheapest have been pretty much flawless. I did look at other brands but JVC have always seemed to me to be perfectly good enough for less money.

Cant comment on Android Auto on the unit as I’m not an Android user, but if it works anything like CarPlay then its down to the phone rather than the headunit as to how smooth it works. I briefly used it with an old iPhone 5 and it was terribly slow and clunky, but then so was the the phone. With my previous 7 and now X it is wonderful. Can’t really comment on the call quality on either CarPlay or Bluetooth either as I don’t make or receive many calls in the car. But the few I have conducted don’t seem to have had any major issues at either end.

 

Matt

 

Great info, thanks Matt. I think I need to pop to Halfords and have a play around with a few. Not bothered about losing climate or pdc display, and never once have I used mdi! 

Do you have to buy a surround or does it fit in the existing hole.

Ive just put a Erisin ES7826S into the bolero "hole"
perfect fit and works great. Bluetooth is great and interfaces really well with canbus.

 

feel free to ask my any questions on it and I'll do my best to hlep

 

Kenwood DMX-7017DABS