Hi all,

 

I understand that Smartlink can be enabled on compatable stereo units with a trip to the Skoda garage and about £150.

 

But is there a way to enable it without paying so much? Any non Skoda alternatives? Can it be enabled by any garage with the right tools? I have it as an option on the stereo but it says contact dealer for activation. 

 

Also what does it allow you to do with an iPhone? I can already use the call/phone book function via Bluetooth and play music through the stereo using the steering wheel controls.

 

What else would SmartLink do for me? Trying to decide if it’s worth the £££ if I do have to pay Skoda to activate it. 

 

thanks. 

It can be done outside the dealer network but it costs the same and you’d have to remove the radio and send it away in most cases. The most you should pay is £137 as the part is £122 with 15-20 mins fitting time. Apple CarPlay is good, very good in fact and I use it regularly on my car which I retrofitted a MIB2 into. What it gives you over the standard radio (which is very good at many things) is text support, full control of music streaming services like Amazon and Spotify and a full screen display of Apple Maps and in a few weeks you’ll be able to get Google Maps and Waze as well thanks to iOS 12. It looks like this

 

Thanks, I thought it was just a code activation. Does it actually need a physical part too? 

 

Stereo version attached if it helps. 

It is code activation but it’s done with an SD card installed. The cost is the licenses from Apple and Google. That’s a MIB2 Bolero so the addition of nav will also be handy for you

Thanks for the info, very helpful. 

Can anyone tell me which model headunits the SmartLink works with? 

I wouldn't mind getting it for my car but not sure if it's compatible. 

Bolero, Amundsen and Columbus MIB2  They must be MIB2, post MY16. The earlier MIB1’s don’t have it and you can’t add it unless you swap the radio to a MIB2. If you don’t have SmartLink on the menu, it can’t be added without changing the radio.

On 05/11/2018 at 13:34, SashaGrace said:

Bolero, Amundsen and Columbus MIB2  They must be MIB2, post MY16. The earlier MIB1’s don’t have it and you can’t add it unless you swap the radio to a MIB2. If you don’t have SmartLink on the menu, it can’t be added without changing the radio.

 

Is it definite that if you have a smartlink icon it can be enabled?    The dealer told me I couldn't have it done to mine.   17 reg Octavia SE estate 1.6 DSG. Pre facelift.  I'm not certain of the radio type but it has the icon, no CD and a single SD slot.

 

It was a hire car before I had it,  could it have had a non standard spec?

That’s a MIB2 Bolero and yes it can be activated for £137. If your dealer is telling you that then they are wrong, try another dealer.

24 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

That’s a MIB2 Bolero and yes it can be activated for £137. If your dealer is telling you that then they are wrong, try another dealer.

Thank you, good to know.     

 

Before I do that.   The  Bluetooth works very well with both my personal and work phones connected, I use one for navigation.  Is it possible to use one phone for Smartlink and still use the other on  Bluetooth?

I've downloaded the manual and it's not terribly clear.  I have both android and apple phones in daily use.

 

 

9 hours ago, Basillboy said:

Thank you, good to know.     

 

Before I do that.   The  Bluetooth works very well with both my personal and work phones connected, I use one for navigation.  Is it possible to use one phone for Smartlink and still use the other on  Bluetooth?

I've downloaded the manual and it's not terribly clear.  I have both android and apple phones in daily use.

 

 

My experience is no, when I connect one via Android Auto, the other doesn't connect via Bluetooth anymore. I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows a way around this though. 

Thank you, thats not so good.

As above, when Apple CarPlay is connected, it turns off the Bluetooth and becomes completely native so it’s the only phone connection option when in use which isn’t ideal when you want to connect more than 1 phone at a time.

Hmm. My Skoda dealer sent me an offer for activating SmartLink in my Skoda Octavia... The price was 383 pounds (=4225 NOK)
Can the price differ that much? It's like 250£ more! 
Let me know what you think so that I can talk with them again.
Can it be so much more expensive in Norway?

On 07/11/2018 at 09:13, Kenai said:

My experience is no, when I connect one via Android Auto, the other doesn't connect via Bluetooth anymore. I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows a way around this though. 

if you down load AAmirror.apk and follow the instructions you can use one phone to connect to the screen and the other for calls but not both together. There isn't really any need to have two phones connected as a passenger can operate a mobile without breaking any laws. If you have a work and home phone just get a dual sim model instead. I find android auto really limited (for a reason) so AAmirror is worth the effort as it gives full phone functionality on your headunit.



If you want all the bells and whistles ask Pawel, hes much more reasonable.

Edited 19 November, 20187 yr by JohnnyType2

You can download Android Auto as a standalone app, which looks identical to how it would on the head unit. Could then connect that via Bluetooth. 

 

Cheaper option if you have an Android phone?

On 06/11/2018 at 21:00, Basillboy said:

 

Is it definite that if you have a smartlink icon it can be enabled?    The dealer told me I couldn't have it done to mine.   17 reg Octavia SE estate 1.6 DSG. Pre facelift.  I'm not certain of the radio type but it has the icon, no CD and a single SD slot.

 

It was a hire car before I had it,  could it have had a non standard spec?

Hi mate, just wondering what Mpg gives your Skoda 1.6 dsg in winter? I bought a Skoda 1.6 dsg and I'm not happy with mpg, would you please share your experience both in city driving and motorway? I'll be grateful cheers

The economy is not as good as I expected.  Probably a bit worse than my manual  Insignia.  My long term counter is on 54 mpg.  I keep a brim to brim mileage log and do have good tankfulls at 60mpg that include a few long motorway runs but it doesn't take many short journeys to wreck my average.   I drive mostly A roads with economy in mind and go to the shops quite often.

I think the regens are very wasteful.  

1 hour ago, Basillboy said:

The economy is not as good as I expected.  Probably a bit worse than my manual  Insignia.  My long term counter is on 54 mpg.  I keep a brim to brim mileage log and do have good tankfulls at 60mpg that include a few long motorway runs but it doesn't take many short journeys to wreck my average.   I drive mostly A roads with economy in mind and go to the shops quite often.

I think the regens are very wasteful.  

Thanks for your reply mate, with a full tank I've done 400 or 410 miles and half of them were on one longmotorway trip, does this seems to be normal to you or it's just my car? 

Sounds a bit low to me, but town driving and short trips really kill the mpg for me, as does any zooming about 😁

HI JohnnyType2, Is AAmirror.apk free to download. can I play youtube from my phone connecting it via AAmirror.apk. I have connected my phone using Android Auto and to be honest, I didn't like it at all. I thought I would be able to play videos from my phone or youtube..kind of stauff.

I can use waze but it is customised, not same interface as mobile.  

Hi all,

 

I know this topic has been dead for a while, but maybe somebody can help me? I have a MIB2 Bolero in a 2016 Skoda Rapid without the Smartlink menu item and the part number 5Q0035820A, Hardware H24 and software 0241. Can I have smartlink enabled or do I need to replace hardware for that?

 

Thanks in advance!

Dorian 

On 31.08.2018 at 14:13, SashaGrace said:

Este activarea codului, dar se face cu un card SD instalat. Costul este licențele de la Apple și Google. Acesta este un Bolero MIB2, astfel încât adăugarea de nav va fi, de asemenea, utilă pentru dvs.

Can I have the smartlink enabled or do I need to replace the hardware for this? Octavia 3 2014

On 05/11/2018 at 14:34, SashaGrace said:

Bolero, Amundsen and Columbus MIB2  They must be MIB2, post MY16. The earlier MIB1’s don’t have it and you can’t add it unless you swap the radio to a MIB2. If you don’t have SmartLink on the menu, it can’t be added without changing the radio.

Hi Grace, I'll be soon replacing my blues for a swing mib2 6.5, it has the button app, but will it be able to be activated? Since u only mentioned bolero, amundsen and Columbus.

Thanks. 

If i activate smart link. Will it work with my android phone? Is there a way to play movies/sport on the screen in the car? Any screen shots of your android phone connected would be helpful. Thanks in advance.