Hi Folks,

I have been reading this forum for four years now and this is my first post. Sorry about that, but the site is so comprehensive and such a source of wisdom that I never needed to ask (or thought I knew anything that had not been covered).

So why now? Well, I have a Mark 1 Octavia VRS and am just changing it for a Mark II. Best car for the money on the market and I love it – probably more than my BMW M3 (which I am also changing for one of the first 420HP 2008 models in the country - well you do don’t you?)

The advantage of the Octy is that I am happy to tweak it a bit without fear of wreaking the residuals. And so to the ICE plan. I have followed the posts on fitting an MFD2 Navigation unit (£350 s/h on eBay plus £150 for Bluetooth) and nearly went that way. But guys, surely it is a no-brainer to go for an after market unit? For the princely sum of £740 brand new now sitting in my garage from eBay, here is what you can get:

Kenwood DNX 6200 Touch screen 7” display Satnav

Kenwood GTM10 Traffic Master TMC

Kenwood KCA-IP300V iPod Video control lead

Kenwood Bluetooth Mobile phone Hands Free Kit KCA BT100

This gives you:

Full on-screen iPod control with album art and iPod video

Integrated Bluetooth phone

USB playback from an external memory stick or hard drive

Playback of AAC files from DVD or USB

Full Europe maps on a separate SD card

Relatively cheap map upgrades via the SD memory card

Free firmware upgrades via the SD memory card

Lifetime TMC

Text to Speech capability

Input for rear-view camera

Tilt Screen

50W MOSFET output

DVD play back

IR remote control

And the all-important speed camera POI’s uploadable from the SD card

Need I go on? And it integrates nicely into the 2 DIN slot to give an OEM look (I hope). So, while I understand the purists that want the MFD2 because it is the factory fit option, surely this lot blows it away for not a lot more money and the kit is brand new?

I am happy to post pics of the install and my experience using it. But first some questions from you gurus that will make it easier. I need to pick up a parking brake switch lead (to prevent you watching DVDs while driving!! and make it legal) and a reverse switch (for switching to the reversing camera if I fit one later). Anyone know a convenient underdash location for these wires to save me running wires all the way to the handbrake and the reversing light? And I have read somewhere that the 2007 Octavias no longer have a permanent live in the Quadlock connector. Is this right?

Finally, any recommendations for the fascia? The latest VRS has the Stream MP3 radio and the silver surround does not look as if it needs replacing, but there will still be a small gap. Thanks in advance.

Certainly is a nice unit.

The best surround option I have seen is the skoda kit. It includes the wiring you need for the switched live but is only available in black so must be sprayed if you want silver.

You might be better to invest in a proper CAN interface.

Not too sure on the connections for reversing cam without looking it up.

You'll need to become a Freedom member to sell your items here.

A reply from VRStu within 10 minutes at 11pm! This confirms my suspicions that he is really a state of the art computer located somewhere in Czechoslovakia which contains the entire knowledge base for all things Skoda. I intend to test this theory with a post at 2am tonight. Only kidding Stu! And thanks for the tip about selling the kit I remove.

Now for some more damn fool questions.

I assume the CAN-Bus interface to go for is the RCI-4A-VW from Blaupunkt? Anyone had experience with this? Pioneer makes the CA-R-PI.221-V2 at half the price, but it does not seem as comprehensive in its outputs.

The Skoda fascia which everyone seems to recommend is the Skoda AZO 600 003 for cars with Climatronic (in black only). But this is single DIN, while I need a double DIN. I assume it can be modified. Anyone tried this?

Thanks in advance.

I can't really remember about the single din kit and whether it could be modified.

Equally I know little about the CAN Interfaces except that I've read several people reporting good things about one bought from Bluespot. I think there are some posts here about it.

The choice of fascia depends on whether you have climatronic or climatic

Skoda Octavia installation

Part reference: 7607589521

http://carconf.blaupunkt.com/data/EA/7607589521001_EA_GB.pdf

Generates ignition, display illumination, speed signal, reverse light, phone mute and remote control signals from multiplexed (CAN-BUS) wiring systems

You'll also need - Part reference: PC5-136

Although there is one included in the Skoda kit.

Stunning, thanks Stu.

I think I may have found a wheeze for the facia. The MkV Golf/Touran fascia plate for a Single DIN installation looks to me to be exactly the same shape as an MFD2 Skoda Satnav and comes complete with screw mounting holes that hopefully match the Skoda dash. See

Autoleads VW Golf MkV & Touran Fascia Adaptor £19.99 including VAT. FP1703. Buy discounted car audio online at In-Car Express

Hacksaw out the thin middle cross piece and you have a Double DIN adaptor plate which will fit the silver Skoda trim 1Z0 858 069 L 2AU that Stu recommends for the MFD2.

Anyone want to stop me blowing £10 on eBay for a VW adaptor because you know it won’t work?

Might work. Hope the quality is better than the Octy II one.

Noted about the Autoleads product. The advantage of my proposed route is that there are countless suppliers of quality fascias for the Golf, including the Metra stuff from the US at silly low prices compared to UK. If I am right that the Skoda trim 1Z0 858 069 L 2AU turns the aperture into a Golf one, the options are numerous. Once again, thanks for the info Stu and do you ever sleep?

Sometimes.

OK, have decided to go with trying the VW Golf V fascia route and the Kenwood CAW-VW1280 CAN-BUS interface because at £35 it is a fraction of the price of the Blaupunkt one that Stu recommends. The interface should give me ACC, Reverse, Dimming and Speed from the CAN_BUS, which should be close to Plug and Play for the Kenwood DNX6200. A bit of a shot in the dark, but what the hell, I'm an early adopter.

I will post results when I have fitted it.

Hi All,

One final question before the install begins. I have searched endlessly for a solution to changing the head unit while keeping the original CD changer. Lots of solutions to adding a CD changer to the stock Stream radio, but nothing the other way around - dumping the Stream and keeping the stock CD changer. Found several posts saying it cannot be done, which seems a bit odd, but there you are. Anyone know the answer to this?

Thanks.