[nail-z-gull]

I've had my EOS for a month now, and loving it. I bought it used but everything on the car was to my spec, apart from the Stereo - but it beats waiting for 4 months!!!

I'm now contemplating upgrading from the RCD300 to one of the SatNav units (MFD2). I've done quite a lot of homework as I know there are a plethora of different units available but pretty sure I know which model I need.

Besides the physical installation, does the Cars software need to be updated to acknowledge the new unit or will it recognise the upgrade once it's detected? I'd rather not pay the £2k for a dealer upgrade if I can get away with it.

Any advice or do's and don't please...?

 

[comet30]

Ha ha, I was going to ask the same question or at least similar. I'm looking to fit a non VW Double Din Headunit in mine, perhaps something by Panasonic/Sony/Kenwood. Does this present a problem?

The VW units seem very expensive, bearing in mind you can pick up a top spec Sony/Kenwood Headunit for £700.00!

 

[Gavster]

I know somewhere that you can get an original VW Satnav unit that's brand new for £600 and what'smore is that they are totally legitimate too!

 

[nail-z-gull]

I know somewhere that you can get an original VW Satnav unit that's brand new for £600 and what'smore is that they are totally legitimate too!

Oooh. Can you PM me the details?

 

[EOSmage]

I'm now contemplating upgrading from the RCD300 to one of the SatNav units (MFD2). I've done quite a lot of homework as I know there are a plethora of different units available but pretty sure I know which model I need.

Besides the physical installation, does the Cars software need to be updated to acknowledge the new unit or will it recognise the upgrade once it's detected? I'd rather not pay the £2k for a dealer upgrade if I can get away with it.

Be really really careful with this because there is more to the installation than simply pulling out the old radio and pushing in the new one.

I couldn't buy the nav unit in Canada, so planned to install it afterwards myself. That was, at least, until I found out that the GPS unit that is required for the navigation to function isn't installed at the factory unless the radio requires it. In an Eos, the GPS unit is found in the boot (trunk) attached to the top (that opens). If you bought the car without navigation, they don't install it, nor do they have the wiring that connects it to the radio.

To retrofit a navigation unit into your car, you will need to purchase the factory GPS unit, the wiring harness that goes from the back of the car to the controller that puts the GPS signal onto the can bus, and (although I never got a firm answer on this) might even need to buy the controller itself.

Then, you have to install the new radio/nav unit. And then you have to take the car to a dealer to have it reprogrammed using their interface. This will enable the features and ensure that the car doesn't come up with a host of errors due to missing parts or components.

You could probably do the last step with the VAG-COM adapter, but I am not sure that I'd trust the configuration files for that level of change yet. VAG-COM is the unit that lets the hobbyist plug into their car's computer network and make changes-- but the configuration files that explain what settings are for what purpose came from a different car and have yet to be fully "tested" with Eos vehicles.

So, in a nutshell, you are going to spend a fair amount of $$$ to buy a nav unit, a GPS, whatever connections are required to get GPS signal to radio, and finally paying a dealer to program the whole works for you. (you might want to confirm with the dealer that they will do this before you start).

I've put off the "upgrade" until a newer version of the nav unit is available (the one that is supposed to have touch screen). I'll also wait to ensure that I can get the full details about how to get the GPS working with the radio...

If I were you, I'd think twice about this... but, I always err on the side of "don't mess up my new car".

(well, honestly, I err on this side now. I did mess up a 2002 trailblazer by trying to install a computer for entertainment with touchscreen... but that's another horror-story).

 

[nail-z-gull]

Eeek. I've gone right off that idea!

 

[EOSmage]

Eeek. I've gone right off that idea!

Ya, I thought you might. Every time I think about it, I remind myself how glad I am that I never even tried.

You can replace the VW radio with an aftermarket one from Alpine or Pioneer (for example only, I'm not suggesting these are the best or only ones making GPS headunits). The problem is that they are expensive too, and that you'd still have to get your dealer to confirm that there are no issues from removing the factory headunit. In a Chevy or GM vehicle, the headunit is a major part of the electrical system and removal is a real pain in the neck. Not sure about VW though in this regard.

I opted to buy a portable unit that can be used in the car or taken portable for walks. I did a fair amount of research on the various portable GPS units, and decided to get one that focused on automotive guidance (for street level navigation). I bought the Garmin Nuvi 660 (click for details on the unit). I've been really happy with it, as it calculates routes very quickly, provides clear instructions that make getting somewhere easy.

It has an "audio out" plug that can route the sound directly to the AUX-IN found in the Eos glovebox. And it takes SD cards (memory cards) that can be loaded with MP3 music to play while getting directions. Overall, it works really well, and I'm very happy that I got the garmin instead of trying to retrofit a nav unit.

I should also mention, just to be complete, that upgrading maps should also be a consideration when looking at GPS systems. The problem with VW's nav system and even Alpine or Pioneer is volume. None of these companies are "GPS specialists" and because of that, they don't have a large volume of sales that require map licenses.

I'll point out that the GPS maps are all made by 2 or 3 companies, and VW, Pioneer, and even VW buy their maps from one of them. Each time they buy, they pay a licensing royalty for the map to the company that made it. Upgrades to the maps also require purchasing an updated license. The cost of these licenses is directly related to the volume of licenses they buy and sell.

A company like Garmin (who deals almost exclusively in GPS systems) sells a lot of units and therefore a large volume of licenses. An upgrade from Garmin is well under $100 Canadian Dollars. The exact same map upgrade from VW will cost well over $200 Canadian Dollars. While this isn't a huge expense in the grand-scheme-of-things, it is something else to consider.

My Nuvi 660's taken me through some great areas, and has gotten me out of some really "unknown" areas too. It got me safely home (or to the hotel) when I was totally lost. Plus, it is extremely patient in giving instructions and correcting for when I make mistakes.

Being able to take it out of the car, get into a friend's car, and still have directions is extremely valuable. Most importantly, however, is when you park the car at a hotel, and go for a walk in an unknown city. At 2 in the morning, when you are trying to find where the hotel is, the Garmin is much nicer and easier to follow than the directions you get from passers by.

"turn left, go 5 blocks, turn right, and then I think you need to make another right but it could be a left, then go until you see the shell station which should be on your right. Go past and take a left. Keep going and you should see the hotel on your right or maybe left"

Okeedokee.... I got the 5 blocks and a right....

 

[Harin]

Well that is not quite right...

I installed it my self, and I have never done anything to my car other than fill up the gas-tank...

I don't know if this is the case world wide, but my EOS has never had any navigationssystem in it before I installed mine. I have the multisteering wheel, but I do believe that the CanBus is born to detech any original navigations systems.

I took out my old radio, all that is to it, is to get alu-frame of with your fingers, comes of quite easily. Then there is 4 screws, take these out, and now the radio is ready to be taken out of the console.

Then on the back of the original radio, take out the wires (these are plug'n'play), but remember which goes where.

Now take out the air vents on top of the radio, there are two screws holding this in place on the bottom. When the screws are out, you need to use a little force, wiggling it from side to side and place it on top of the dash board up-side-down (due to the wires).

The navigation system consists of two elements, the unit and the antenna. The GPS-antenna is magnetic, but it is quite hard to find anything made out of metal, so I placed the antenna on top of the air vents with double-sided tape to make sure it doesn't fall around back there.

Then all that is left is to put the airvents back in place, insert the screws, plug in the wiring from the radio into the new nav-system (if it is the old MFD2 system it fit just fine, but the new TouchScreen doesn't - then you need a converter for the radio wires [got mine for free]), plug in the GPS-antenna (again plug'n'play) and insert the radio.

While you are doing this, don't turn on the ignition.

But once you are done, the CanBus will detech the navigation system and everything work.

This is my story - no problems what so ever. And the CanBus even detected my navigation unit even though the car is a 2006 model when the touch screen wasn't around.

But yes, you do need to find someone to help you detech any errors in the CanBus, but there is usually a lot of friendly folks around willing to help you.

 

[nail-z-gull]

Well that is not quite right...

I installed it my self, and I have never done anything to my car other than fill up the gas-tank...

I don't know if this is the case world wide, but my EOS has never had any navigationssystem in it before I installed mine. I have the multisteering wheel, but I do believe that the CanBus is born to detech any original navigations systems.

I took out my old radio, all that is to it, is to get alu-frame of with your fingers, comes of quite easily. Then there is 4 screws, take these out, and now the radio is ready to be taken out of the console.

Then on the back of the original radio, take out the wires (these are plug'n'play), but remember which goes where.

Now take out the air vents on top of the radio, there are two screws holding this in place on the bottom. When the screws are out, you need to use a little force, wiggling it from side to side and place it on top of the dash board up-side-down (due to the wires).

The navigation system consists of two elements, the unit and the antenna. The GPS-antenna is magnetic, but it is quite hard to find anything made out of metal, so I placed the antenna on top of the air vents with double-sided tape to make sure it doesn't fall around back there.

Then all that is left is to put the airvents back in place, insert the screws, plug in the wiring from the radio into the new nav-system (if it is the old MFD2 system it fit just fine, but the new TouchScreen doesn't - then you need a converter for the radio wires [got mine for free]), plug in the GPS-antenna (again plug'n'play) and insert the radio.

While you are doing this, don't turn on the ignition.

But once you are done, the CanBus will detech the navigation system and everything work.

This is my story - no problems what so ever. And the CanBus even detected my navigation unit even though the car is a 2006 model when the touch screen wasn't around.

But yes, you do need to find someone to help you detech any errors in the CanBus, but there is usually a lot of friendly folks around willing to help you.

Fantastic instructions Harin. I will follow this up as I hoped it was just a plug 'n' play upgrade. It certainly is for the Golf, according to other forums. Maybe it's just a difference between the European and NA models spec?

 

[Gavster]

I'm going to ask whether or not these satnav units are the touch screen type or not and let you guys know

 

[Harin]

Fantastic instructions Harin. I will follow this up as I hoped it was just a plug 'n' play upgrade. It certainly is for the Golf, according to other forums. Maybe it's just a difference between the European and NA models spec?

I just talked to a guy who has a Golf from Oct.2006, and when he inserted the new touch-navigations system, the CanBus did not recognize it, nor did it give any errors. But my Eos is Jun.2006 and had no problems at all, so there is a difference between the Golf and the Eos (besides the roof ), but my guess is, that it is only software versions that differs.

And remember
if you want to get a hold of a VW navigation system, don't forget Ebay - lots of bargains to be made (compared to VW dealers)

 

[nail-z-gull]

I just talked to a guy who has a Golf from Oct.2006, and when he inserted the new touch-navigations system, the CanBus did not recognize it, nor did it give any errors. But my Eos is Jun.2006 and had no problems at all, so there is a difference between the Golf and the Eos (besides the roof ), but my guess is, that it is only software versions that differs.

And remember
if you want to get a hold of a VW navigation system, don't forget Ebay - lots of bargains to be made (compared to VW dealers)

SSSSHHHHHH. There's one on there I've got my eye on.