Summary of Bluetooth Options for RNS510 & RCD510

[fergus]

My Bluetooth kit arrived today. So it took a week to get here exactly.

...

Was it packed well & does it look brand new / came in VW original packaging etc ?

[sharkablue]

It was packed very well. With bubble wrap and in a nice hard cardboard box.

There was no original packaging, and I have never seen or heard of these parts coming with original packaging as they are not something that the public can normally buy, so I dont see why VW would ever bother wasting the time and resources on having packageing made for it?

The Bluetooth box itself came in a plastic bag which was open at one end.

All the cables required came in another sealed plastic bag, that you will have to cut open to get the parts. This plastic bag also has a VW sticker on it with some part numbers on it.

The bluetooth box itself has no marks on it from what I can see and has the sticker on it with the part number and that it was made in Germany like you can see on all the eBay images.

Unfortunately I wont be able to tell if it works or not, until I give it to a VW Dealer to install for me. Which wont happen until my foam cover also arrives. Which I have been told will take up to 2 weeks, as the part comes from Singapore.

So that gives me more time to see if I want the RNS510 or not. As $1200+ is not something that many people have just lying around to spend on sat nav in a car...

[Ryan_R]

Your description of the packaging is identical to mine - I see no reason why it shouldn't work.

If you are going to get an RNS 510 - do it now, as you'll basically get the installation for free since they have to take the radio out to install the bluetooth anyway. Do you currently have the RCD 310 or 510? If you've only got the 310 I'd recommend the upgrade. It really does add to the perceived value of the car - and having all my music on the HDD is just great. SatNav (without round marks on the windscreen) is great. Integration with the MFD is... yep, great.

Currently the one I got is available for $1099. It doesn't have that new star button, but you have a voice-control button on your steering wheel already, and I'm not the type of person who likes the idea of talking to my car. Choosing contacts to call is already great. You get the whole phone book list in the MFD, and if you hold the up/down arrow keys in, it skips to the first person starting with the Next letter of the alphabet (i.e. Goes from Adam to Brett, skipping everyone else starting with A). You also have names on the touch-screen radio.

[sharkablue]

Thats great Ryan_R!

I have the RDC510 in my Golf and I was looking at upgrading to the RNS510.

I had exactly the same thoughts as yourself, either I get it now or never, as my dash needs to get pulled apart to have the Bluetooth installed, so I may as well get the RNS510 done at the same time.

I have found a unit on eBay that is one of the newer units:

Revision C
LED Backlight
Star Button

So from what I have read up, this is the latest version of the RNS510.

But I will keep everyone posted on which dealer ends up installing the Bluetooth for me in Victoria.

As I have said, the Berwick dealer was more then happy to assist when I mentioned it to them over the phone. They only condition was that it was genuine VW parts they were dealing with and that I obviously was happy to pay for the labour involved in installing the items.

The Barloworld VW Dealer in Glen Waverley is where I have ordered the foam cover for the Bluetooth kit from. It was $27.10 for those that are intrested. The guy there was very happy to help out. When I did mention having the Bluetooth and RNS510 installed I never got straight answers. However I have since been in good contact with 2 staff members there. One of them fixed some issues I have had with my brake light cluster and boot lining in my car. And the other is a manager of some sort.

So I will keep everyone posted.

oh BTW, for those in VIC, dont bother with Volkspower, they will only install if you purchase from them.

[Ryan_R]

I live in Berwick. Last time I was there they hadn't finished building the showroom yet. I'm not sure what the LED Backlight actually does on the new one. I've never had issues seeing my unit at night (the entire screen is lit in the same way as my computer monitor at night ????

I kept the voice-activation disabled by choice. I prefer the pause/mute button on the steering wheel for when I want to hear the supercharger.

[Peteaussi]

It was packed very well. With bubble wrap and in a nice hard cardboard box.

There was no original packaging, and I have never seen or heard of these parts coming with original packaging as they are not something that the public can normally buy, so I dont see why VW would ever bother wasting the time and resources on having packageing made for it?

The Bluetooth box itself came in a plastic bag which was open at one end.

All the cables required came in another sealed plastic bag, that you will have to cut open to get the parts. This plastic bag also has a VW sticker on it with some part numbers on it.

The bluetooth box itself has no marks on it from what I can see and has the sticker on it with the part number and that it was made in Germany like you can see on all the eBay images.

Unfortunately I wont be able to tell if it works or not, until I give it to a VW Dealer to install for me. Which wont happen until my foam cover also arrives. Which I have been told will take up to 2 weeks, as the part comes from Singapore.

So that gives me more time to see if I want the RNS510 or not. As $1200+ is not something that many people have just lying around to spend on sat nav in a car...

I purchased mine on the 18th.... and hasn't yet arrived. Damn living in the Western side of the country!!!

[sharkablue]

I live in Berwick. Last time I was there they hadn't finished building the showroom yet. I'm not sure what the LED Backlight actually does on the new one. I've never had issues seeing my unit at night (the entire screen is lit in the same way as my computer monitor at night ????

I kept the voice-activation disabled by choice. I prefer the pause/mute button on the steering wheel for when I want to hear the supercharger.

From what I have read up the LED Screen just gets to full brightness faster then the non LED units. When using the touch screen it is slightly more responsive and in direct sunlight it is easier to read.

The best way to tell if you have a LED backlight RNS510 is to look for that star button instead of the 'i' button apparently.

Other then that, most of the features can be added by software updates.

[sharkablue]

I live in Berwick. Last time I was there they hadn't finished building the showroom yet. I'm not sure what the LED Backlight actually does on the new one. I've never had issues seeing my unit at night (the entire screen is lit in the same way as my computer monitor at night ????

I kept the voice-activation disabled by choice. I prefer the pause/mute button on the steering wheel for when I want to hear the supercharger.

Also on the showroom, Yeah I heard they were still building it, but whereever they do servicing or whatever I guess is working fine. They were alot more laid back and willing to help compared to Glen Waverley thats for sure.

I actually bought by golf from the Glen Waverley dealer, and I have no complaints, other then the fact that I cant get a straight answer from them over the phone regarding if they install VW parts if their parts department have not ordered them and what the labour costs were. I was also put on hold and told to wait... which I thought was just stupid since I had called the service department, they should know what the costs are..

One time on the phone infact, I was not put on hold and I could hear exactly what they were talking about, and they seemed to have no clue and were caught quite off guard with the question. I dont know if its just me? or is asking 2 questions very hard? Simple yes or no answer to "do you install VW parts if I don not buy them through your parts department" and "if you do, what are the labour costs for installing Bluetooth and RNS510 at the same time in a MK6 Golf?"

anyways I will keep people posted on what happens in the next couple of weeks with the Bluetooth installation.

[sharkablue]

On a separate note, I just bit the bullet and ordered the RNS510 from eBay in the UK.

Aussie Maps V3
LED Backlight
Star Button
Revision C

So it looks like the dealer will be installing the Bluetooth and RNS510 at the same time. Ill let people know how this goes and which dealer is up for the job.

[Ryan_R]

Congrats - start sorting out you music collection into groupd/folders now


I created a 5 second silent MP3 file that I've placed in each folder so that I can get the best use out of the Mix/Random/Shuffle feature. Gives me just enough time to turn it on without having to listen to the same song over and over again. I just wish the unit remembered what songs you've already heard so they don't get repeated throughout the week while other tracks are missed.