RNS-E Upgrade - Completed!

Skipton01

Skipton01

Admin Team
Well, after an afternoon (and evening, much to the chagrin of the wife!), and 1 new dashboard later, I've now got a fully functional RNS-E fitted in the Tank.

I will post some pix tomorrow if I get the chance. It was a bit of a nightmare of a job (so no asking me to do yours, unless you've already got a double-DIN dash) but all went well in the end and it really does look the part.

It's coded up as an A6 at the moment, but interestingly, my fully legit copy of the latest VAG-COM shows an A2 option on the coding chart - wonder if Audi were thinking of making it available?

Anyway, the single DIN dash is now up for grabs, along with a climate control panel, a stowage slot and a Chorus2 headunit.
 
Hi Skipton

That was quick. Look forward to seeing the photos. Did you find anything amiss under the dash which was causing the odd rattle?

Cheers Spike
 
Not really, although some of the cable routing was a bit shoddy - parts of the main loom were rubbing badly on the aluminium stays - one wire was just about through to the core!

I'll see how the rattles go over the next few weeks - although I don't really want to take out the dash again - complete nightmare!
 
That is really nice! (Couldn't see the last pic though - just got the red cross in the corner...)
 
Skipton01 said:
Hmmm. Re-uploaded the last pic, but it still doesn't want to play ball!
Click to expand...
The wonders of the Interweb! I see Frido's dash has come up in the picture gallery sample on the right hand side of the front page...
 
Hi Skipton,

Fantastic and well done.

I want to do exactly the same conversion - change dash fron single to double din and fit RNS-E and Audi Bluetooth. I've got Frido's info, but you've gone the whole way and not butchered the single din housing to fit the RNS-E.

I've already got the RNS-E unit (A6 type), but need to source all the other items.........and of course my A2 is a left hooker 1.2TDI just to make things a little more interesting!

Any advice on sourcing parts, incl cable sets etc, actually doing the job and VAG Com set up after change?

Thanks, Erling
 
Hi Erling
A good way to start is by reading all the related topics on the attached link.
Secondly, if you don't already have them, get a set of workshop manuals and parts books - Skipton usually has them for sale on disc. I've had the dash out of my car to change a climate control sensor and in my opinion the manuals are essential
http://www.navplus.us/forum/viewtopic.php?t=462

Cheers Spike
 
Just as a taster, to let you know roughly what is involved, here is a list of tasks which need to be done before you even touch a dashboard retaining screw:

Disconnect Battery
Remove steering wheel and airbag
Remove instrument panel pod
Remove steering column switches
Remove upper A pillar and lower A pillar trims
Remove drivers lower dash panel
Remove glovebox
Remove passenger airbag
Remove air con panel, radio and central air vents

That little lot took me about 2 hours and I'm well practised in the art of Audi dismantling!

If anyone out there does want to fit RNS-E, all I can say is that it is worth it, but it doesn't come easily or cheap. A new dashboard is £600 alone. Add on the cost of the RNS-E itself, plus time and you're looking at well in excess of £1000.

If you've already got the double DIN dash, you're laughing and to anyone who wants me to help them out, I'd be only too pleased.

Cheers,

Mike
 
The first question I guess is where is the best place to get the RNS-E unit for an A6? If I can find one of these, then I'll probably give it a go.

Ben
 
As always - Ebay!

Be very cautious as to where you get one from. Also, many of the units are sold from Germany and the vast majority of Germans don't accept Paypal (it seems not to have caught on there), but take bank transfers only.

I have bought a couple of things this way, with no issues, but be careful and check out the sellers feedback.

Just for info, the guy I bought mine from goes by the name "navi-world".

Also, never buy anything other than an A6 RNS-E, don't be tempted by a cheap A3 one for example - they cannot be coded to work with the A2.

As a guide, I paid £425 including shipping for mine. Not bad when you consider that the option on a new A3 is £2150!!!!
 
Hello Erling!

Try to contact "Muetze" on the german A2 forum, he already retrofitted the RNS-E, Bluetooth Handsfree kit and heated steering wheel to his 1.2TDi.

Bye, Frido.
 
Skipton01 said:
As always - Ebay!

Also, many of the units are sold from Germany and the vast majority of Germans don't accept Paypal (it seems not to have caught on there), but take bank transfers only.
Click to expand...
Perhaps they dont like Paypal for the same reason as one of my neighbours doesn't like Paypal? A £13 pound charge to receive a payment of about £400...
 
I kind of agree with you GrayB, but that works out at 3.25% of the transaction, which isn't too bad when you consider that most card transactions these days attract 2.5% in handling costs, which is always swallowed by the seller (by which I mean Asda, B7Q etc).

I don't think that is a bad trade-off really for the security, speed of payment and ease of payment (you can take a credit card for example, which will attract more buyers). A bank transfer on the other hand costs £14 a go, and I've just shelled out for 3 - one of them was only for Euro45! (Mind you, it was a heck of a lot cheaper than getting the same item from the stealers).
 
The big stores like you to think they pay those kind of percentages, read the receipts carefully, the company they own charges the store 2.5% and as these charges do not attract VAT they only have to give the VAT man the duty on 97.5% of the purchase price saving them hundreds of thousands a year.

What they actually pay the credit card processing company is low tenths of a percent. Even a relatively small business (<£250k) can easily pay 1% or 15p on debit cards.

Incidentally next time a car dealer refuses to let you pay for a car on a credit card because they pay 3% tell them if they are paying 3% their business manager needs sacking! I do and it works!
 
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