Paging Gandolph the White....a few NAV questions...

[LI-S4]

I am gathering info for the NAV install...your help is appreciated..

- just how plug and play was the install?
- Did you use the A4 or A6 unit (my understanding is that the A4 is too narrow, A6 is too wide and needs to be trimmed...)
- Do you have any new, close pictures of the finish after it has mellowed a few weeks? How noticable is the texture difference?
- Did you do the BT install?
- Grand total cost??

[EdyJun]

[V6UnderPressure]

[LI-S4]

One of the posts Gandolph made referred to the top needing to be trimmed and edged, although I might have misread it.

At a recent meet I was told that the height is fine, but the width when using the A6 unit is about an inch over.

I am confident that I can make a template and trim the edges cleanly. Cutting the top is more difficult since it needs to mate up flushly to the bottom edge of the hazard surround trim. And the bottom has the chrome piece on it so there is no trimming there unless that chrome comes off.

Last...the pics I have seen of the wiring is horrifying...yet I was told it is a plug and play affair.

[V6UnderPressure]

A cat 5 cable has to be run and some connectors need to be made. I am not worried as much about the wiring as the actual trimming. I am a perfectionist and the pictures of the installs that I have seen will not cut it for me. Also I cannot verify that both Satellite and Phatoise will be functional.

[LI-S4]

Fluffhead did the install in a B6 with both components and I have a link to the Audio forum documenting it.

With good instructions I can do it..the trimming and all. I just need a comprehensive road map to follow.. And true, the gaps in the sides won't cut it for me. I'll get a Tom Tom before doing that.

[gandolf the white]

STEP ONE:

Go to Navplus.us and read (start with the intro to RNSe post)

WIRING___________

the install with the adaptor was "plug and play" except for tapping the instrument cluster for CAN. To make it more plug and play i recommend getting the correct wires with pins from AUDI you'll only need 1 as it is single wire with pins at both ends.

Then using a piece of cat 5 cable connect:

instrument cluster CAN wires to male/female bullet connection to cat 5 cable to male/female bullet connection to the RNSe hareness...choose a single pair of the wires I always use white/blue High and solid blue Low this way it easy to remember in the future.

Now that that is done you really just need to plug in correct adaptor for the features of your care (bose, cdc, phone, etc).

FITMENT___________

Unit used is A6 unit you just need to trim the bottom edge using a QUALITY hacksaw make sure the blade is tight. It will still be a little narrow i fixed this 2 ways one less scary but it not oem look (until i get a new console its stays as is then i will reform the new console.

METHOD ONE:

first fit and cut the unit in the car then remove the center console (or try it on the car i did the first time and it worked okay but i thought that was good i can do better so after some experiments i did but i still think the third time will be the best now that i have developed some techniques. SO basically using a heat gun heat the center console I pressed the sides in to fit the RNSe see my pic poster its not perfect but only i knew it bugged me i am a perfectionsist.



the first time i did it on the car but in some places overehated it due to the confines of the interior. Therfore i got a second console and since it was removed from the car i fgured i could do a better job though i was still experimenting. THe main thing is i needed to support the console and so braced it up with wood and made so that i could "mount" the a/c controls as it has holes you can line up on the cent console and screw through. So once its all solid the goal is to heat the consol put the RNSe into postion and pree in the side. TO press it in Don't use the hand in will dent the plastic instead use something semi stiff I went to the store and got a piece of stiff felt (used for putting on furniture if you have a hard wood floor). So now once heated (both side)s you use the felt sqaure to to pull from behind and press form the front you just have to see how it will work. A couple things first be careful ow much you heat the surface will dull if you have too much heat. I liked heat fromthe back first it was safer. Careful don't push too hard or the plastic can dent or defrom. Also i used water to flash cool its a little messy but it works best to have friend with hose while you hold in position (Obviously you do this without the RNSe and A/C). Best thing is if possible experiment on some other piece of similer type plastic or get an extra console at least from an A4 to destroy tesing.

Then just shave with a file then hazard trim to fit the width of the RNSe better and i also shaved up the corners of the a/c unit to match the RNSe better.

I will take some pics when i get and do the third console with some specifc steps and postions but its one of those things thats not easy but not hard if that makes sense.

Method 2 was because of lamborghinis back in the day the piping was something i used to notice and done right its pimp. THerefore while waiting for the third console i decided i could disguise the edges without heating or with less perfeect heating.



closer:


So I made some piping from spare Alcantara using 18 gauge wire for stiffness and glued it together. THen i left about a 1/2 inch or so and stuffed that in the crack around the edges. Then i bought some plastic chrome "U" and made the bottom trim piece. Someday i'll buy the real piece from someone maybe.

COLOR MATCH________

Use the "long" kiwi method it seems to take nicely and matches my hazard surround perfectly. Basically cover lcd with blue painters tape then apply the polish wait and then remove and lightly buff then reapply. Repeat a few times then apply a coat and let it sit a day or so then buff then reapply and wait for a couple days. Only after this could i get it more black then dark grey in color. Btw remove the painters tape whenits sitting for more than a couple hours.

BTW the A/C controls are a different material and never really match hence i used the chrome strip and created a step ala the newer skool audis. I was going to disassemble to paint but its not bad at all with the crmoe strip breaking it up.

PHONE________

Update to newest US software 110 using nav disk version 2A

Buy a moto RAZR or similarly BT happy phone - i use my pocket pc phone but phone book and call logs don't sync but thats b/c of phone...TO install buy kufatec wiring harness from "euro-parts.us" i think check on navplus.us they are in cali.
Buy the antenna and buy the newest BT unit from clair parts Also get the mic if you need but i tapped the stocck one using the center console and the end of the cat 5 cable used for the instrument cluster CAN :-).

make the connections power, mute, CAN, mic, ground.

I put it all on the drivers knee bolster and used velcro its sits there room to spare and secure...also easy to get and remove if necessary.

For Voice Control (includes other buttons as well normmally located on steering wheel) gimmie a couple days its raining i am writing this instead i just have to put it in the car and connect a few wires to see if it works

EXTRAS

MP3: i bought 2 2 GB cardS

CDC changer: if you have this great keep and and sat radio

SAT RADIO: I used some AW availble info on this and modified it to keep the CDC and run it though SAT. BTW Lee's AW info now inlcludes a nice diagram of how to do this btw you can make your own fakra connector just look and see you just use a drill to make a slot for the tab.

VIDEO:
I used a Dietz 1417 to run video to the RNSe via a dvd player mounted in the golve box using only industrial velcro. NOTE blaupunkt ME3 will NOT fit in the glovebox i used pyle for size reference there are others. To get TV i have an antenna connected to dvd player TBH its not good i just watch dvds a seperate tuner is supposedl best but OEM is pain to install and until we have HD its not worth it to invest.

TOTAL COST__________

Less then me i did things just to try it and got extra studd in the process.

RNSe with nav and harness $1400-1800
BT module $350-400
BT Antenna: $30
MIC (if needed): $130
BT harness: $125
Voice Control: about $350-500

1417: varies $275-400
DVD player: $85-250

CDC with cartridges: $100-130

XM antenna and adaptor: $65
XM module: $350-450
Kenwood Cable (best method): $15-30
Lee's AW install pdf: free

MP3: $100 -200 per card


_________

so i might have rambled a bit (i started right after you posted lol) but enjoy and if you want i can add/remove stuff later

[nobodeuno]

The A6 unit is the one to get and it only requires trimming on the bottom however the sides do not fit perfectly flush however it does clip in like the stock HU does which is nice. To fill in the side gaps some have used the material that is cut off the bottom of the faceplate and others have made templates out of other material such as CF...etc

Some have used sand paper/shoe polish to make the color difference less noticable however its still not perfect from what I have seen. I will say that the pictures I've seen do show a difference but it may more dramatic due to the flash/exposure....Hard to say? Some have left it as is and are satisfied.

As for the wiring I don't know alot of specifics but it seems that if you have a <2001.5 there is some sort of difference in the wiring. I think the >2001.5's are missing some sort of connector and requires some additional wires to be run otherwise its pretty much plugnplay? Just a guess from the limited reading. Either way I don't think its very hard to install. At the very least your just tapping some wires from one harness to the other. There should be pretty step by step instructions on Navplus forum. Don't quote me on this but its what I have gathered.

Now the Bluetooth module may require some additional wiring and tapping into a harness which may make the install more difficult?

I agree with SpooledupS4...I haven't been overly impressed with the install pictures I've seen. I'm too much of a perfectionist for their to be any gaps in the dash or color differences.

I really don't think it would be too difficult for someone with the skill and tool access to make a faceplate to fit our cars. I'm sure their would be plenty of interest for it. Not sure what involved in removing the faceplate but its something I will definately look into should I decide to move on installing the RNS-E.

Good Luck and keep us updated on your progress Mike!

[(R)S4 SmokedU /-///]

Maybe I should have never said anything 8^)

[DM-S4]