Upgrading standard stereo - Help?

[-Mike-]

Hey all,

Just got myself a 57 plate Jetta and am wondering whether money would be well spent upgrading the stock head unit. After doing some reading and getting the can gateway checked out it appears I'm safe from the battery drain issues that plague earlier cars with the older gateways.

My car currently has the VW touch bluetooth kit installed with the small external screen so I'd like to keep that working if at all possible. I assume the small loom adapter that's plugged into my rcd 300 will just transfer straight across to the rcd 510.

Apologies for my ramblings but what I'd like you guys to advise me if you know is - on is whether the RCD 510 offers improved sound over my existing unit. I'd really like a SD card slot again, but unlike my previous Bora where the non OEM pioneer unit I had didn't look massively out of place I think the 510 will look far better than an aftermarket unit in this car. DAB would be a bonus too.

Failing that can anyone recommend me a head unit that I can make look something like stock with regards to colours etc?

Thanks

 

[wildman_33]

You will be right on the borderline of whether you get battery drain or not. Some 57 plates have the new module some have the older. Not sure you will see a massive improvement in sound quality going to the RCD510 although I've never heard the RCD300 for comparison. Personally if I was looking at the RCD510, Id got for the DAB version.

You can also get the RNS 315 and RNS 310, Im not sure which (I think its the 315), but one of them is immune to the battery drain issue and you get nav as well.

I have an RNS510 in my Mk6 estate and the sound quality is nothing amazing, the extra functionality is nice though. You can get the Helix DSP amps if you want an improvement in sound quality, they cost around £300 and are plug and play.

 

[-Mike-]

You will be right on the borderline of whether you get battery drain or not. Some 57 plates have the new module some have the older. Not sure you will see a massive improvement in sound quality going to the RCD510 although I've never heard the RCD300 for comparison. Personally if I was looking at the RCD510, Id got for the DAB version.

You can also get the RNS 315 and RNS 310, Im not sure which (I think its the 315), but one of them is immune to the battery drain issue and you get nav as well.

I have an RNS510 in my Mk6 estate and the sound quality is nothing amazing, the extra functionality is nice though. You can get the Helix DSP amps if you want an improvement in sound quality, they cost around £300 and are plug and play.

Thanks for the reply mate! I had the gateway checked against chassis number and was told it'd be ok so here is hoping! I was looking at the DAB version as its replacement.

I don't really want sat nav, but will take a look at those two units you mention in a minute! I'd prefer DAB over satnav though! I just fancied getting SD card compatibility again and the 510 seemed the best way to do it!

I'd far rather spend my money on a decent pioneer or something and fit that, but I know it'll look odd and not very discrete/factory