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Offline Cole

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #15 on: June 12, 2015, 09:44:44 pm »
Okay. I just finished installing 2 of these Sony MEX-N5100BT stereos.

One in a factory Westfalia and one in one of my conversion tintop to Poptop vans.

You can see the difference in climate controls. The conversion gets the dual zone auto climatronic.

There were several nice things about these stereos. One of the nice things is the ability to customize the face colors to work with the Eurovan interior.



Cole

Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #16 on: June 13, 2015, 12:01:20 am »
Definitely a personal taste thing, Cole. Those stereos would drive me NUTS! I hate all that techno bright light crap on the aftermarket stereos.





« Last Edit: June 13, 2015, 06:16:37 am by Cole »

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Offline Cole

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #17 on: June 13, 2015, 06:16:57 am »
Quote
Definitely a personal taste thing, Cole. Those stereos would drive me NUTS! I hate all that techno bright light crap on the aftermarket stereos.

There is no more "techno bright light crap" on these than the stock radio.

Both of these vans came missing their factory stereos.

The whole point of buying a stereo with adjustable display color was to match the colors of the factory unit.

These are now set up to perfectly match the stock stereo dash lights. Red buttons and blue display. My photo above with the colors set right just doesn't show it very well. For some reason the camera makes the stereo lights seem bright and pink, they are not. They are a deep red that matches the stock dash lighting.


Here is what the factory VW radio looks like lit up (image from a GTI but same radio and dash lights)


Cole

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Offline Itsamoto

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #18 on: June 13, 2015, 09:10:51 am »
From what i've read, possibly on the vortex, (but can't confirm) the VW VOLK-L OEM head unit should plug and play with our vans.
It's double-din at the face, but single-din behind so it will clear the knee bar.
Lights match the factory red/indigo and there's much less risk of a broken window.
Has built in CD player with mP3, Aux in, USB port and bluetooth. Even the mic for phone calls is built into the face.
Anyone want to risk the $500 to see if its compatible?


Maybe I'm just not coordinated - or have really bad eyesight - but I do prefer chunky button radios, physical dials. Tactile feedback devices are highly under rated.

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Offline Cole

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #19 on: June 20, 2015, 07:32:07 am »
In a 1993 I just bought.

Cole

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Offline Itsamoto

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #20 on: July 20, 2015, 08:27:32 am »
In a 1993 I just bought.



Love the switches on the dash - they rock(er)!  :D

Any information on what they all do or are for?

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Offline Itsamoto

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #21 on: July 20, 2015, 08:40:24 am »
Here's my current setup -- its a Kenwood DDX 719.



This was installed by the previous owner -- and at first I thought this was going to be great with all the bells and whistles. The features work fine with it, but in practical use I have become less thrilled about it -- to the point where it needs to go.

My biggest complaint is that the buttons are very tiny, and the screen easily gets washed out in sunlight -- makes operation a chore. In night driving, even with the screen at it's dimmest setting, the thing still glows far too much and really distracts. I end up turning it off (if I can find the off button) just to let my eyes rest and be able to see out the van better. Light pollution is a good term for this thing. Also, the screen warms up considerably and that extra "screen heat" is another annoyance.

In comparison to all the other stock vw radios I've had (of this vintage) -- having a radio that is dims with the interior dash lights is actually a really desirable feature for night driving.  Makes me really want to put a double din mk4 radio with multifunction wheel in the van.

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Offline mech23

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #22 on: July 21, 2015, 09:10:34 am »
Here's my dash in road mode. The radio is a VW RMT200 which I like for the simple OE look, an actual volume knob, the lighting matches the dash, streaming Bluetooth audio, no adapter harness required (literally plug and play), and decent sound quality.

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Offline Kafercup

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #23 on: September 11, 2015, 12:47:47 am »
If you switch to a double-din on a Weekender (non-rear a/c and non-climatronic) this in the trim piece you will need for the climate controls 7D1819075E.  It is a bit hard to find as it was only for manual climate controlled vans with factory navigation. 

Here is the parts diagram showing the specific fitment:  http://www.auto-parts.spb.ru/cat/au/au.mycat?SelPg&t=4GThFSpk4RVtZOEVoj6JLNEluDOzPcWZ9QrhFdI7YSXgZONqAGbhFmBA4IZgROGf7SvFwTSSY4tx5NG9FLCJD_BQPnDQLFqgHPlWwNhyKHDiUesOu1YsP6D0KRGCi1u36hZ9MmPGURG43Pi8TLcpGKNHxZ3fbk387oXEd08wKg1MqureEYyQMCi4lM1AG9wCkiHZRXBAbQCO

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Offline Cole

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #24 on: September 12, 2015, 08:53:36 am »
Good Stuff!


This is the solution I just used in EuroVanGogh to add a backup camera and bluetooth.

Cheap and simple. Programable button color to make it match the stock green back light.



Works with the screen open or closed so you can use it like a normal radio most of the time.

Cole

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Offline lotus54

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #25 on: September 13, 2015, 03:28:12 pm »
My MV came with a stereo that worked fine- but the stupid little buttons were way too small and I could never see them (Old)

I like knobs for the usual stuff.

Someone pointed this one out and I've been quite happy with it.
Has a SD card reader, a rear and front USB that reads the phones quite well.
Plus Bluetooth for music and/or phone.

All of it works quite well.
  Plus not a lot of money at all!

it won't win any stereo competitions- (ha) but the car is noisy enough that it sounds good enough.



I have not wired up the two USB outlets on the left yet.
In fact I had one failed one so need to get more)

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Offline Itsamoto

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #26 on: September 13, 2015, 11:29:49 pm »


Nice and simple - I like it!

Knobs, USB, SD and Bluetooth - it would be perfect for me if it didn't say "Toronto" on it.

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Offline carlh

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #27 on: October 05, 2015, 08:11:04 pm »
Mine is the Blaupunkt Toronto 420 BT.  I like it well enough - seemed pretty reasonable at $160 shipped.

Also - and I think this is more of an EV thing - I have to power it up each time I start the van - doesn't seem to remember it was on.


Between the stock VW and Blaukpunkt wiring, the 12V switched and 12V constant are flipped.

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Offline sanfranman

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #28 on: November 02, 2015, 05:43:58 am »
You can swap in this stereo without changing the stereo cage to a double DIN unit (which is a pain in the butt). But you do need the trim piece below the unit, as the stock trim piece covers the climatronic and the dash cubby.

The trim piece is part number: 7D182007501C

I'm owned by a 2003 Eurovan Mv Weekender. I'm planning on installing the Alpine ILX-007 in a custom frame that will allow it to sit on top of the reinforcement bar and angle up and a little more toward the driver.  I'm looking for the piece that will replace the stock pocket and climate control knob cover and just cover the climate control knobs.   These VW parts diagrams and descriptions are really tough to understand.   I believe the part I need is item number 2 in the attached diagram.   Is the part referenced above (7D182007501C) that part?
« Last Edit: November 02, 2015, 06:23:47 am by sanfranman »

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Offline Itsamoto

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Re: Show us your stereo!
« Reply #29 on: November 02, 2015, 08:10:24 am »
I'm owned by a 2003 Eurovan Mv Weekender. I'm planning on installing the Alpine ILX-007 in a custom frame that will allow it to sit on top of the reinforcement bar and angle up and a little more toward the driver.  I'm looking for the piece that will replace the stock pocket and climate control knob cover and just cover the climate control knobs.   These VW parts diagrams and descriptions are really tough to understand.   I believe the part I need is item number 2 in the attached diagram.   Is the part referenced above (7D182007501C) that part?

Yes.

If you want get crafty and save money -- you can cut your own down to size, or you can probably use the climate control cover from a MK4 Jetta/Golf (PN 1J0819157A). Most Mk4s do not have climatronic and have almost the same climate control interface as your weekender. The only difference, that I see between them is the EV has 3 centre buttons, and the MK4's have 2 -- but the overall width appears to be the same (if not you can enlarge). Mounting tabs on the back side may be different.