Fitting a Conert 2 radio in an A3 - some questions

[VAGMAN1]

What other Audi models using a Concert 2 will fit the A3?

Will a bose head unit work if the car does not have bose system as standard?

Are all the plugs at the back of the head unit the same as the original Concert?

 

[Bricktop]

What other Audi models using a Concert 2 will fit the A3?

Will a bose head unit work if the car does not have bose system as standard?

Are all the plugs at the back of the head unit the same as the original Concert?

1. A2 & TT will fit straight in to the A3 8L...all others will need the facia trimmed a little.

2.Bose will work with no problems in non Bose cars.

3.All the plugs are the same although the Concert 2 has Canbus system which means it will switch itself off every hour when fitted to a non Canbus car...The internal illumination will also not light up unless you make a small and simple mod to the head unit...PM me if you need any advise in the mod.

 

[AndyMac]

Bose & non Bose HU's are identical. The only difference is the EQ setting. This is switched on/off via earthing the "Bose" pin (or GALA pin on non Bose units), so wiring up a Bose HU in a non Bose car will automatically switch the EQ to non Bose. It will still say Bose on startup as this is VAGCOM setting. The only possible issue is that there is apparently a setting on VAGCOM to turn off the internal amp for the front speakers. I don't know if this is part of the Bose settings, but if you plug it in and only the active rears work, then you'll need to get it VAGCOM'd.

 

[VAGMAN1]

thanks guys for the replies. is there no way around stopping the concert 2 switching off every hour then??

 

[vegas]

I bought a concert II for £80 on ebay and fitted last week, working ok and it's blessed relief from the original which had the classic volume control problem. Couple of questions though...

1) On the back of the old Concert, there was a tag which I guess connected to some sort of earth cable via a large spade connector. The concert II doesn't have this. It does have a round yellow connector, which from reading the various forums, I guess is the CANBUS connector. Does not having the original wire connected affect anything - the buttons do not light up now.

2) The new HU is from a newer a3, so doesn't fit flush in the dash. Does anyone have experience of trimming the facia? The risk of making a mess of it is making me a bit nervous. Even better, could I get the correct facia as a blaupunkt part? I may hold out until I find one that fits on ebay/ down the breakers.

Any advice would be great, thanks.