Bluetooth Prep Question

[MarcQuinlivan]

Quick question for those of you who either ordered the bluetooth phone prep from the factory or retro-fitted it.

Do you need a cradle in the car in order to enable bluetooth functionality.

I would have assumed not, however my brother is in the process of ordering a new GTI and wants to get this fitted, however the dealer is telling him that he needs to order a cradle (for an additional 250 euro) or else the bluetooth will not work - even though he won't need the cradle since he'll be using bluetooth.

I know this is not exactly Audi related, but I thought some of you may be able to confirm it. My impression is that the dealer doesn't really know or else is just trying to screw an extra few quid out of him.

By the way, the reason he wants to order the bluetooth factory fit is because the GTI now comes with a whip aeriel on the roof and ordering the bluetooth gets him a shark-fin instead.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[Amchlolor]

Can't see that you need the cradle to make it WORK,but isn't this a legal thing, that the phone must be in a cradle so you can press the buttons without having to physically handle it?

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

sure that defeats the point of having bluetooth in the first place doesn't it!!

 

[JamS3]

Not if you have the RNS-E and bluetooth!

I have retro fitted both sat nav and bluetooth and jut keep the phone in my pocket when getting in the car. Sat nav picks the phone up and displays caller menus and phonebook on the nav screen.

Can call people direct from nav screen without ever having to touch phone in pocket.

 

[MJZ 6370]

I have GSM phone prep. A bluetooth phone will connect and is used via the MFSW controls, the cradle is not required for a bluetooth phone.

The cradle is needed to make use of the sharkfin and to charge the phone. The problem arises with getting a cradle for a modern phone. All existing cradles are for obsolete phones.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

He'll be ordering the car with standard radio, but installing his MFD2 navigation unit into it - so he'll be able to make use of the screen for phonebook etc.

 

[JamS3]

No need for cradle then!

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

No need for cradle then!

just as I thought.

 

[marms]

I think the problem here is that you don't actually need the cradle but you can only order the bluetooth prep with either a dash mount or armrest mount from Audi (not sre about VW but may be the same).

Therefore if you factory order bluetooth you have to have one or the other. Others, like myself, who have retrofitted the bluetooth simply install the module under the passengers seat and use only the bluetooth connection. Control of the bluetooth is then either directly from the RNSe or via the multi-function steering wheel.

 

[mitch78]

:thumbsup:

 

[Stotty]

I have a 56 plate with a cradle , I bought an iPhone cradle as it would not pair without it.

I would now like to get a blackberry , is there a way to pair without buying the new cradle?

 

[NHN]

Yeah, just do a search for the BT module with BT mate, didnt need a cradle beforehand tbh mate, should work via BT regardless of cradle as thats whole point of the wireless system.