Upgrade to newer RNS-E - thoughts?

[jbcalvin]

Hi guys,

I retro fitted an RNS-E system with factory bluetooth to my 52 plate quattro a couple of years ago now, however I am toying with the idea of upgrading it to a newer unit as fitted to the current A3, mainly from the point of view of having the LED screen and the ability to use SDHC cards as the new units will handle up to 32Gb if I remember correctly.

Obviously I would need to swap over the fascia's (how difficult is this??) but what is everyone's thoughts? Is there anything else a newer unit would add such as voice control? (I do not have a multi function wheel on the car) Should I go for a specific version number??

Cheers in advance

Steve

 

[s8craig]

It won't work, the new RNS-E cannot be coded to A6 mode and therefore will not pick up the speed pulse. You will need to buy a cangate module from Bjarne in America and code the unit to A4, that is if the A3/S3 8L produces speed pulse over can. Everything will work except for the road speed indications.

I have one working in my 2003 A2 that way.

 

[jbcalvin]

It's an A4 I have..... can't understand why the new units would use a different speed pulse when they are also fitted to Seat Exeo's which is essentially a B6/7 platform....

 

[s8craig]

If it's an A4 then it will work except for the road speed indication, sorry I thought you had an A3 8L

You don't need to swap faceplates over as you can buy A4 LED units (already swapped basically) and you can use an EXEO if you want to.

 

[jbcalvin]

S8craig....

I got the slightly longer reply drop into my inbox before I came back here, so let me just get this correct....

I am looking to get one of the new (PU?) units, looking at an A3 unit as they are cheaper than the Seat Exeo ones (by about £300) hence why I am looking to swap faceplates..... am I correct in stating that the new units do NOT use can-bus for speed indication and use the older style GALA system that they used on the RNS-D units in the old A6/A8 models? This would seem to be step backwards surely...... If I do need to buy a cangateway from the US what are the costs?

I was hoping to just unplug one unit, swap faceplates and then re-install new unit and code, if it's going to be any more hassle than that then I won't bother.....

 

[s8craig]

No they use the speed signal over can bus same as before. It will be plug and play with an A3 unit if you change the faceplate and code it to A4. Sorry for the long confusing explanation (rant) of the RNS-E in an older car.

The speed signal over canbus in my A2 is not enough to drive the new RNS-E, but the cangate converts it to GALA over canbus and it works.