Need to vent - Golf R head unit dissapointment

[Gingaskunk]

Okay, so... tell me, am I being unreasonable, or am I missing something here.

I bought a GTi in 2010, which I still have. My dealer called me toward the end of last year to tell me the R was coming out and pointed me to the website.

I took a look at the website and placed a car on order based on the data there, and the fact that I wouldn't be able to see or test drive a real one because of the limited availablity.

My R is due to arrive any day now, I was talking to the dealer yesterday and the head unit came up. He said it had the smaller, crappier RNS-315 in it (as opposed to the RNS-510 that is in my GTi which has a 40G HDD and a MUCH bigger screen).

I was confused as I thought I saw the 510 in the pictures of it.

Turns out I did, every picture of the VW R that VAG released is of the European spec that comes with the RNS-510!!!

This really anoyed me, because I don't want to downgrade the head unit and feel like I have been mislead.

I tried calling the VAG customer service line and they say it has nothing to do with them, the dealer should have told me what kind of head unit comes in it when they sold it to me. I tried to explain that that was a ridculous statement, and that it was not reasonable to expect the dealer to run down every single item in every car they sell, just in case it is not as advertised by VAG. Can you imagine that conversation? "Is the sterring wheel the same shape?", "yes, it is", "is the seat the same colors?", "yes they are", "Are the dash lights the same color?", "Yes they are" etc etc...

If this had been any other car in the line (i.e. a car you can physically see before ordering), I would agree with them, but this isn't.

I asked VAG to either put a 510 in or offer me some money off the cost to put a decent 3rd party head unit in. They said it had nothig to do with them what "accessories" I chose to put in my car....!

Oh and here's the other thing, the small print of the literature says the has a 315 equipped, but what is right next to that fact, in the picture?? Of course, a 510. So unless I as a buyer happen to know the arbitrary code numbers VW used for these parts (which I didn't before all this started), I would have absolutely no reason to think until the car arrived, that the large screen unit in my GTi was anything other than a RNS-315....

ARGH!

On the upside, my dealer has been great. Obviously thier options to help me are limited (since this really isn't their issue to fix), but they have offered to switch out the RNS-510 in my current GTi for the 315 in the new R (I am trading in the GTi). So I think that is the path I will take...

But jeeeeeez!

Thoughts?

[dreidreisieben]

My wife has the 510 in her 2012 Tiguan SEL and quite frankly I prefer my smaller, faster 315.

[Bakerrrr]

This topic had been discussed over and over and over and over and over.

We all have the 315, it may be a little smaller in screen size but it is faster. If this bothers you that much, have the dealer swap it out with the one in your GTI before you trade it in.

[Dutchmastr9]

it has been known for a year that this was the navigation unit coming with the R. all new GTis also get the 315. In the brochure im pretty sure it says somewhere that the pics may not represent actual equipment and equipment can change if vw so chooses. I dont get why you are bitching, maybe you should have asked the dealer instead of just going by pictures or have you been living under a rock for the past year? also your dealer said they would swap out your 510 so whats the issue here? IMO its your fault for not asking or doing any research on it. The brochure just says navigation, it does not specify which model because when it was made final details hadnt been worked out. if you go on vw.com you will see it says 315, if you look at any reviews of the us spec it has the 315.

[Angina]

the non-NAV head unit that comes in the base models looks like the RNS-510. I don't recall the brochures, but they may possibly be depicting the non-NAV head unit (forget the model number).

Nevertheless, I don't think you have much ground to stand on if you're using pictures in brochures... The RNS-315 was clearly listed in the specsheet.

Just sell the RNS-315 and get a 510 online somewhere. Ebay sells the latest version for around $1600.

[BigmountainVMD]

I totally understand your disappointment, especially given the way you found out about the whole debacle. I would have expected the newer model head unit being that I was getting a car 2 model years after... You are very lucky they will take the 510 from your GTI. Some people that are as pissed as you are paying mucho $ for a new 510 head unit.

[GTImkIVR6speed]

I was looking pretty closely at the pictures...I'm pretty sure most of the literature shows the R C D 510, which is non-nav and does come in the base cars over here.

Sucks, I know.

[Gingaskunk]

Okay so maybe I was over-reacting.

Now I look again, , you are absolutely right. It IS the RCD, not the RNS, thank you for pointing that out.

Funny, I am really not someone who blows his stack so easily... and I was completely wrong on this one guys, I admit it.

Having said that, on the whole "it has been known for a year" thing. I am sure some people knew for a year, but to us normal folk who see their car as transportation rather than a major part of their personality (not that there is anything wrong with that), and therefore don't scour the interwebs for every new piece information we can get, we don't necessarily know ahead of time, no.

Let me be clear though, that I am not attempting to disparage anyone who does trawl for news on a topic they love, really I do that for other hobbies, just not VWs.

Thanks for you opinions folks... how ever hotly they were offered.

[webcrawlr]

Let me be clear though, that I am not attempting to disparage anyone who does trawl for news on a topic they love, really I do that for other hobbies, just not VWs.

You don't have to trawl at all. It's list front and center on the VW website under highlights.

http://www.vw.com/en/models/golf-r/trims-specs.html

It's also listed front and center under technology features.

http://www.vw.com/en/models/golf-r/f...78e@Technology

It might have a smaller screen but it's fast. Really fast. What I wish we had in the 315 that the 510 does is HD radio and sat traffic. Screen I could care less about.

[betterthansx]

We get the RNS-510 in Canada

[Peteski]

We get the RNS-510 in Canada

You are also paying "el primo" for the R in Canada, ehh?


-Peter

[carman63]

I can understand your frustration. It's kind of funny that some of the radio 'features' - like screen size, HD Radio, for example - were changed, or disappeared, from the 'base' radio to the 'upgrade'. But, the price delta between a 'base' and a 'loaded' car is ~$1500. For that, you get nav, sunroof, Dynaudio, and KESSY. Coming from the MINI world, you'd pay over $4K for those items in a MINI (comfort access, aka keyless start, =~$500; Nav is $2K; Harman Kardon upgrade is ~$850; sunroof = $1K).

I suspect that, in order to hit that $1500 delta, the nav/radio - among other things - was scrutinized. And the determination was that, sure we'll give you nav - just not the newest/latest unit we have. Some folks will balk (mostly the ones that, like yourself, have owned the 510 and now are beind subject to a 'downgrade' to the 315). Some, like me, won't care as much. Franky, I paid the premium for KESSY and Dynaudio. The sunroof makes my wife happy

Take that offer to move the 510 over from your GTI. That sounds like a great proposition And take the 'hot opinions' with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, it's just 1's and 0's.

-Jim

[1.8turboB5]

Okay so maybe I was over-reacting.

Now I look again, , you are absolutely right. It IS the RCD, not the RNS, thank you for pointing that out.

Funny, I am really not someone who blows his stack so easily... and I was completely wrong on this one guys, I admit it.

Having said that, on the whole "it has been known for a year" thing. I am sure some people knew for a year, but to us normal folk who see their car as transportation rather than a major part of their personality (not that there is anything wrong with that), and therefore don't scour the interwebs for every new piece information we can get, we don't necessarily know ahead of time, no.

Let me be clear though, that I am not attempting to disparage anyone who does trawl for news on a topic they love, really I do that for other hobbies, just not VWs.

Thanks for you opinions folks... how ever hotly they were offered.

Its all good Ben. Posting here was a good decision though. hopefully your car will get released from the port soon and youll be all smiles.

[SoNgMaN]

You are also paying "el primo" for the R in Canada, ehh?


-Peter

Extra was for 510 and disabled ESP

I like the 510 but holy hell it's slow as hell

[Gingaskunk]

Its all good Ben. Posting here was a good decision though. hopefully your car will get released from the port soon and youll be all smiles.

Just to let you guys know, this guy is my salesman. He is awesome. Sold me my GTi and arranged the switch to the 510 for me.

If any of you are in the Houston area and looking, I can't recommend him highly enough.



On another note, I totally agree that the 510 has... erm... functionality gaps. I installed a Pioneer nav system in my previous car way back in 2007 and it blows the 510 out of the water...

To be honest, at this point I am thinking that I will probably keep the 315 just to try it, but will upgrade to an aftermarket head unit pretty shortly after.

I guess that means I ned to start browsing the classifieds and seeing if there is a market for a lightly used RNS315... :-)

[VWPDX]

Just to let you guys know, this guy is my salesman. He is awesome. Sold me my GTi and arranged the switch to the 510 for me.

If any of you are in the Houston area and looking, I can't recommend him highly enough.



On another note, I totally agree that the 510 has... erm... functionality gaps. I installed a Pioneer nav system in my previous car way back in 2007 and it blows the 510 out of the water...

To be honest, at this point I am thinking that I will probably keep the 315 just to try it, but will upgrade to an aftermarket head unit pretty shortly after.

I guess that means I ned to start browsing the classifieds and seeing if there is a market for a lightly used RNS315... :-)

I would be careful of the aftermarket. You need something that will communicate with your MFD. One of the reasons I don't mind the smaller nav screen is the MFD readout directions. I never have to really stare at the screen anymore.

[usurpers26]

I bet you come back 6 months after you get your R and the 315 is still in your dash.

It is a very solid unit, dynaudio even moreso. One of my best friends has a GTI with the 510 and he keeps asking me to trade head units

To be honest, at this point I am thinking that I will probably keep the 315 just to try it, but will upgrade to an aftermarket head unit pretty shortly after.