Sorry, but no, it's not really possible to do this without a lot of problems. You would be better off going for an aftermarket unit designed for a pre-facelift dash - the shape and design of the opening is diifferent on the older vans and it will save a lot of aggravation if you buy one designed for that application.

 

You will Need

an RNS 315 (with DAB and Bluetooth - early ones lack these) so about £450 from ebay or £300 without DAB

You will also need the GPS aerial - any VW one on ebay: £5
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/1118...84357106&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=1006656&device=c&campaignid=620865095&crdt=0

A New Facia Panel and 8 buttons for facelift (no need for the new vents) £70 from Banwys

Cut the plastic support off at the back of the dash (10 minute job) this is there for the old style stereo.

Now depending on how your aerial is set up at present, the likelyhood is you will need a fakra adaptor: £10-£15 ebay.

Some models of RNS can cause battery drain issues. On my old Skoda VRS I fitted a Columbus (RNS 510 sat nav) and the seller coded the software to bypass the canbus/battery drain issue. Otherwise you will need a canbus/filter/bypass again on ebay: about £50-60 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/2016...84333106&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=1006656&device=c&campaignid=620865095&crdt=0

You might want to try it first though as some report no battery drain.

 

Are you sure that the CANbus emulator is only optional - to ensure no battery drain? I can't figure out how you get an RNS 315 to turn on and off with the ignition otherwise!

 

I'm only going off what I did in the Skoda after fitting the RNS 510 (columbus). I was told i'd need a new gateway etc to stop battery drain because it wouldn't ever turn off, the chap i purchased off just coded the unit to bypass it using a different software version.

I take it an early version of a T5, say 2005 would not have canbus so wouldn't turn on/off without the emulator?

 

But as mentioned you may be better off buying a really nice Pioneer/Kenwood for a pre-facelift for about £500 that will come with all the bits and no messing about.

 

Yep you would need one of these another £100

https://www.kufatec.co.uk/shop/en/c...hop/en/can-bus-module/volkswagen/rns-510-rdc-510-can-bus-interface-vehicles-can

 

But note that in the description for that item it says that for a VW T5 you will also need one of their other modules - each of which costs another £200!

 

Slightly cheaper

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...rom=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=201622837236&_sacat=0

 

Do they work well those emulators?

I fancy a RNS315 without the DAB as they seem a cheap (DAB adds about £200 overall) option to get a nice factory sat nav with bluetooth inbuilt.

 

Does it make a big difference Rob?

 

WOW! Thank you for all the reply's! I didn't realise I wouldn't get email notifications!!

So the long and short of it is it can be done, but its not straight forward, and it looks like all the parts I'd need would turn it into quite a expensive upgrade, especially if you need canbus adapter etc. I think I might just go with a aftermarket DAB radio with Bluetooth handsfree for now. I only got the van last week, and I want to get out and use it!! (I need DAD though as I cant listen to radio 1!!)

I'm thinking of something cheap and cheerful for now (which I will upgrade later). For example something like this.

http://www.halfords.com/technology/...m/technology/car-audio/dab-car-stereos/kenwood-kdc-bt700dab-digital--car-stereo

Sorry, but one last question, is this a straight fit with loom adapters/ aerial adapoter etc? Will I have battery drain problems with an aftermarket stereos like this?

Thanks again in advance,

Neil

 

The link doesn't work, what's the model number?

 

Yes i know its cheap and cheerful, it will do for the moment!! T: