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Thread: RNS-E and Carbon Fiber Questions

  1. #1
    Registered User nistah's Avatar
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    RNS-E and Carbon Fiber Questions

    Hi Newby here,

    Just bought my Grey on Silver RS6 last week, all options except the solar roof and carbon fiber dash.

    I have two upgrades in mind:

    First the RNS-E
    I've gone back and read all previous posts from RNS-E threads & understand a little but am still confused...

    I am looking at the following RNS-E unit on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

    Will this unit run the nav & sirius sat radio plug & play or do I need a seperate module for the sat radio.
    I tried to hook up the sat radio in the existing bose car stereo, no luck.

    Second: the Carbon Fiber dash.

    I am looking at the following carbon fiber dash for RS6 on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

    Is $720 a good value for this dash set, they appear to be difficult to locate.

    Any input will be appreciated!

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Registered User hahnmgh63's Avatar
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    If your car has the OEM sat radio module you will have to upgrade it to one of the newer modules as the RNS-E requires newer software. The old module will stay locked on whatever station it was on when the old radio head is pulled. There are a lot of NIB old modules on sale out there right now but they don't work with the RNS-E. The modules are the same ones for the A4/S4/A6/S6/RS6 so they are common but later ones are not cheap unless you find one on Ebay.
    2003 White RS6 2013 Midnight Blue S5
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  3. #3
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    Having just gone through the RNS-E upgrade, you should PM me before deciding anything. You're going to need a very good installer, and THAT is your gating factor.

    I hired a VERY competent installer, and it took several visits to get it right. And, to his credit, it seems he did. So, this is NOT just a plug-and-play install. To be fair, we upgraded to RNS-E, Bluetooth, E-compatible XM module and a Dice iPod player. It was an extensive install. It also required a custom-built wiring harness (obtained at additional cost from his brother, a well-known supplier). And, it involved de-installing and re-installing pins in connectors. Many phone calls were made during the install, and this was WAY more than I would have felt comfortable messing with myself. And, I said as much to the installer repeatedly as I watched over his shoulder. In fact, this installer has been flown out to do installs in distant places. And, in the end, I can understand why. I was lucky he was local.

    CW

  4. #4
    Registered User hahnmgh63's Avatar
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    Actually, I am no electrical genius but I found that the RNS-E and the XM install were fairly easy. The car is already wired for the XM (in the left trunk compartment) and most cars came with XM and will need the module swapped for the newer software module (externally looks identical, same part #, just a different suffix). For the RNS-E, you will just need to deal with a reputable supplier and let them know that you need the harness for a RS6 or a C5 A6 w/ Bose as the Bose adds a couple more wires in the harness. You will only need to splice one wire from the rear of the instrument cluster and install the pin in the back of the new harness (The RNS-E will work fine without the wire spliced, it will just be slightly slow keeping the position updated as quickly with speed, almost and imperceptable difference.). You will need to install a small magnetic GPS antenna behind the instrument cluster and the wire will need to be stuffed down the same area that the speed sensor wire from the instrument cluster goes to hook it into the RNS-E. You can use the Onstar antenna wire to use the sharkfin antenna. I originally had the small magnetic antenna but being anal I decided to use the Sharkfin thinking it might be better and more OEM but in actuality it isn't any better. Surprisingly the small magnetic antenna under the dash and behind the instrument cluster works great. There are online install intructions with some great color pics that make it much easier putting it together. It sounds somewhat complicated from my description but it is fairly easy.
    As for the Bluetooth, that is a little more complicated. You will need to remove the Onstar (no longer operational anyways) and remove some of the wires out of the two Onstar plugs and reinstall them into a Bluetooth plug. You will need a couple of small jewelers screwdrivers or a pin removal tool would make it easier. Just a matter of checking pin #'s you pull and installing them in the correct pin holes.
    Here are a couple of good suppliers: http://sites.google.com/site/nsxjraudi/ and http://www.vagnavs.com/ , I have dealt with both and they are very good. You don't need to purchase your RNS-E from them if you can find a better deal but they are a great place to purchase the harness & antenna if you don't get it with the unit. Here is the Audi RNS-E forum which is great for info, part #'s and other information. http://www.audiforum.us/
    Yes, that RNS-E will work, I have seen them a little cheaper but I would ask the manufacturers date of the unit and I see it doesn't come with a harness which is another $40 or so. I have the Euro Carbon and I think it goes well with my White exterior and White(Silver?) & Black interior. There is a blue carbon thread in the Weave which it looks like the Ebay one listed has but the color is hard to tell for sure.
    Last edited by hahnmgh63; November 19th, 2010 at 02:27.
    2003 White RS6 2013 Midnight Blue S5
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  5. #5
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    This Carbon kit is awesome. It is not the carbon that came in the US RS6, but the Euro Carbon trim. I had it in my S8 and it totally rocks....price is a little high, but you would have a very unique RS6.


    Stephen



    Quote Originally Posted by nistah View Post
    Hi Newby here,

    Just bought my Grey on Silver RS6 last week, all options except the solar roof and carbon fiber dash.

    I have two upgrades in mind:

    First the RNS-E
    I've gone back and read all previous posts from RNS-E threads & understand a little but am still confused...

    I am looking at the following RNS-E unit on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

    Will this unit run the nav & sirius sat radio plug & play or do I need a seperate module for the sat radio.
    I tried to hook up the sat radio in the existing bose car stereo, no luck.

    Second: the Carbon Fiber dash.

    I am looking at the following carbon fiber dash for RS6 on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

    Is $720 a good value for this dash set, they appear to be difficult to locate.

    Any input will be appreciated!

    Thanks

  6. #6
    Registered User ben916's Avatar
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    www.ocarbon.com - not OEM but not from POLAND...
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  7. #7
    Registered User Elevens's Avatar
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    Hi and welcome to the club nistah. Here's another angle. If you wish to maintain that Factory look and all Radio information displayed in the Center DIS (Driver Information System) then follow the above suggestions. I went a little simpler rout, by installing an aftermarket Head Unit. I was quite happy with the Install since it looks almost Factory. Big plus is that it has all of the features of today's Advanced Head units. This particular Unit (Kenwood DNX 9960) comes with Parrot Bluetooth, Garmin Based Nav system, 8Volt Preouts for supurb audio quality, Full Ipod audio and video control, Voice control, USB input and countless other features that I can't even remember. For SAT or HD RADIO you merely add an external module. I opted for the HD radio since my short daily travels does not necessitate need for such. Any way I've included a few photo's of the install so you can judge for yourself whether you like the look or not. If your dead set on the Carbon Fiber Trim, then so be it. I assume you have the Wood trim. But I would take $600 of that $720 and put a Eurocharged Map on that baby and "WARP 3 MISTER SULU". $720 is way to much money for dash trim in my opinion. Any way to each his own. Enjoy your new BEAST. Let the MODS begin......................










    03 RS6, VIPER ECU, MTM TCU, Milltek Full Catless Non Res setup from Turbos to the boxes(ROAR'S), H&R Coilovers, Hotchkiss ARB's, 19x10's with 275-30-19 PSS's at each corner, Kenwood 9960 Head unit, V1 Radar Locator. 517 Trans Rebuild, ScrollProducts Turbo Rebuild.

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    Quote Originally Posted by hahnmgh63 View Post
    Actually, I am no electrical genius but I found that the RNS-E and the XM install were fairly easy.
    Much of what you say is certainly true, but this is an involved process. Pulling the unit. Pulling trim pieces. Pulling pins. Re-installing. Yes, the XM module merely replaces the existing, but that's just one step. And, some specialized tools are definitely necessary.

    If you felt up to it and were successful, congrats. I'm just glad I went the professional route.

    CW

  9. #9
    Registered User skribe's Avatar
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    With all due respect, it's not as hard as your installer made it out to be. You may have to swap pins in a connector if you have the wrong non-Bose harness or something, but it's just not that difficult. The schematics have all been documented, its a google away. It's 98% plug & play.

  10. #10
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    Well, given that I was there throughout the installation and watched, I did observe what was going on. The underdash must be removed. The glove compartment must be removed. These are just a couple of screws, so no big thing, I suppose. We did have screws, however, that simply wouldn't budge. I mean those things must have been put on with LocTite or something. The wiring loom has multiple different kinds of multi-pin connectors. Wiring diagrams needed to be consulted. The new wiring harness has to be installed under trim parts. And so on. And, for someone who KNEW what they were doing, it took at least two multi-hour and one quick-fix session to get it all working properly.

    But, hey, if it can be done DIY, great. I'm just re-telling my own experience. The OP's install wouldn't be as painful as mine was, I don't think, given that he's not talking about an install with all the gadgets I now have.

    CW

  11. #11
    Registered User hahnmgh63's Avatar
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    CW, for the do it yourselfer I think the problem lays in the fact that those of us on this list know better in that we searched the internet and found someone who had already did it and was kind enough to take pictures and list all of the pin #'s. No wiring schematic had to be consulted for me and I did have to remove the glove box (3 bolts) but I don't know why you would remove the lower dash? If your installer had the install notes from the guy on the internet who already did all of this in a RS6 w/pics it would have taken him 1/2 the time as the total install only took me 3 hours (including Bluetooth), A RNS-E install only would take me about 20~30 minutes as it is 99% plug & play. I think there is at least 5 or more list members here that have already done this.
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  12. #12
    Registered User LIRS6's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hahnmgh63 View Post
    CW, for the do it yourselfer I think the problem lays in the fact that those of us on this list know better in that we searched the internet and found someone who had already did it and was kind enough to take pictures and list all of the pin #'s. No wiring schematic had to be consulted for me and I did have to remove the glove box (3 bolts) but I don't know why you would remove the lower dash? If your installer had the install notes from the guy on the internet who already did all of this in a RS6 w/pics it would have taken him 1/2 the time as the total install only took me 3 hours (including Bluetooth), A RNS-E install only would take me about 20~30 minutes as it is 99% plug & play. I think there is at least 5 or more list members here that have already done this.
    I concur - took me a few hours, and one near heart-attack, but no issues in the end. Albeit I only replaced the head with the RNS-E unit; no bluetooth or Sat radio. Fyi I used the shark fin GPS antenna via the now-discarded On-Star. And I did not remove the lower dash either.
    GBNF: Mugello, silver, carbon, RNS-E, H&R coilovers, Hotchkiss
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  13. #13
    Registered User PALETTE's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Elevens;201417]Hi and welcome to the club nistah. Here's another angle. If you wish to maintain that Factory look and all Radio information displayed in the Center DIS (Driver Information System) then follow the above suggestions. I went a little simpler rout, by installing an aftermarket Head Unit. I was quite happy with the Install since it looks almost Factory. Big plus is that it has all of the features of today's Advanced Head units. This particular Unit (Kenwood DNX 9960) comes with Parrot Bluetooth, Garmin Based Nav system, 8Volt Preouts for supurb audio quality, Full Ipod audio and video control, Voice control, USB input and countless other features that I can't even remember. For SAT or HD RADIO you merely add an external module. I opted for the HD radio since my short daily travels does not necessitate need for such. Any way I've included a few photo's of the install so you can judge for yourself whether you like the look or not. If your dead set on the Carbon Fiber Trim, then so be it. I assume you have the Wood trim. But I would take $600 of that $720 and put a Eurocharged Map on that baby and "WARP 3 MISTER SULU". $720 is way to much money for dash trim in my opinion. Any way to each his own. Enjoy your new BEAST. Let the MODS begin......................
    /QUOTE]

    Yup im with you on this totally!
    i just ordered my headunit DVD/Ipod/ Back up cam(cause my wife drives it to!) Bluetooth.
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    Glad to know you guys were successful. I considered doing the same. I looked on the internet, did my research and concluded it made more sense to hire someone who was familiar with the systems. Mine was just too intimidating with all that was being changed out. But, go for it, if you feel comfortable.

    FYI, the lower dash had to come out because, as I stated, the screws securing the instrument cluster wouldn't budge. Simply wouldn't. Whoever put those things on wanted to make sure they never came back out.

    CW

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    Registered User JSRS6's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CornersWell View Post
    Glad to know you guys were successful. I considered doing the same. I looked on the internet, did my research and concluded it made more sense to hire someone who was familiar with the systems. Mine was just too intimidating with all that was being changed out. But, go for it, if you feel comfortable.

    FYI, the lower dash had to come out because, as I stated, the screws securing the instrument cluster wouldn't budge. Simply wouldn't. Whoever put those things on wanted to make sure they never came back out.

    CW
    I had the same issue with my instrument cluster when I was installing the 9500ci. Thought I was gonna break something!
    Avus RS 6, RNS-E/BT/RVC, Eurocharged/MTM, SuperSports, PSS9/Hotchkis, SS Lines/EBC Reds, FMU/BMC, Sportec vents, 007's, 9500ci, Black Optics/Headlights/Trim/Rims, CC; coming soon: stage 3 snow meth

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    The installer actually went through two bits before giving up in fear of stripping the heads...

    CW

  17. #17
    Registered User JSRS6's Avatar
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    I ended up using an impact driver set to loosen them...
    Avus RS 6, RNS-E/BT/RVC, Eurocharged/MTM, SuperSports, PSS9/Hotchkis, SS Lines/EBC Reds, FMU/BMC, Sportec vents, 007's, 9500ci, Black Optics/Headlights/Trim/Rims, CC; coming soon: stage 3 snow meth

  18. #18
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    See what I mean? To remove two screws, you've got the car partly apart, and now you're driving around buying tools. Simple DIY project.

    Yes, it can be done, but unless you want to deal with this nonsense...

    CW

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