So here is the one fitted to the car and the spare that was in the boot. I’m thinking after my £300 bill to rip out the old alarm I may stick with the fitted one for now and have a think in a few months but ot does need wiring in better
The other unit in the boot is definitely more 'period' but to be honest the unit that's in there looks good and is a nice fit.
Your spare looks like one that was further up the same range as that which VAG UK fitted to the last MK2's
So from my paperwork is a brochure on radio options for the golf - this may or may not be of interest to anyone but my Panasonic in the boot is shown in here
Think the later 16vs had the one pictured above initially, then when the final run out models appeared in anticipation of the MK3 the 8v's were upgraded to it and the 16v's inturn got something better again. VAG UK put them in, it wasn't a factory thing though would've been 'standard' fit on GTI's sold in this market. I've a few UK dealer fit accessory brochures and they appear to have offered quite a few different brands over and above the ones you usually associate with VW such as Blaupunkt etc.
My 1984 GTI has the original Blaupunkt Los Angeles radio cassette with auto-reverse, Dolby and TPS. I recently added a trim surround to make it look a bit neater. I had it serviced and some switches rebuilt by a specialist as after a while it wouldn't play cassettes. It still plays up and ejects tapes at times. I bought a load of spare parts with my car and amongst the hoard is a brand new period Technics CQ-H7500EU radio cassette unit and slimline 125W amplifier, still in boxes. I wasn't aware that Technics made car audio. The unit has a good spec. and reminds me of an old hi-fi. I am tempted to install it and at the same time upgrade my car's original speakers, which sound pretty terrible!
Wonder if the technics one was made in conjunction with Panasonic as the word 'alphatuner' is the exact same typeface as it appears on Panasonic decks. Unless its a trademarked name like dolby for example. Super cool tho
I seem to recall that there was some link between them. It's too good to have gathering dust so I will get it fitted - assuming it still works!
I have this Alpine (TDM-9501) in my 91. It's not exactly period correct, I think it's from around 2004. But it's certainly the kind of thing that might had got fitted as the car left it's first owner and ended up on the second hand market. I did have an older Alpine, but I upgraded as this had more power without needed to go down the amp route. Also the old one wasn't RDS so I had to keep retuning the radio as my daily commute took me across frequency borders. I've also got a CD changer in the boot, but since I bought this cheap Bluetooth FM tuner thing off Amazon I haven't used the CDs. My phone pairs with this perfectly and with the phone in a mount I can just shout at Siri to change the track. It works ace. I just have one of the FM presets on the stereo set for this widget thingy. I have considered fitting a secondary 12v socket less visible but haven't got around to it yet. And as the socket is permanent live I have to keep unplugging it. If I do fit a second socket I'll put it on ignition live so I can just leave it plugged in and the phone will automatically connect when I start the car. I do have a very similar Alpine stereo available, it's just a single CD slot not tape. I'll have to dig it out and look up the model number.
Let me know how you get one with that, I have a Gamma V in my MK3 Estate - would be tempted with Bluetooth over the current aux in set up.
Anyone rocking a Sony CDX-4160RDS? As if so I have a spare faceplate in vgc if someone wants it in exchange for some beer tokens
When people are installing new radios are they also upgrading speakers aswell? I have an aftermarket radio whuch has an AUX input and i can charge my phone from it but the quality of the audio is very poor, what do people recomend?
