Group Buy for Audi / Volkswagen Owners

daveg

I tried to find this thread on several occasions but couldn't as the search function was down (and google search is crap).

Anyway I got mine fitted straight away as I got Simon to pick up the changer cable as well. To say I'm impressed with the phatbox is an understatement. It is one of the best in-car audio units I've ever had (and I've had a few good ones). For me the highlights are:

The voice prompts when changing discs (very cool)
The Phatnoise PC software. It is excellent. You can tell it's been around for a while.
The sound from the unit.
Not having to worry about your flashy headunit getting robbed.

The only negative is I nearly crashed the car last night. Laughing to my recent upload to the phatbox - Doctor Bill's CD from today FM. Superb.

Simon your a gent. Thank you very very much mate. Best money I've spent in a long time.

scargill

bugger - I might have got a dud cradle. I followed these instructions on making sure the little contact in the base of the cradle is making contact properly. I took the cradle apart to double-check connections. not a kick out of it.

Smirky I wont be in town for a while. I could post the cradle (and transformer) to you to try it. Sorry to be a pain - these things always happen to me !!!

Or to save Smirky the hassle - I'm living in Newbridge - anyone living anywhere near enough for me to drop over with mine to test it out some evening ?

Hobart

scargill wrote:

bugger - I might have got a dud cradle. I followed these instructions on making sure the little contact in the base of the cradle is making contact properly. I took the cradle apart to double-check connections. not a kick out of it.

Smirky I wont be in town for a while. I could post the cradle (and transformer) to you to try it. Sorry to be a pain - these things always happen to me !!!

Or to save Smirky the hassle - I'm living in Newbridge - anyone living anywhere near enough for me to drop over with mine to test it out some evening ?

I'm living in Dunboyne, but I work on the Naas road. If you wanted you could borrow mine and try it out (assuming you can get down to the Naas road that is).

scargill

Hobart wrote:

I'm living in Dunboyne, but I work on the Naas road. If you wanted you could borrow mine and try it out (assuming you can get down to the Naas road that is).

Thanks Hobart - PM on the way.

Smirky

Yeah, sounds like the cradle might be dud. See how you get o with Hobart 7 in the meantime email Phatnoise helpline from their website to see what they say. Probably would not tell them you took the cradle apart as this would invalidate any potential warranty that they may offer.

Let me know how you get on. If you have no joy i am happy to email the supplier to see will he replace it, but the first question he will probably ask is why so late in making the claim. Anyway, let me know.

Glad to hear the rest of you boys are enjoying them! Pretty spectacular piece of kit eh!

neacy69

the phatboxes sound very interesting have any of you guys got pictures of any of these installed in your cars?? I am buying a '00 golf GTTDI (i hope) and might be interested in buying one too

Calibos

Heres pics of my install in my A3 glovebox. I have modded mine by cutting off the sides of the casing though so it would fit. I also had to cut out part of the back of my glovebox so I could push the phatbox back far enough. Most others have mounted theirs in the boot and haven't cut any bits off their phatboxes! I couldn't mount in the boot because the dogs would destroy it.

Smirky

You madman! But My God that is a very neat job!!!! What did you use to cut back the original casing? S

Calibos

I'd like to say that I was standing on the shoulders of giants when it came to modding my phatbox. Well when I say the shoulders of giants I mean the mad barstewards who were brave enough to take apart their phatboxes in the first place!

Its not like I suddenly got the idea into my head to blindly start hacking at my phatbox and my glovebox until I got them to fit together. On various forums lads had posted how they had taken their units apart and discovered that the metal casing was not infact a heatsink despite appearances. Then I found posts with install pics and instructions for A3 glovebox installs over at Audisport.net.

Anyway I used a normal jigsaw with a blade for cutting metal. It was by no means a perfect straight cut even after I filed down the sharp edges and if you took it out of the glovebox you might say it was a bit of a hack job but its only the front of the unit you see anyway with this install so its not too much of an issue. Only downside is my warranty obviously went up in a puff of smoke (or flakes of metal ). I did make sure everything was working first though obviously. Then again the warranty was always going to have question marks hanging over it, what with us importing these units from a dealer in the states. Even if the U.S. warranties were/are valid over here it would be a bit of a pain in the proverbial sending the units back to the states seeing as I imagine Phatnoise UK would say any problems we might have were 'not their problem'.

scargill

Hobart kindly loaned me his cradle and I connected it to my PC and it worked first time. His transformer doesnt work with my cradle so it seems to be completely knackered. I'll email phatnoise support - but I think I'll just take the pain and buy a new cradle. With shipping costs and hassle its probably the handiest way to go.

Smirky

That's a pain in the ass any which way you look at it. I know you can pick the cradles up on their own off ebay pretty frequently, but still.

I have mailed the USA VW dealer with the situation & asked him is he prepared to do anything for you on it. I'll let you know as soon as I get a response.

Cheers.

S

Smirky

@ Scargill

Response from USA below .... maybe don't go buying a new cradle yet! Cheers. S

Simon,
Hold tight. I'm working on a solution to this issue. I'll get back to you next week with some resolution on this issue.
Thank you,
Tom

scargill

thanks Smirky, there is no panic at the moment. Using Hobarts cradle I have my cartridge loaded up with 160 albums - should keep me going for a while.

And, besides, I'm getting messed around by Audi trying to get the cable to connect HU to boot. Ordered it (and paid for it !!) a few weeks ago. Still no sign of it. Promised me it'll be in this afternoon (but have been promising me this for a few days now!)

drdre

scargill ebay has the cables for vw or audi.
i had an audi cable but i donot know where i put it.if i find it i will get back to you as i got the wrong one. i needed vw but got audi.:rolleyes:

scargill

drdre wrote:

i had an audi cable but i donot know where i put it.if i find it i will get back to you as i got the wrong one.

drdre - i'll buy that cable off you if you find it, the part number I'm looking for is: 4b0051735B

Was on to Audi (Sheehy Motors in Naas) again today. Muppets. No sign of the cable, said they had to ring 'Dublin' and would I ring back in an hour. Rang back and they tell me that there are no cables available in Europe (!!) and that Audi Germany have to source one from an outside supplier. Reckon they won't have one until the 2nd or 3rd week in January. Which I reckon means they wont have one until the end of February (they'll be far too busy getting new cars out the door in January to worry about my cable).

I said, fair enough, I'll have my money back so. And they said that I cant get my money back - its a special order - tough !!

Am waiting for a manager to ring me back !!

drdre

ok where are you based. i finish exams on thur evening.and am going away on sat morning.i will try find it tonight.if i do i will tell u.and i could meet up half way or something on friday.i live beside m50 at cherrywood.
just hope i find it i donot know where i put it could u pm me ur number please.i will pm u mine.as it will be easier if uwe are both online then we can make contact with each other.

drdre

scargill here are the pics.the black goes into the phatnoise but make sure blue is the size u need for ur head unit.as theres not a point meeting up and then finding out its wrong.thanks
dawood

Smirky

Hi Scargill, happy new year!

I emailed my contact again last week & got a response from the States for you as follows:

Simon,
I hope you enjoyed your holiday as well. I can ship a new USB docking station to you, howevey I will have to charge freight on this. I have a couple options for shipping:
DHL Intl express 2-4 days $22.00
USPS Global priority mail (4-6 days) $17.00
As for the warranty, you would be able to keep the old one, as the shipping would be too high to send it back.
Thank you,
Tom Novak

PM me if you want to avaial of this option. Pretty decent of him I would say.

Cheers.

S

Smirky

New cradle on the way to you, under warranty. Should arrive on Monday, I received a DHL tracking number so can check on Mon for you. That saved you buying a new one! S

scargill

Excellent - thanks for doing that!

scargill

just though I'd dig this up again as I've only got the device installed this week. I've been busy moving house and busy with work.

fantastic gadget - works a treat. Sound quality from it is very good too. Sometimes when changing between different albums on an iPod there are different volume levels - the phatbox seems to be leveling the volume out (could be just my ears !?)

I love the fact that scumbags looking into your car dont see anything flashy ! The likes of a Denison IceLink might let scumbags know that there is a good chance of an iPod being in your glovebox.

So anyone ordering a new Audi or VW - make sure to get a bootchanger cable pre-installed and then order yourself one of these !

drdre

congrats scargill, it is an amaing gadget.

Smirky

Great News! Glad you finally got round to installing it! Yes, it does level out all the different ups & downs on your volume, I have noticed that too in my TT. Also, if you update the firmware etc from the website you can get this really sexy bird's voice to call out your favourite tracks when you are in the car!

I have been asked by a few friends to arrange another group buy, but have done V little about it cos its nuts in work right now, but if anyone wants one or any of you guys have some jealous friends who want one, then let me know & I'll get up off my a*&e to arrange it.

S