Alpine touchscreen Headunit Install

[Padraic]

Hi all, since I bought my cali I have always wanted to fit a modern stereo system. However as my cali came from the factory with a single din radio, it had the (pain in the a$s) steel cross-member below the radio, which prevented the installation of a double din stereo.
One option I had was to buy a double din cross-member, remove my dash and cross-member then fit the double din cross-member and the dash. Way too much hassle and work!!!
I looked at various types of single din stereos with double din screens, but I couldn't find one with the right configuration.
Finally I decided to go with an Alpine Freestyle 7" navigation unit. Its monitor is seperate from the media unit, connected via cables.
Its a well spec'ed unit, DAB radio, Bluetooth, IGO navigation with Tom Tom maps, Apple car play, android auto, reverse camera etc, etc.



Installation was reasonably straight forward.
Source 3D printed trim to secure the screen in the dash. Also purchase the trim that surrounds the heater controls.


Next up, fit DAB antenna, GPS antenna, Microphone and run cable for the reverse camera. Removing and refitting the plastic trim to run the cables is the most time consuming job.
Once the wiring is sorted, its just a matter of plunging everything in.


Overall I'm very happy with the performance of it, it gives all the modern gadgets I wanted, GPS, Bluetooth calling, reverse camera, carplay.
I've only fitted the reverse camera in a temporary position to the left of the left hand side number plate light, But I'm wondering if it will be better in the centre of the boot lid, I'm thinking about fitting it to the VW badge if possible.

 

[B6POB]

Hi bud, that looks like a tidy setup. An expensive way to do it but nice factory looking . Do you know the part number for the heater control panel surround as I'm looking to do a similar thing soon.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Padraic]

Hi bud, that looks like a tidy setup. An expensive way to do it but nice factory looking . Do you know the part number for the heater control panel surround as I'm looking to do a similar thing soon.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

It wasn't cheap, but it does everything I want it to do. Yea the part number is 7D1-819-075-E-01C, but please double check its correct first.

 

[bxl_lad]

wow... thats looking very fine sir...
Would love to see some pics of the installation process...
A very professional result indeed, I'm sure there'd be a market for that setup - have you posted your exploits on www.vwt4forum.co.uk, I'm sure there would be some folks interested to follow suit (I would, but not sure I could justify the cost to the boss ).
Incidentally, what would be a ball park figure for doing that?

 

[Padraic]

wow... thats looking very fine sir...
Would love to see some pics of the installation process...
A very professional result indeed, I'm sure there'd be a market for that setup - have you posted your exploits on www.vwt4forum.co.uk, I'm sure there would be some folks interested to follow suit (I would, but not sure I could justify the cost to the boss ).
Incidentally, what would be a ball park figure for doing that?

Cheers, it turned out a nice job. I don’t have many pics of the installation but I have to go in there again to finish off a small job, so I’ll take a few more pics.
Yea it ended up a pricy job, just over €1,500 all in, stereo, dab Ariel, reverse camera and remote control, but to help justify it, I’ll note the following points,
1. Didn’t have to spent €250 on a double din cross member.
2. Didn’t have to purchase a separate satnav.
3. I had always planned on fitting a high end unit.
Yea I might post it on the t4forum at some stage.

 

[sidepod]

Is it single DIN or double.
Bear in mind the LHD van will accept a double din where as the RHD version won’t, all to do with steering column mounts for RHD getting in the way.

Nice job. Similar unit to my own. How’s the SATNav? I’m a bit disappointed with mine.

 

[sidepod]

I’m not sure why you need a £250 double din cross member?

 

[bxl_lad]

Cheers, it turned out a nice job. I don’t have many pics of the installation but I have to go in there again to finish off a small job, so I’ll take a few more pics.
Yea it ended up a pricy job, just over €1,500 all in, stereo, dab Ariel, reverse camera and remote control, but to help justify it, I’ll note the following points,
1. Didn’t have to spent €250 on a double din cross member.
2. Didn’t have to purchase a separate satnav.
3. I had always planned on fitting a high end unit.
Yea I might post it on the t4forum at some stage.

whoaha .... Definitely not a job i will be doing then... (our existing stereo cost €25 second hand, but came with a remote control that we can control from the bed ) I think that's about as modern as its going to get for us!
Needless to say, doesn't mean we can't marvel at the neat setup you have there... #Caliporn

...and you don't have to justify why you spent that much, its your van and we can fully appreciate why you invest in it

 

[sidepod]

#manmaths

 

[B6POB]

I’m not sure why you need a £250 double din cross member?

Sidepod, you dont need one if your van came with the double din from factory but Padraics van didn't so the dash cross member won't allow the use of a double din, it's runs directly under the single din slot.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[sidepod]

So this was my install. Mine is only a single DIN but uses the lower section.
I take it the single factory cross member won’t allow this?


https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/new-head-unit-alpine-w997d.17939/

 

[sidepod]

What is this?

 

[Padraic]

Is it single DIN or double.
Bear in mind the LHD van will accept a double din where as the RHD version won’t, all to do with steering column mounts for RHD getting in the way.

Nice job. Similar unit to my own. How’s the SATNav? I’m a bit disappointed with mine.

Its a single din media unit, with a double din screen. There were three options of stereo fitted by VW when new,
1. a VW gamma radio with tape player, single din.

2. another radio with voice guidance satnav, again single din with a double din fascia.

3. The MFD satnav, double din. Different cross member fitted to accept the double din.

Vehicles fitted with either option 1 or 2, the dash cross member sits below the radio, just behind the pocket over the heater controls. The cross member prevents a double din unit to be fitted.
There is however enough space in front of the cross member for a double din screen.

So far the sat nav seems good. What problems have you founf with your sat nav?

 

[Padraic]

I’m not sure why you need a £250 double din cross member?

If I had decided I wanted to fit a full double din unit, I would have needed to change the cross member, but it looked like way too much hassle.

 

[Padraic]

whoaha .... Definitely not a job i will be doing then... (our existing stereo cost €25 second hand, but came with a remote control that we can control from the bed ) I think that's about as modern as its going to get for us!
Needless to say, doesn't mean we can't marvel at the neat setup you have there... #Caliporn

...and you don't have to justify why you spent that much, its your van and we can fully appreciate why you invest in it

Yea it was a painful purchase, but I hope to get many years of travelling with it. I always feel I have to justify such an expensive purchase, even justify it to myself.
I work a sing job, so its nice to have something decent to show for it!!

 

[Padraic]

So this was my install. Mine is only a single DIN but uses the lower section.
I take it the single factory cross member won’t allow this?


https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/new-head-unit-alpine-w997d.17939/

Thats correct, as I mentioned in my first post, I struggled to find a good unit with the correct configuration, single din unit with double din screen, but with the single din part on the top, the opposite of yours. So thats why I went for the Alpine freestyle unit.

 

[Padraic]

What is this?

View attachment 39658

That is a control unit for the night heater, however it looks like it was fitted by mistake when it was being built. It was disconnected as the heater is controlled via the westfalia control panel. However, I've connected the power back up to it, is serves as a second clock in the dash. Here is an old photo of it at night.

 

[sidepod]

Aahhhh all is clear now.

How is the Alpine unit?
TBH mine is poo! It’s Sooooooo slow when you’re inputting a destination. You really have no idea if it’s working or not. All very clunky as if it’s processor is just not capable of driving it. Not what I had in mind when I spent £1k.

 

[Padraic]

Aahhhh all is clear now.

How is the Alpine unit?
TBH mine is poo! It’s Sooooooo slow when you’re inputting a destination. You really have no idea if it’s working or not. All very clunky as if it’s processor is just not capable of driving it. Not what I had in mind when I spent £1k.

Yea, sorry sometimes I don't explain clearly what I'm doing and why.
I only have it installed a week now, but so far it seems pretty good.
I'm expecting the sat nave to be pretty good as it uses the iGo navigation software, which is used by some manufactures for their software. So far its calculates the routes very quickly.
Its a shame its not what you expected it to be after spending so much on it. Is there any software updates that may help improve it?

 

[sidepod]

Yea, sorry sometimes I don't explain clearly what I'm doing and why.
I only have it installed a week now, but so far it seems pretty good.
I'm expecting the sat nave to be pretty good as it uses the iGo navigation software, which is used by some manufactures for their software. So far its calculates the routes very quickly.
Its a shame its not what you expected it to be after spending so much on it. Is there any software updates that may help improve it?

Hmmmm. I looked into it and decided iGo was the way to go (pun kind of intended). It’s a really good Nav system but sadly the traffic prediction is just pure fantasy. Just for giggles we always do a Google maps compare which without fail turns up two polar opposite predictions, the Google always turns out correct.
Hopefully yours will have a better software release.
This isn’t really an issue as it’s rare we encounter traffic as we tend to use the van “off peak” but it would be nice if you had faith in it. Odd things SatNavs, bit like humans, once you loose trust it’s pretty much game over.

I do like your install. The separate button modules are a nice touch......oh another pun, I’m a poet and I didn’t knowit

 

[Padraic]

Hmmmm. I looked into it and decided iGo was the way to go (pun kind of intended). It’s a really good Nav system but sadly the traffic prediction is just pure fantasy. Just for giggles we always do a Google maps compare which without fail turns up two polar opposite predictions, the Google always turns out correct.
Hopefully yours will have a better software release.
This isn’t really an issue as it’s rare we encounter traffic as we tend to use the van “off peak” but it would be nice if you had faith in it. Odd things SatNavs, bit like humans, once you loose trust it’s pretty much game over.

I do like your install. The separate button modules are a nice touch......oh another pun, I’m a poet and I didn’t knowit

Yes it seems the best system to go with, but its a shame that some features aren't up to scratch.
I'm not a big fan of google maps, same start point and destination on different days and I get different routes, but some routes are pure sing, especially in cities. A few KM's through residential areas with speed bumps is no fun in the cali, I'd prefer to sit in traffic for an extra ten mins.
But like any sat nav, common sense is needed too. What ever route is selected, it needs to be verified as correct and on the type of roads that are suitable.
I wanted a dedicated sat nav, but I also now have the option of apple maps and google maps also via the apple carplay, so I have a few options.
But I'll try it out now and report back in how it is in a few months.

This unit also has the option of a separate disc drive, but as it can play movies and music via a USB port it didn't seem worth while. There is also a TV tuner option for it, but that may be a project for the future.

Did you install the reverse camera on yours? I've mine located temporally beside the number plate light. But I think it would be better in the centre, so I'm thinking about fitting it to the VW badge. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Regards Padraic.

 

[sidepod]

Ah yes I went down the “badge mount “ route but gave as the camera simply wasn’t suited.

Its tricky to get it on centre line but it works fine as is.

It’s a very wide angle and does make judging distance tricky. It’s not as good as some OEM units I’ve seen.

Running the reverse lamp cable for camera activation was a bit of a sum-bitch.


https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/reverse-camera.18428/

 

[Padraic]

Ah yes I went down the “badge mount “ route but gave as the camera simply wasn’t suited.

Its tricky to get it on centre line but it works fine as is.

It’s a very wide angle and does make judging distance tricky. It’s not as good as some OEM units I’ve seen.

Running the reverse lamp cable for camera activation was a bit of a sum-bitch.


https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/reverse-camera.18428/

I never saw that forum post about installing the camera. But yea running the cables was a pain in the ass!!!
The guy in Germany who supplied the trim for the screen sent me a pic of a reverse camera he fitted to a T4. It dosen't look the best in my opinion, but I'm sure the position is spot on.


I may speak with him again an ask if he could 3D print something that would work with the standard VW badge.

 

[bluerallye]

My camera is placed to the right of the reg plate, quite discreetly recessed into the black frame surround. Once the reversing guides are set up it doesn't matter to me if its central or not. The lens is that wide-angled anyway it makes little / no difference.

 

[Padraic]

Aahhhh all is clear now.

How is the Alpine unit?
TBH mine is poo! It’s Sooooooo slow when you’re inputting a destination. You really have no idea if it’s working or not. All very clunky as if it’s processor is just not capable of driving it. Not what I had in mind when I spent £1k.

I did firmware updates on my unit over the weekend. This has seemed to solve a few early concerns with the navigation.
I did a firmware update on the audio software, the navigation software and then a Map update.
It might be worth trying on yours if you have not done already?