C70 D5 SE Lux - headunit/bluetooth/nav etc

[dme123]

I bought a bluetooth streaming thing, it had 12V power and then gave me a 3.5mm aux cable to plug into the centre console.

Sadly the Dynaudio system is easily good enough to show up the limitations of bluetooth audio streaming. Maybe it was just the adaptor I bought, but the audio quality was complete and utter ****. Maybe worth a try, but prepare for it to be no good.

I investigated adding the OEM RTI system but it's a complete non starter from a complexity point of view. You can add a USB audio interface module - 2008 cars could come with it or with the 6 disc changer and it appears the original purchaser of my car and yours went with the old school option. Volvo sell and fit for about £270 a Pure Audio DAB thing that has a USB interface and I believe uses the steering wheel controls. It is a thing stuck on the dash though.

As for the dashmount, your only other option is one that clips to the vents. THe PO had done this with my car and it had broken the vents so they no longer moved. £60 for a new one, thanks for that. Or one that requires holes drilled...

I believe the later cars almost all came with bluetooth, and you can find plenty with built in nav. If it's that big a deal I think your best/only option is to find a car with the options you want.

[HerC70]

This was the upgrade kit I was referring to.

GROM Audio MST4

Whether that is something worth doing or not, or compatible, I'm not sure.

She's already got the car. She thought it had bluetooth but on checking the description it clearly didn't. The car has done less than 25,000 miles with full main dealer history and is utterly immaculate (and I do mean that, it is in quite remarkable condition for a 2008 car) so in the scheme of things this isn't going to be a major issue - she'll just have to compromise with music/Nav/iPhone integration. I'll find a solution, it just won't be perfect.

[Mcpx]

I'm using one of these in my drivers side air vent, takes the idea of a normal vent grabbing mount and adds a ball and socket joint on to it so you can angle the phone any way you want. Works brilliantly and although it wasn't expensive at the time, it's now about £3 cheaper than when I bought it a few months ago, so even more of a bargain.

It does use a magnetic connection to hold the phone but it is only an issue if you like to use a 'naked' phone without a case or cover. I currently have a Samsung with a removable back so not a problem, but the metal plate to attract the magnet fits easily into any kind of phone case. I orefer the magnetic mount because its really powerful and secure plus I dont have to fiddle to line it up, just put the phone close enough and it snaps it up.

I was sceptical at the time but it was cheap enough to be worth the risk and bespoke options for my phone were nonexistent, but I was totally blown away with how well this thing works. I bought one for the wife and recommend them to everyone.

If you don't want to use an air vent then look at Brodit mounts that are custom designed to slip into joints in individual car trims. Looking at about 20 quid for a mounting plate, then you need the phone mount to attach to it.

[HerC70]

Originally Posted by Mcpx

I'm using one of these in my drivers side air vent

Do you mean the vent to the right of the steering wheel or the right side vent in the centre of the dash?

I was trying to avoid her putting it on the vent to the right of the wheel purely because of how visible it is there.

Does it hold your phone even if in a case? Her iPhone is in a Spigen Armor case and I'm wondering if that magnetic type of fixing would have sufficient strength through the case, or if it does have strength does it mean that when you pull the phone off it that the clip comes out of the vent now and again?

The Kenu Airframe works in the vent on the right of the steering wheel but it holds it a little too flat and I can see how the one you've bought resolves that.

P.s. I've just seen the Brodit ProClip mounts. Excellent idea. They look perfect for what I want to do. There's one to go to the right of the centre vents that looks ideal but also a waterfall console clip that might do the trick and keep the phone out of view from behind the car. I like those. Now to see if I can find a suitable holder to go onto the mount itself....

[benfredlive]

I have used one of these bluetooth devices, similar to ones posted but this has controls for volume, track control and call control.
I have it hard wired in to the power socket on the back of the arm rest and then then ito the AUX.
i have managed to hide all the wires running up to the dash, and i have then mounted the small box on the passenger side of the water fall console.
the device has a built in MIC which easily picks up my voice while driving !
for less than 15 quid its by far the best option, i have the high performance sound system and the sound quality is great!
Ill get some pictures later this afternoon for you!

[benfredlive]

If you wanted a more Stock install, i have thought about getting one of these from VOLVO tech,
it will give you good Bluetooth integration, there will be no on screen information, no track ID or anything, and it wont allow phone calls this device is simply for music only! however as it connects directly to the cars systems it should provide good quality.
Volvo Tech adapter

[Mcpx]

Originally Posted by benfredlive

If you wanted a more Stock install, i have thought about getting one of these from VOLVO tech,
it will give you good Bluetooth integration, there will be no on screen information, no track ID or anything, and it wont allow phone calls this device is simply for music only! however as it connects directly to the cars systems it should provide good quality.
Volvo Tech adapter

I don't see what this does that something from Amazon doesn't do for a quarter of the price

[Mcpx]

Originally Posted by HerC70

Do you mean the vent to the right of the steering wheel or the right side vent in the centre of the dash?

I was trying to avoid her putting it on the vent to the right of the wheel purely because of how visible it is there.

Does it hold your phone even if in a case? Her iPhone is in a Spigen Armor case and I'm wondering if that magnetic type of fixing would have sufficient strength through the case, or if it does have strength does it mean that when you pull the phone off it that the clip comes out of the vent now and again?

The Kenu Airframe works in the vent on the right of the steering wheel but it holds it a little too flat and I can see how the one you've bought resolves that.

P.s. I've just seen the Brodit ProClip mounts. Excellent idea. They look perfect for what I want to do. There's one to go to the right of the centre vents that looks ideal but also a waterfall console clip that might do the trick and keep the phone out of view from behind the car. I like those. Now to see if I can find a suitable holder to go onto the mount itself....

I use the vent to the right of the steering wheel because it falls naturally to hand without having to reach across myself or to use it left handed, yes it is visible from the outside of the car but anything with an active screen is. I understand your security concern and I do allow for the risk accordingly, basically I keep the window shut when I have the phone in the mount.

The magnetic connection is strong enough for a Spigen case, trust me. It comes with two plates, small and large, and the small one is strong enough to take the phone out of your hand from a few mm away. I use the larger one simply because it allows me to be less accurate when positioning the phone on the mount. You quickly get used to 'peeling' the phone off the mount to avoid dislodging the base.

The vent mount assembly is like four fingers bunched together but the gaps between the fingers are different, so if your vent has thicker planes you use the wider gap or if it has thinner planes turning the holder through 90 degrees gives you the thinner gap, does that make sense? Its quite a clever design actually. TBH I have it rammed right in so it does distort the vent planes slighlty but I doubt its going to do any permanent damage, they are a flexible enough plastic anyway. An over enthusiastic removal did pull one of the fingers off but it appears to be made that way deliberately, the fingers themselves are covered by a dense flexible rubbery sleeve, which is what goes into the vent and helps it to grip on, and it was this sleeve that came off, slipped back on good as new.

The only other drawback to the holder is probably true of all vent devices, but it relies on the vents strength to hold the phone in place, if the vent planes can't take the weight they will just fold downwards. To get around this you have to mount the holder at the bottom of the vent so that the moveable part of the vent isn't taking all the weight.

The ball and socket is a brilliant idea, it is more than strong enough for the job and gives plenty of room for adjustment to stand the phone up more vertically, which is normally the achilles heel of vent mounts.

These people should put me on commission but at 9 quid a pop, I doubt they could afford me!

[benfredlive]

Originally Posted by Mcpx

I don't see what this does that something from Amazon doesn't do for a quarter of the price

it does the same job, agreed but its a more OEM install. no need to charge it, no AUX connection that could loose quality.

its just more integrated

[benfredlive]

Here is the unit have.