Hey all i'm new here (just got an 02 tt 225).

I've been trying to decide whether I should:

a) Get a new stereo deck with a nice flip out screen and ipod interface

B) Keep my stock deck (bose concert) and just get an ipod adapter

What i want is to either be able to control my ipod on the ipod itself while it charges (i want a hardwire connection) OR to control it through a really nice display (which i didn't think the audi has so i was wondering about another deck)

Would just like to hear all your input on it, thanks.

 

really depends on i you feel like spending ~500 bucks or ~150.
installing a HU is harder than a ch changer adapter, but both are doable. a HU just takes longer.
I have installed both. I have an adapter, works great, but the only control you have through the radio is PREV/NEXT song
A new HU will let you select playlists and scroll through songs. I installed a Kenwood kvt-512 in my sister's beetle and it is NICE!
It has a little lag since the ipod communication is more complex, but it's only noticeable if you skip 2+ songs.
The screen is beautiful and can be set to match any interior lighting too.

hope that helped!

 

The difference in sound will be noticeable too. The stock headunit sucks in terms of sound quality.

 

can someone let me know what hardware i would need to change out the HU. like is there a wire harness and trim to fit the flip out. also what flip outs work so you can still pull down the TT plate that is over the stereo?

 

I want to get a flipout soon, so I already did some research on this.
Installation gear is all included when you order from Crutchfield.com (awesome website)
they include the harness, trim ring, removal tools,... and when I was doing my sister's install, i called them with a few questions and their staff is very knowledgeable.
If you have the bose sytem you're going to need a ground loop isolator to put in between the rca pre-outs of the HU and the rear amp.
Installing the headunit took about 6 hours (including GPS and rearview camera, and figuring out how to rip a new beetle apart)

For just the headunit you will need some soldering skills to attach the harness to the radio, a nice torx set to get the interior apart, and a set of small hands to move around wires behind the headunit. The hardest thing is honestly to get all the wires going where you want them, so the unit slides in completely.

As far as I know, the Kenwood Units are the only units that I definately know of that allow the radio door to function.

 

is there a specific unit that you are talkin about. nice sound good quality you know the whole 9

 

I'm probably getting the KVT-512, the same unit I installed in my sister's car.

 

yea that one is pretty bad a@@! i like that you can get the bluetooth unit and ipod interface that is what i'm lookin for i guess this is next months mod

 

thanks a bunch guys, i think i'll try and get a new unit in there once i can come up with the money

 

Yup, all that was good advice. I had an after market headunit in, but I didn't do a very good job of installing it and was lazy to fix it. So I put the stock one back in and had the ipod adapter installed. Sound quality isn't as good but ehh....I also like being able to see info in the center for gauge cluster which you lose when you put anything else in. So yeah...do whatever. Can be tricky getting the bose stuff to play nice with an aftermarket HU, but there's some pretty good how-to's out there.