Alpine 6.1 fitted to new models "Buyer Beware"

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
21

Its on its way, good luck

Andy

22

TonF

Can you confirm if you received it as I am not sure if it is sending properly.

Regards

Andy

23

You better hope you win this claim outright and they don’t make a defence. Otherwise it could cost you a lot more than a replacement headunit.

In fairness, the unit is not branded as alpine and, aside from one mention in a booklet, Mazda never promoted it for anything more than the purposes it fulfilled at the point of sale.

Unless it fails at those, it’s hardly misrepresented, and they could stomp on your case quite heavily with just that point alone.

With any luck they’ll just pay it off to be rid of the hassle, some litigants aren’t worth the hassle of defending against, depends on the cost of claim itself of course.

 

 

24

Please be advised that Mazda do promote it as a alpine 6.1 touchscreen system.

 

I had the first service last week and picked up a brochure of the Sport Venture from the dealer. On the inside page with a picture of the unit is says" get there quicker, safer and smarter with the fully-integrated Alpine navigation system. Big clear and loaded with features xxxxxx". Then at the bottom it also says “Whilst a state of the art Alpine Navigation System highlights your route xxxxx” Then on the back page under the specification section is states “6.1 Alpine satellite navigation” This is standard on the 1.8 MZR soft top, 1.8MZR Roadster Coupe and 2.0 MZR Roadster Coupe. 

 

As for them indicating it is loaded with features, thanks for info supplied by Andy, as well as the DAB functionality being removed they have disabled over 20 other features that are available on the standard Alpine unit. I would now question the “loaded with features” claim   

25

Wish you good luck in your case, hope they will just settle.

For me I have the anniversary MX5 with this system but to be honest it is what I expected and is as described. It was sold to me as the AVN2 system 6.1 touchscreen Alipine Navigation and it has a 6.1 screen, with Alpine navigation as opposed to the previous AVN1 model (made by Sanyo I think with slightly smaller screen and Tom Tom navigation) It’s an OEM system made by Alipine for Mazda and does have lots of functionality, Bluetooth, navigation, mirror link, ipod/usb connections, video player etc etc… It does have restricted options for sound but it was not really advertised as a top level HiFi system. I guess Mazda woukd say why would an Alpine a accessory fit a Mazda AVN2 unit? I see there is an option shown for a Alpine rear camera, but I have not seen it offered as an accessory and I could not really complain if it could not be fitted, same goes for TV modules etc. Most car manufactures don’t make ICE systems the are made by companies like Alpine or Clarion for them. My SKY+ box is made by Amstrad but I am sure ringing Lord Sugar about it wouldn’t get me very far!

As for DAB I think Mazda have an issue with it and it’s not in any of their cars. They were heavily involved in a satelite radio version which I think is fitted in the USA and to be fair they maybe right. DAB has problems with very old compression software and the bandwith getting tighter with more stations. I read recently that many DAB broadcasts are virtually mono now due to lack of bandwith. Some think DAB with slowly fade away as satellite/Internet radio takes over. I sometimes
Isten to DAB on mine by Bluetooth from my phone using the BBC radio app, works if there is phone signal.

Having said all that it’s really going to be down to what the selling dealer said, I would have thought they were responsible as the seller. If they said it was fitted with an Alpine 920 unit and that’s what you paid for then then that is what they should have delivered in your car.

26

When I purchased my 25th AE car the dealer gave me the general MX-5 brochure dated May 2014 and the 25th AE brochure and there is no mention that it is an Alpine Sat-Nav.

27

 

I can confirm that it is not possible to fit a camera to this unit, I have been trying to do this it looks like the only way is to replace the unit !!

28

Received from Mazda today

"The Mazda navigation system is based on an Alpine system with a 6.1” touch screen. Both Mazda and Alpine have collaborated in designing the unit to Mazda specification, this is not a standard Alpine model and is advertised as a Mazda Navigation System. One of the design features that Mazda and Alpine worked together on is optimising the sound quality in-relation to the vehicle.
The system has a MediaXpander feature. This function works to enhance all audio sources (exc. AM radio), creating a clean and well-balanced sound from all inputs. MX makes vocals or instruments sound distinct regardless of music source and works to reproduce clear sound even in cars with higher levels of road noise. It was also considered to be similar to some of the advanced functions of the Bose systems found in other Mazda vehicles. With these adjustment settings, the bass and treble functions were disabled from the donor Alpine unit owing to these features made. The features of this are:
· MX FM – medium to high frequencies become clearer and sound is well balanced in all bands
MX DVD (Movie) – dialog is produced more clearly
MX DVD (Music) – accurately reproduces original sound by using all data on disc
MX CD – accurately reproduces original sound by using all data on disc
MX Compressed Media – reproduces an enhanced sound close to the original

We are sorry that the features lost were important to you, but hope the above explanation provides an insight as to why the developments were made to the system, and the benefits it provides."

29

You can watch DVDs while driving? [@-)]

30

It looks like the sport venture brochure has been changed now to say Mazda Navigation, good job I found an older copy online !!!

31

No lol you can’t watch DVDs while driving but it does raise a good point - I can watch a DVD while parked but can’t adjust the audio tone at any time

32

It is only fair that I report that I have reached a compromise with my dealer and Mazda UK regarding my audio system.
After Mazda UK finally accepted they could not provide a solution with the existing head unit my dealer brokered a goodwill deal for them to upgrade my AVN2 to a fully functional INE-W925R including DAB antenna and fitting by an Alpine engineer.
It was not completely free, I had to pay 1/3 as a contribution, presumably as Mazda UK admitted no liability for any fault in the units design.
I considered this a reasonable compromise and Mazda UK have even agreed to allow loading of the 25th Anniversary logo to the new unit and personalise it with my vehicle number and are giving me a car for the day while the unit is fitted and set up.
It may be that if I had held out a bit longer I could have got it for free but after 3 months I just wanted it resolved and its costing me a lot less than replacing the unit myself.

In part it was information from this forums members which assisted in my discussions with my dealer and Mazda so thanks for all the info provided.

33

Nice result! Well done.

34

 

That’s a result, I bet that’s opened a can of worms for Mazda

35

Alpine INE-W925R was installed today and wow what an improvement. Crisp audio, fully configurable and DAB. Definitely worth the contribution I had to make.

36

The court date has been set for March and following an exchange of e-mails with Mazda they confirmed to me that they have settled on 2 cases, which I believe one of is yourself. There e-mail stated that the settled but it didn’t relate to the DAB element of the unit. Any info you can supply on whether this is true or not will help in the case. If you have any corrospondence with Mazda re your dealings may help me in my case. In a way I hope it goes all the way to court, because if I win, trading standards may get involved and force mazda to change there description and replace all existing units.     

 

 

 

37

The court date has been set for March and following an exchange of e-mails with Mazda they confirmed to me that they have settled on 2 cases, which I believe one of is yourself. There e-mail stated that the settled but it didn’t relate to the DAB element of the unit. Any info you can supply on whether this is true or not will help in the case. If you have any corrospondence with Mazda re your dealings may help me in my case. In a way I hope it goes all the way to court, because if I win, trading standards may get involved and force mazda to change there description and replace all existing units. 

 

38

TonyF
My complaint was solely related to the non availability of the audio options for adjusting the tone. Mazda did not settle with me directly, my dealer approached them initially and put my case but they were having none of it. My dealer said unless I could show him that it had been advertised as an Alpine system he could not do anything.
I could not find any mx-5 25th anniversary literature stating it was an Alpine but I remembered seeing the post on here relating to the sport venture brochure. I went to mazda and downloaded it but all the brochures were updated around October to remove all references to Alpine. After a google search though I found the old brochure for the sport venture and hey presto, and also a mazda 2 or 3 brochure with the same unit described as Alpine.
I sent these into my dealer and within 1 day he was calling me to offer an Alpine INE-W925R upgrade £948 fitted but only £316 contribution from me (and my old unit). The brochure is key evidence as all the units are the same so they can’t be Alpine one day and AVN2 the next just because you change the words in a brochure. If you were researching before getting your car it is wholly reasonable that the sparse details in the 25th brochure would lead you to look into other brochures of cars with the same unit and determine the unit was an Alpine. Then by cross checking the pictures with Alpines website you would be led to believe it to be an INE-W920R.

I have no direct correspondence with Mazda only with my dealer, I suspect he brokered a deal with Mazda because he knew he would lose my business if I remained unhappy and I think he understood why I wanted the control over the unit. I had already waited 3 months for my free gifts from the 25th anniversary purchase so I was not best pleased with Mazda overall.

When I paid the money today I stated that if Mazda decide to correct the issues in the standard unit I would be back for a refund, my dealer said the discussion with Mazda UK indicated they would not be.

39

Hi, i am new in this forum and i just registered for only 2 questions:

I have a mazda 5 with this stupid avn2 and i wil change it against a w920r.

Please can you ask your dealer if it was necessary to use a can bus adapter? or just plug an play without any cable adaption??? 

 

Has anyone tried to use the pre out from the avn2, does it works or is it also disabled?

 

It would be great if anyone could help me (sorry for my bad english)

 

 

40

In my previous experience the easiest way to determine what adapter cables are necessary is to pull the unit out and have a look see. My dealer sent the car to a local alpine specialist for fitting so I don’t know if they needed any additional cables. If I remember I will ask him though.
All my steering controls worked correctly on the 925, this is the one Alpine said is a drop in replacement, I would expect the 920 to work the same but Alpine tech support were really helpful so its worth checking with them too.
When I asked my dealer about connecting a reversing camera to the 925 he said I would need an adapter cable and kindly offered it for free so the stock Mazda wiring obviously does not support all the 925R outputs. I am collecting it from him soon so will see what else it ‘adapts’ !!
I do not know if the pre out works, I am guessing you are thinking of using an external amp? I thought about that too and that might be another way to get the sound correct.