I’m looking to replace the current radio in my Mk1. I’ve still got the original tape playing Clarion tucked away, and the current one is a CD playing Alpine model. I’m after something a bit retro/OEM looking with Bluetooth and perhaps DAB.
I’ve looked at and eliminated the Caliber models and the £30 ebay/amazon multi-branded ones from my search. I like the look of two turners on the front and have currently narrowed it down to three models (similar prices and not cheap), and would be interested if anyone has one of these fitted, or can recommend something similar.
I have the one bellow (without bluetooth), it sounds good, looks very retro and it matches the NA’s green dashboard illumination perfectly. As you wrote, not cheap , was about 250 eur for the non-bluetooth, the bluetooth model was about 50 eur extra. Takes a while to get used to the various commands as the number of buttons are limited (and therfore multifunctional) and the DAB-stick on aerial is fragile.
I had the Continental (without the CD) fitted in my mk2. Picture shows it off, but on it’s orange/yellow as in your post. I also bought a Blaupunkt similar to the one you showed but it had noticeable interference buzz so the seller refunded me. (I think it’s still in the garage somewhere) The Continental is by far the better unit, Bluetooth worked very well, and it looked like it was factory fitted.
Looks wise I would say that the top two are more in keeping with a 90s car. The bottom one looks like it would go very well in cars from the 70s/80s. Key to any of them of course is how they actually perform and sadly i cant comment on that.
Thanks for the comments and sharing of experiences so far. I like the look of the Classic Car stereo, with its very retro look and green display, but it gets very pricey when adding bluetooth and fitting kit.
Blaupunkt looks decent price for spec but I’ve read a few reports about quality not being what they used to be (China owned). The iGeek is a bit of an unkown, but a bargain price.
I’m leaning towards the Continental as really like the look of the one in Carls Mk2, and favourable reports on quality and performance. The model I’d want is more like the one in my top photos, with twin knobs, bluetooth and DAB, but I can’t find one in stock at a supplier in the UK. Best availability and prices are from German suppliers, which isn’t ideal but might be the way to go.
Hi all (and moderators); after re-reading my post i might understand why it’s banned. It might give the impression that i am somehow related to a company distributing/selling these items. I can guarantee ;it’s not, only reason why i mentioned that company is that it’s the only company selling it in Belgium (and therfore no expieriences with other company’s) . I also mentioned that buying outside UK might become an expensive/complicated purchase.
I can understand that it’s a thin line (commercial ) and will re-read my posts in the future before posting them. Just to help the poster out; in Belgium the CCS 200 is sold for 315 eur (no mounting plate, it has DAB and bluetooth), the CCS 100 is (in Belgium…) currently unavailable.
Thanks b_w for the info on CCS radios and suppiers. After looking into the minefield of import tax/duty on goods imported into the UK since the Brexit fiasco it looks unlikely I’ll be buying from outside of the UK. There are suppliers of the CCS units in UK so I might take a closer look at them.
I think it probably was the fact that you ‘mucked up’ your aerial install that upset the mods
Welcome and indeed…i should watch my language, even with my limited knowledge of the English language i should be able to find some “cleaner” words to replace the F-word (messed up, broke, ruined, waisted…).
Good luck with your research for the right radio.
Well, I decided to go for the Continental. Wasn’t bothered about DAB, so went for cheaper option with no DAB/Bluetooth, and installed an AUX lead from the back of the unit to the cubby between the seats, where I’ve got a Bluetooth receiver connected.
Whilst I was there, I removed/tidied up a load of old cobbled together wiring from behind the unit and installed a new adaptor harness from MX5 Parts.
Everything works great now, including streaming music from my phone, and I’m happy with the look.
Hello I’m looking to change my radio too.
Current Sony FM CD player works very well but the only reason looking to change is that I want DAB+
Is the swap out fairly simple or do I need a particular aerial for the DAB?
That is some rich looking wooden trim you have there! is that original or have you updated it? My merlot has the same trim but its definitely looking a bit lighter and redder these days.
Hi, I replaced the original wood trim when we acquired our Berkeley 15 years ago.
Original trim is real wood with a clear plastic covering. The original was delaminating and the wood fading so I looked for a replacement kit.
I looked for a trim that was a near match to the original. Can’t remember where from exactly but bought one online from a US company and fitted it. Not long after, I came across a new/old Mazda original trim set from a uk dealer having a clear out, so bought that as my next replacement.
The aftermarket one is still looking good with no fading (despite having seen a lot of top down sunshine), but I wouldn’t part with the Mazda trim set (just in case).
and indeed…i should watch my language, even with my limited knowledge of the English language i should be able to find some “cleaner” words to replace the F-word (messed up, broke, ruined, waisted…).
