Retrofitting post-facelift Radio/Centre Console

[Tom-S4]

Hello all,

Long time lurker first time poster so sorry if this belongs elsewhere.

I am interested in upgrade the radio system in my stock 01/1999 S4 to either an RNS-D/E or some other aftermarket/CarPC double-din unit in the future.

Sadly as you can see my car is one-din-down:


Compared to the post-facelift cars:


I wondered what happened behind the scenes on the facelift cars. Is it possible to just get the fascia-trim from a scrapyard to replace the console from around the gearlever to the top by the carbon trip strip. A long shot i know, but are the plugs for the climate-control system, hazard lights, heated seats buttons the same behind the panel?

Thanks for your help in advance.

[dubwhizz]

i thought mine was post facelift, it looks like a cross between the two pics and wouldnt take a screen as far as i can tell. i'll bob a picture on tonight.

id be very surporised if the plugs were different, id put at least 50p on them being the same. lol.

[Blue_Thunder]

I've got the same colour interior and it's something I looked into a while ago.

Not sure if they did a double DIN in that colour, most of the facelift cars seem to have black plastic.

If they did, the chances of finding one in that colour in a scrappy are mega slim. You'd have to buy the centre console direct from Audi and you'd be looking at £200+ just for that, then you'd need to get a new climate control, buttons, ashtray, facia, etc.

And don't even think about changing the interior plastics to black. I had bought loads of bits to do this, but when you realise how many bits and pieces would need to be changed, it is a nightmare!

[Tom-S4]

I'm not particularly bothered about having a mismatch having a black centre console, gear/handbrake surround from a later car. I dont think it would look massively out of place.

I'm more worried about if i can unplug the climate control controls I have, and plug in the later model units or if they changed the wiring loom/plugs/unit dramatically behind the scenes?

If i get my car back from the garage this weekend I will slip the old headunit out and have a look behind the scenes. . .

[Blue_Thunder]

I'm not particularly bothered about having a mismatch having a black centre console, gear/handbrake surround from a later car. I dont think it would look massively out of place.

Think it would look pretty daft where the centre console joins the glovebox and the under dash panel on the other side. And if you change the glovebox (incidentally i've got a black one for sale!) then the join between that and the doorcards will looks silly... and it goes on!

[daves73]

hi ya,


sorry to crash in on a post... i'd be interested in the stuff you have for sale if it's not spoken for? out of interest - what's do you have?

thanks
Dave

[pegbox7]

Not sure about the pre-facelift cars, but i have just done it in a facelift 1999 car and it was a piece of cake, it was all just plug and play and took no time at all !!!

If anyone is interested i have a black glovebox, a black under steering colum shroud and the handbrake plastic shroud complete - infact i have the whole lot in black spare.............................