Aftermarket Radio Options

68Y

Paid Member
Apologies if this has already been asked a few times, I did look but couldn't find anything.

Has anyone managed to find a single din aftermarket radio w/ Bluetooth that doesn't have crazy bright lights or gimmicks? I am after something that looks like it could have come with the car. Failing that, I just want to avoid an in-car lightshow. Not too fussed about retaining the steering wheel controls but it would be nice.

Cheers
 
You can pick up OEM Renault head units with Bluetooth. I bought a brand new 281158179R head unit that has bluetooth. I have not bothered to install the mic for the handsfree system and there is no USB port. I just stream everything via bluetooth.

I am sure that there are much better and cheaper options if you don't want to go for a Renault head unit.
 
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You can pick up OEM Renault head units with Bluetooth. I bought a brand new 281158179R head unit that has bluetooth. I have bothered to install the mic for the handsfree system and there is no USB port. I just stream everything via bluetooth.

I am sure that there are much better and cheaper options if you don't want to go for a Renault head unit.

Beautiful, I will take a look. Thanks
 
Most aftermarket units these days aren’t as loud/flashy as they were in the past.

The most important thing with them is to ensure they have the ability to change the display colour. You’ll find that they have a much more OEM feel if the colour matches with that if the rest of the car (Orange).

Simply put, if you purely want Bluetooth, upgrade the headunit from a later car. If you want improved sound + Bluetooth, go aftermarket.
 
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Most aftermarket units these days aren’t as loud/flashy as they were in the past.

The most important thing with them is to ensure they have the ability to change the display colour. You’ll find that they have a much more OEM feel if the colour matches with that if the rest of the car (Orange).

Simply put, if you purely want Bluetooth, upgrade the headunit from a later car. If you want improved sound + Bluetooth, go aftermarket.

Yeah that makes sense. Cheers.
 
You can pick up OEM Renault head units with Bluetooth. I bought a brand new 281158179R head unit that has bluetooth. I have not bothered to install the mic for the handsfree system and there is no USB port. I just stream everything via bluetooth.

I am sure that there are much better and cheaper options if you don't want to go for a Renault head unit.
Are the oem Bluetooth headunits plug and play, my 200 has a non Bluetooth oem unit and I’d like to put a later one with Bluetooth in
 
I have got a 281158179R and if had been second hand it would have been plug and play. Brand new factory sealed units need software updates that have to be installed via CLIP.
 
Ok mate awesome, thats what I had assumed and hoped after reading your stuff about the RS Monitor etc, now just to find one
 
I have got a 281158179R and if had been second hand it would have been plug and play. Brand new factory sealed units need software updates that have to be installed via CLIP.
To be able to use the clip software, what connections do you need from the laptop to the car? I’m thinking I need to code the headunit to the vin of a car with factory Bluetooth
 
You need a CLIP unit. You plug the CLIP unit in to the OBD2 port and then plug the other end of the CLIP hardware in to your laptop.

I bought one from eBay but the quality of the units is pretty poor. You can get one like this from eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAN-Clip...879627?hash=item5237a5040b:g:plkAAOSwqWtdOWVO

The problem I had was that the CLIP unit can send short commands to the car, but it does not have the ability to maintain a connection for a long period of time. I was able to use my Chinese CLIP clone to write things like VIN numbers and make minor adjustments. It was unable to update firmware or software updates to the headunit.

Also, CLIP has to be run on Windows 7 32 bit. Although you can run it on a virtual machine it can be painful to run.

To be honest if you are unlikely to ever use CLIP again you may be better off paying a Renault dealer their standard charge of about £120 to £150 to sort it out rather than mess about with CLIP?