Mk3 Grundig stereo replacement kit

[tenrem]

Has anyone had any experience of these kits before from Top Vehicle Tech?

https://topvehicletech.com/products/ford-focus-6-8-grundig-double-din-stereo-kit?currency=GBP&variant=39846463996095

I've read the guides on here to upgrade my BVC unit, but the guides are way out of my league - these look like they might be a bit more noob friendly. Only problem is, I can't find any evidence anywhere of anyone actually buying these or giving feedback about them. The brand Grundig doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, but I'm a bit oldskool.

[StephenFord]

17 minutes ago, tenrem said:

The brand Grundig doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, but I'm a bit oldskool.

I'm just curious why Grundig doesn't fill you with confidence? They have been around for decades, had a hi-fi with them in the 70s, good soid German engineering, it was great! So, why don't you like them?

[tenrem]

2 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I'm just curious why Grundig doesn't fill you with confidence? They have been around for decades, had a hi-fi with them in the 70s, good soid German engineering, it was great! So, why don't you like them?

It's a fair question. I guess I've always had this slightly tainted view of them, having had a really naff Grundig TV back in the day. Some 20 years ago, if you had a head unit in your car, it had to be Pioneer or Sony. Perhaps there's a bit of brand snobbery in there too, I'm not sure.

Glad to hear that Grundig produce decent kit though - the spec on this unit does look good, and it does appear to support a lot of the OEM stuff, but I've also no idea if there's any compatibility problems either. I would assume at the ~£350 mark, it's also quite a lot cheaper than going down the route of sourcing all the Sync 2/3 components.

[JW1982]

Back in the days Grundig was a well established brand name that was known for its good quality. Until 1998 Grundig was partly owned by Philips. Many Grundig products were rebadged or simplified Philips products (or vice versa). In 2003 Grundig went bankrupt and was bought in 2004 by the Turkish company Arçelik A.S.  

These days the Grundig brand name is used for Arçelik A.S. own products (rebadged Beko and Vestel products) and also for licensed 3rd party products. Many Grundig products are produced by Chinese manufacturers who pay Grundig to be allowed to use the Grundig brand name.

As far as I know Grundig have not produced car audio for Years. There is a huge chance that this Grundig audio system is just a licensed generic Chinese audio system. 

[tenrem]

2 hours ago, JW1982 said:

Arçelik

*childish giggle*

[tenrem]

3 hours ago, JW1982 said:

Back in the days Grundig was a well established brand name that was known for its good quality. Until 1998 Grundig was partly owned by Philips. Many Grundig products were rebadged or simplified Philips products (or vice versa). In 2003 Grundig went bankrupt and was bought in 2004 by the Turkish company Arçelik A.S.  

These days the Grundig brand name is used for Arçelik A.S. own products (rebadged Beko and Vestel products) and also for licensed 3rd party products. Many Grundig products are produced by Chinese manufacturers who pay Grundig to be allowed to use the Grundig brand name.

As far as I know Grundig have not produced car audio for Years. There is a huge chance that this Grundig audio system is just a licensed generic Chinese audio system. 

Really useful info there, thanks!

[Rowan112]

I would suggest not getting those doubledin stereos, they look quite outdated and kinda ugly but that's my opinion.
 

This is my stereo, it's an PX6 unit. It supports everything that your car comes with. it's high quality, does not have compromises and comes with 4gb ram.

it can play netflix, disney plus etc.

it comes with all the wiring needed to upgrade. it looks OEM and is fully programmable. all the buttons can be changed functions, the buttons on the steering wheel can be changed too. I have set mine to open google assistant instead of sync.

Sync, Steering Wheel controls and Climate Control all works with it.
Navigation comes up instantly on it, I use Waze with it and it loads instantly.

The only thing it doesn’t come with is DAB, it’s an add-on you have to purchase. Even then it’s perfect at it

everything loads instantly and no waiting time for anything.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001196862190.html - PFL

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001197182111.html - FL

I would recommend getting PX6 Wireless Carplay version, it gives you wireless carplay and wireless android auto.
PX6 is one of the fastest units you can get on the market. It’s even better than sync3 in my opinion and there are others who shares that same opinion with me.

Just make sure you purchase European warehouse option too, it’s to avoid paying customs.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32961700672.html

Here's a quick review i did of the stereo

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hzsgirQRzSmQDJnx5


You're not far from me, i fit them for people. if you're wanting it

[StephenFord]

8 hours ago, Rowan112 said:

I would suggest not getting those doubledin stereos, they look quite outdated and kinda ugly but that's my opinion.

It amazes me that folk think that looks 'outdated' LOL My 15 year old 6000CD black & white set works everytime I switch it on, and plays me my beloved TalkRadio, I'm a man of simple needs!

8 hours ago, Rowan112 said:

You're not far from me, i fit them for people. if you're wanting it

That's a nice offer, and if it were me, I'd definitely want someone that knew what they were doing fitting it...

[tenrem]

11 hours ago, Rowan112 said:

I would suggest not getting those doubledin stereos, they look quite outdated and kinda ugly but that's my opinion.
 

This is my stereo, it's an PX6 unit. It supports everything that your car comes with. it's high quality, does not have compromises and comes with 4gb ram.

it can play netflix, disney plus etc.

it comes with all the wiring needed to upgrade. it looks OEM and is fully programmable. all the buttons can be changed functions, the buttons on the steering wheel can be changed too. I have set mine to open google assistant instead of sync.

Sync, Steering Wheel controls and Climate Control all works with it.
Navigation comes up instantly on it, I use Waze with it and it loads instantly.

The only thing it doesn’t come with is DAB, it’s an add-on you have to purchase. Even then it’s perfect at it

everything loads instantly and no waiting time for anything.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001196862190.html - PFL

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001197182111.html - FL

I would recommend getting PX6 Wireless Carplay version, it gives you wireless carplay and wireless android auto.
PX6 is one of the fastest units you can get on the market. It’s even better than sync3 in my opinion and there are others who shares that same opinion with me.

Just make sure you purchase European warehouse option too, it’s to avoid paying customs.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32961700672.html

Here's a quick review i did of the stereo

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hzsgirQRzSmQDJnx5


You're not far from me, i fit them for people. if you're wanting it

These look good! A few questions though:

What's the difference between the two items in the links that you posted? PFL / FL?

Also, there seems to be so many variations of these products on these pages, but none of them appear to offer wireless Android Auto, only Car Play.

With regards to DAB compatibility, does it have to be an addon specific to these units, or can you use any DAB unit? Which one did you have?

Finally, my car is a 2011 and didn't come with Sync at all - it has the BVC unit in it - do you know if that makes it incompatible?

It's good to know that there is someone that's willing to fit them, although I'm quite happy with relative plug & play type affairs - it's just when you have to start identifying wires, making your own looms, etc. that it starts to go over my head a bit.

[Rowan112]

 

2 hours ago, tenrem said:

These look good! A few questions though:

What's the difference between the two items in the links that you posted? PFL / FL?

Also, there seems to be so many variations of these products on these pages, but none of them appear to offer wireless Android Auto, only Car Play.

With regards to DAB compatibility, does it have to be an addon specific to these units, or can you use any DAB unit? Which one did you have?

Finally, my car is a 2011 and didn't come with Sync at all - it has the BVC unit in it - do you know if that makes it incompatible?

It's good to know that there is someone that's willing to fit them, although I'm quite happy with relative plug & play type affairs - it's just when you have to start identifying wires, making your own looms, etc. that it starts to go over my head a bit.

PFL is for Focus MK3 that is between 2011 - 2014 and FL is for 2014 - 2018

You'll know the difference by looking at the hazard/central locking button. you have a 2011, so it's a PFL.
PFL have both the  hazards and central locking button on the stereo, FL have only the hazards due to the central locking button is on the door.

Wireless Carplay also offers Wireless Android Auto.
I would suggest you get the PX6 Wireless Carplay version.

DAB is an Add-on. You have to purchase a DAB+ box, Fakra to FM/DAB adapter, an adapter for the DAB aerial to fit into your DAB+ box. which all together costs £51
This kit allows you to use your aerial for DAB. Do you know if your car already supports DAB? if not, you can retrofit an OEM DAB aerial which costs around £30. that's what i did as my car didn't come with DAB. I refuse to use the windscreen DAB aerial

DAB parts - £51
DAB+ - £30 - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262882909633
SMB Male to MCX Male - £7 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Connectors-connector-adapter-Extension-Extender-SMB-male-MCX/dp/B075S6XWP1
Fakra to DAB + FAM Splitter - £14 -  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076WPS3FV
I have all these links saved, so the prices might flux but the last time i checked that's the price.

 

Last time i checked the total price will be £380 for all the parts alone. That includes DAB parts, Stereo itself, Shipping and European Warehouse.

which costs about £20 more than the Double din but you get way more out of it. I would highly recommend you get it.

[Rowan112]

5 hours ago, StephenFord said:

It amazes me that folk think that looks 'outdated' LOL My 15 year old 6000CD black & white set works everytime I switch it on, and plays me my beloved TalkRadio, I'm a man of simple needs!

That's a nice offer, and if it were me, I'd definitely want someone that knew what they were doing fitting it...

yeah each of their own.

For me i need all these extra features, I travel a lot and if i'm waiting on someone i can watch stuff from my stereo.

They offer more than sync3 and the old stereos are just not good enough for me tbh.

 

yeah i had a guy who tried fitting it himself. He connected the fakra to GPS to his Black fakra which is used for DAB/FM signal.