ICE ICE baby!

[p3eps]

Alan...
I've been following the progress of this head unit since I pre-ordered one in February!  The company always kept changing their dates etc, so I eventually cancelled it.  I then ordered it again 4 weeks ago and also the KCE-300BT bluetooth adapter.  As I hadnt heard anything from the company, I cancelled the order a few days ago.
I still visit the Honda Integra Type R forums from my last car, and a couple of the guys on there have them and rate it very highly!

I was in my local ICE shop 2 weeks ago and was looking at the iDA-X001 and playing with the controls (I had my 5G iPod with me).  Its definately a HUGE improvement on the Alpine 9855R with iPod controls I had previously... but my local shop want £300 for the headunit and £150 for the BT adapter - but online I can get it for around £350 for the pair delivered.

I already have my fascia plate, CanBus adapter and aerial amplifier lying in my spare room!  Now I just need the car and a stereo!!  I'm going to have a crack at it myself!

[AlanH]

Good luck - please keep us updated on progress. I also had the 9855R in my previous GTi, and found the controls very fiddly to use when searching playlists. I've just had a Parrot CK 3000 Evolution installed, so that's taken care of the Bluetooth handsfree side of things. Do you know if the iDA-X001 will work happily with the MFSW? I'd like to integrate the new Alpine as fully as possible with the car's controls. I guess the CanBus adaptor takes care of full intergration. Why the aerial amplifier, though?

[p3eps]

If you get a CanBus for about £70 it will allow you to use the MFSW and also will make sure all the stereo wiring is correct.  ie - the display will dim when you put the lights on etc!
I had a 9855R with the iPod adapter in my last car, and it drove me nuts!  The slide 'glide touch' mechanism was a joke!  If you were trying to find a playlist in the middle of the alphabet it was almost impossible unless you disconnected the ipod and did it with the click wheel!  VERY frustrating!
I also had a Parrot CK3300... which was great.  I just fancied trying Alpines built in one.  Its less wiring for me to make a mess of!

The aerial adapter is just a lead that converts from the VW aerial plug to the one found in most aftermarket stereos (I think?!)

Where did they put your Parrot's Mic btw?

[AlanH]

Hi p3eps - thanks for all of the valuable info! CanBus will go on to the shopping list too! You're absolutely right about the ""glide touch" - looked like a great idea in the showroom, but never worked in practice. I usually ended up with blisters attempting to navigate to the playlist I wanted The Parrot's mic is clipped to the edge of the headlining above the rearview mirror. I've got the voice recognition working, so I can answer and hang up completely hands free. I haven't bothered with voice dialing yet. I'll definitely get a pro to do the install - last car radio I installed myself had manual tuning and a pointer that moved along the FM tuning range, a power lead and an aerial lead. ICE has become a little more complex since then... BTW, do you have the VW single DIN facia adapter with the cubby hole storage compartment?

[p3eps]

I think my fascia adapter is made by Autoleads.  It just has a hole for a single DIN stereo and a small cubby hole below.  It cost about £12.

I'm hoping that with the CanBus adapter, the stereo install will be almost as straight forward and plugging the golf leads into the CanBus, and then it into the stereo.  Thats the way it reads on the wiring diagrams... but I'm sure it'll be a bit more complicated!

If you slid your finger along the 'glide touch' a little too fast, you went right back to the start of the playlists.  Too slow and it didnt move at all.  If you started scrolling and then took your hand off it for 10 seconds whilst you stopped at traffic lights or something, the playlist menu dissapeared!!
The X001 works 'almost' the same as your iPod apart from the center button is to start searching, and theres another button for OK.  It took a few shots to get used to it, but once you figure it out I think it'll be great!  Its just a shame it has no CD/DVD player built in... cause then it'd be perfect!
Having said that, I've been driving my girlfriends brothers old car for the last 12 weeks whilst I wait for my Ed30 - and I havent put a CD in it yet!  I have a USB/SD FM transmitter device that plays MP3's from my memory sticks straight to the radio.  The X001 has the function to play from memory sticks... and also with the BT adapter you can stream music from your phone to it. 

Looks like I need to get phoning round ICE suppliers tomorrow and see if anyone has both items in stock 

[p3eps]

I'm so sad that I've sat and added the album art into every album on my iPod so that the pics come up on the screen of the X001 (27gigs worth!!!).
Thats sheer boredom for you 

[AlanH]

I tried the Autoleads adapter in my previous GTi with the Alpine. It wasn't bad, but the VW adapter was far better in matching the look/feel of the rest of the dashboard. Might be worth considering if you're not happy with the Autoleads version once it's installed. There's a good review of the new Alpine here:
http://reviews.cnet.com/car-electronics/alpine-ida-x001/4852-3424_7-32425827.html?tag=uoavrg When do you expect delivery of the Ed30? Mine's around a month old now, and enjoying every minute of it.

[AlanH]

I'm so sad that I've sat and added the album art into every album on my iPod so that the pics come up on the screen of the X001 (27gigs worth!!!).
Thats sheer boredom for you 

Google images Been there, done that! What's the point in having an iPod if you don't turn into an obsessive-compulsive!

[p3eps]

Can I get the VW one from my dealer?  If so, do you have a part number I should ask for?
I'd rather pay an extra £20 or something for a VW one and have it look right than waste my time installing a cheap inferior one!

I've got my fingers crossed and hoping that the dealer was correct when he phoned me on Fri to tell me 'within 2 weeks' - so hopefully I can collect it on Saturday 9th June.
I'm getting very anxious... but also a bit scared of 1000miles without putting my foot down  

Reviews seem mainly good - with the only real criticism being the speed for non 5G ipods (doent effect me as mine is 5G) and the Enter button not being in the center!

[p3eps]

It was Amazon for me