Kenwood DNX518VDABS

[Pro moochers]

I’ve just been speaking to a company about upgrading my VW head unit.
I’m not keen on the look of the generic square units and wanted something with a factory look, and functional buttons.
They recommended the Kenwood DNX518VDABS which looks perfect, but my god it’s expensive!!

DNX518VDABS Volkswagen Multimedia System • KENWOOD UK

Kenwood's DNX518VDABS designed for Volkswagen vehicles - Comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Spotify, WhatsApp and WebLink for Waze, YouTube

www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk

Quoted £1195 plus installation.
Is there a recommended alternative with similar looks?
Key things I want are Apple car play, Bluetooth audio and DAB.
Cheers


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[MickyTwoPints]

I had this installed last year:
Kenwood DNX 5180dabs

>> flush fit facia

>> Kenwood dab aerial

>> Kenwood interface for parking sensors,mfsw fm adapter

>> £915.00 plus £45.00 for installation.

Works a treat and much better than my old VW head unit which I found to be very restrictive when on my own in the van, in terms of difficulty selecting music etc. DAB is very handy too.

 

[WelshGas]

I’ve just been speaking to a company about upgrading my VW head unit.
I’m not keen on the look of the generic square units and wanted something with a factory look, and functional buttons.
They recommended the Kenwood DNX518VDABS which looks perfect, but my god it’s expensive!!

DNX518VDABS Volkswagen Multimedia System • KENWOOD UK

Kenwood's DNX518VDABS designed for Volkswagen vehicles - Comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Spotify, WhatsApp and WebLink for Waze, YouTube

www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk

Quoted £1195 plus installation.
Is there a recommended alternative with similar looks?
Key things I want are Apple car play, Bluetooth audio and DAB.
Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Checkout Absolut5. Very approachable. Specialists for the T5/6. Well recommended and can supply a DIY kit that is plug and play or fit themselves. Worth a call. There are other models/makes.

absolute new | VW T5/T6 Specialists

Absolut5&6 are VW T5 and T6 specialists. Approved VW and Pendle Performance Agents.

absolut5.co.uk

He is also a Forum Member.

You could PM him if you were a VIP member.

 

[MickyTwoPints]

Checkout Absolut5. Very approachable. Specialists for the T5/6. Well recommended and can supply a DIY kit that is plug and play or fit themselves. Worth a call. There are other models/makes.

absolute new | VW T5/T6 Specialists

Absolut5&6 are VW T5 and T6 specialists. Approved VW and Pendle Performance Agents.

absolut5.co.uk

He is also a Forum Member.

You could PM him if you were a VIP member.

That's who did mine .

 

[Pro moochers]

Checkout Absolut5. Very approachable. Specialists for the T5/6. Well recommended and can supply a DIY kit that is plug and play or fit themselves. Worth a call. There are other models/makes.

absolute new | VW T5/T6 Specialists

Absolut5&6 are VW T5 and T6 specialists. Approved VW and Pendle Performance Agents.

absolut5.co.uk

He is also a Forum Member.

You could PM him if you were a VIP member.

I’m all for using recommenced companies but they’re miles away from home and I’m about as technical as a pint of milk


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[Absolut5]

I’m all for using recommenced companies but they’re miles away from home and I’m about as technical as a pint of milk


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We recommend the Kenwood DNX 8180dab or 9190dab over the DNX518dab all day long as they have motorised reverse tilt screens to deal with sun glare, the 518 is affected terribly

We can supply it as a plug and play

 

[Pro moochers]

We recommend the Kenwood DNX 8180dab or 9190dab over the DNX518dab all day long as they have motorised reverse tilt screens to deal with sun glare, the 518 is affected terribly

We can supply it as a plug and play

Whoops... booked mine in for the 518 today
Let’s just hope we don’t get much sun


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[Birty]

Whoops... booked mine in for the 518 today
Let’s just hope we don’t get much sun


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Hows the 518 going Zesty? Just ordered one!! £840 plus vat fitted... Any sun issues etc etc...
Got Blam 20 inch front speakers/tweeters already fitted but RNS510 is holding them back!

 

[Birty]

We recommend the Kenwood DNX 8180dab or 9190dab over the DNX518dab all day long as they have motorised reverse tilt screens to deal with sun glare, the 518 is affected terribly

We can supply it as a plug and play

Will they maintain all the existing display functions.. climate/proximity/seats etc that displays on my RNS510 in my T5.1?

 

[Absolut5]

Will they maintain all the existing display functions.. climate/proximity/seats etc that displays on my RNS510 in my T5.1?

Yes they will

 

[Birty]

Yes they will

View attachment 45996

View attachment 45997

what is that and rough price fitted?

 

[Pro moochers]

Hows the 518 going Zesty? Just ordered one!! £840 plus vat fitted... Any sun issues etc etc...
Got Blam 20 inch front speakers/tweeters already fitted but RNS510 is holding them back!

So far so good!
Haven’t driven in bright sun yet


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[Absolut5]

what is that and rough price fitted?

£1199.00 inv and £1429.00 the 9190 also has wireless CarPlay, both have vastly better screens than the 518, but can supply and install the 518 if you like

 

[Birty]

£1199.00 inv and £1429.00 the 9190 also has wireless CarPlay, both have vastly better screens than the 518, but can supply and install the 518 if you like

Sorry Absolut5.. Long way away and I have a local fitter who is pencilled in now. Sorry

 

[Taff2023]

I had this installed last year:
Kenwood DNX 5180dabs

>> flush fit facia

>> Kenwood dab aerial

>> Kenwood interface for parking sensors,mfsw fm adapter

>> £915.00 plus £45.00 for installation.

Works a treat and much better than my old VW head unit which I found to be very restrictive when on my own in the van, in terms of difficulty selecting music etc. DAB is very handy too.

Hi, I’ve just had my unit upgraded to the KENWOOD DNX518VDABS system by my local VW van centre. Really pleased with it so far. However the system does not power up without the key being in the ignition and turned to stage 1. Is this something that can be rectified?


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[reserves]

Hi, I’ve just had my unit upgraded to the KENWOOD DNX518VDABS system by my local VW van centre. Really pleased with it so far. However the system does not power up without the key being in the ignition and turned to stage 1. Is this something that can be rectified?


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That's the way it works unfortunately. It also probably turns off after 20 mins or so. Nothing to do with the installation, it's the same as the standard stereo worked.

It can be worked around but needs an Auto Electrician I think.

 

[WelshGas]

That's the way it works unfortunately. It also probably turns off after 20 mins or so. Nothing to do with the installation, it's the same as the standard stereo worked.

It can be worked around but needs an Auto Electrician I think.

Not quite. I can turn my RNS510 on without using the key, by just pressing the On/Off button. It does switch off after about 20+ minutes.

 

[reserves]

Not quite. I can turn my RNS510 on without using the key, by just pressing the On/Off button. It does switch off after about 20+ minutes.

Hmm, must have forgotten that did it!

 

[tuono001]

Are people really that impressed with the sound from their kenwood? I fitted a 525dnx last year, I know it's an older model but same make, and cannot get it to sound anywhere near as good as the original vw. Am I missing something with the kenwood sound? I'm prepared to try something newer or different to get a better sound.

 

[Wesel]

Are people really that impressed with the sound from their kenwood? I fitted a 525dnx last year, I know it's an older model but same make, and cannot get it to sound anywhere near as good as the original vw. Am I missing something with the kenwood sound? I'm prepared to try something newer or different to get a better sound.

Have you changed the speakers? They are often the weak link.

 

[reserves]

Are people really that impressed with the sound from their kenwood? I fitted a 525dnx last year, I know it's an older model but same make, and cannot get it to sound anywhere near as good as the original vw. Am I missing something with the kenwood sound? I'm prepared to try something newer or different to get a better sound.

There were big changes to the Kenwood line up after that model, with massive improvements.

Also as another poster said, the original speakers were designed to be run off the original head unit so we’re matched.

 

[IanE]

When are we going to get aftermarket head units from Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine etc (I know you can get them from lesser known sources) that have iPad standard screens and software? They all look pretty naff to me in comparison, and using a smartphone/ tablet as much as I do, I can’t help but compare!

 

[tuono001]

When I looked at pioneer units, when at the show, I'm sure you could mirror your phone onto the screen.

 

[reserves]

When are we going to get aftermarket head units from Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine etc (I know you can get them from lesser known sources) that have iPad standard screens and software? They all look pretty naff to me in comparison, and using a smartphone/ tablet as much as I do, I can’t help but compare!

Have you looked at Apple CarPlay?

 

[IanE]

Have you looked at Apple CarPlay?

I’ve got it on my Pioneer unit fitted last year by Absolut5. I do like and use CarPlay, but it uses Pioneer’s screen - which is a long way off the quality of an iPad screen. That‘s my main moan really, though the graphics etc of the Pioneer unit, as with those from other mainstream manufacturers, just seems, as I say, naff. Should we really have to suffer with being unable to see screens when the sun is shining for instance? No problem with an iPad. I guess I’m just wondering why I can‘t have an iPad-like user experience on a vehicle aftermarket headunit - even the crazy expensive ones, where the best we can hope for is an expensive mechanical tilt in an attempt to avoid the sun (I have v limited experience of current vehicle manufacturer headunits, VW for instance, but from what I’ve seen, they seem to have improved a lot since we bought our Cali new in 2010)

Sorry about the constant iPad references, I’m sure there are other decent tablets