A3 bluetooth interface

[chiefwiggumpi]

Thought i best start a new thread with this topic.

Just ordered a new A3 sportback with various options one of which i chose was the "Bluetooth interface"

I understand it doesnt use an external aerial but your phones.

Its not too late for me to change my option i called the dealer earlier. Is this sufficient to use via bluetooth or should i pay more for mobile preperation low which uses an external aerial and has voice control or is not worth the extra money and i wont notice much difference?

Thanks

[tlionhart]

Congratulations on finally making an order. I bet your excited? :D

it really depends where you live and the areas you mainly drive to chief. The bluetooth function works literally hands free. The signal depends on how good your mobile operator signal is in places. Im with Orange and don't have problems with my phone. The car has in in car mic. It may be hard for people to hear you on say motorways so you gotta shout a bit. On normal roads it works no different as to it being held up to your ear. The only thing you gotta bear in mind is just HOPE the person speaking doesn't say anything private or sexy. As people outside the car will hear!!! (learnt this the other day! :Blush2:)

As for the GSM phone prep in the arm rest: you buy a cradle. Usually £130-160. Has to be phone type specific. However I only just upgraded my phone to the new blackberry curve...audi doesn't have a cradle for this. They have only just released a cradle for the first gen iphone...so that gives you can example of how far behind they are...
I hear they are ment to be very good and pick up a better signal than it just being in your pocket. As the antenna is extended to outside the car. (therefore the in car metal/frames, etc hinder signal performance)
Im sure it does more than that. I paid £365 for it..i don't recall the bluetooth being there as an option. I think scott didn't go for the gsm phone prep, so ill ask him for you.

I thought the voice control was standard as part of the stereo and multi-function wheel. Like voice prompts.

[chiefwiggumpi]

thanks

just looking at whether to change the order to phone prep low to include an external aerial and voice control. Guess it still uses the phone battery as i dont intend on buying a cradle but just wondered if its massively different reception using the external aerial versus the bluetooth interface option ive chosen in terms of reception (not withstanding the signal from your network)

what did you go for tlionheart the bluetooth interface or the phone prep low?

[tlionhart]

i went for the phone prep low. I guess a cradle will come out eventually :D

I suppose the phone prep was worth it as the gsm allows the re-charge, better signal, emits less signal waves which harm you. I just gotta wait patiently.

I guess it' another £135...so depends if you will benefit from it in the future. I always change my handsets and im never in the car long in enough to be bothered to stick it in the cradle. So the bluetooth would suit me. However at the time the only option was the gsm phone prep. I guess in the long run, should my circumstances change in my 3-4yrs of owning the car then i guess it may be worth it?

[chiefwiggumpi]

Thanks tlionheart

Going to call the dealer this morning to see if i can change my option to the phone prep low and not bother with the cradle.

Just hope ive not left it to late?!:(

[engineermk]

I'm prob too late here to help you.

I haev phone prep (in arm rest) and a blackberry. Audi dobn't make a cradle. The car uses bluetooth to connect to phone (i know you know that!) and as i understand it the phone's ariel to make the connection.

I've never had a reception issue (i'm usually in Milton Keynes, or on M1, M45, or in warwickshire or rural Norfolk). The voice command work OK but i prefer to use teh stering whell controlls to make and recieve calls.

Downside of no cradle is the phone doesn't get charged iin the car, but that's it.

Personally, I'd would have been happy to not pay for for the arm rest connection package that I can't use!

BTW, yes i have teh subby black "ariel" on the roof.

[chiefwiggumpi]

Thanks engineermk

You sound like you have paid for the phone prep low which is located in the arm rest. I understand you dont see the point of the cradle i dont intend to buy the adapter for it either.

The standard bluetooth prep uses your phone aerial to make a connection im not sure will be as good as you also dont get the voice control. I guess you get what you pay for as with anything.

Im sure neither will be bad just be nice to hear if anyone has the standard bluetooth prep that isnt in the arm rest or has the aerial on the roof to hear of their experiences.

Thanks

[chiefwiggumpi]

Further update.

Decided to change option to bluetooth prep low to include aerial on the roof and voice control!

Phew luckily it isnt too late. The dealer says that audi lock the factory order from anywhere to 2 days to about 2 weeks after the order at which time its too late to change any options for anyones information. He said its normally around 2 weeks maerk but they have no control over the system nor once its in production! Apparently!!!

[chiefwiggumpi]

Anyone know if you have bluetooth low fitted does it show your signal strength inside the car eg DIS?

[keniken]

Signal strength and Operator id are shown on the RNS-E...

[chiefwiggumpi]

sorry going to sound daft now whats rns-e?

[keniken]

Its Audi's Navigation System Plus...

[chiefwiggumpi]

Thought it was!

So i take it theres no way then if you dont have the dvd sat nav?

[tlionhart]

unfortunately not no. Perhaps with the cradle it does?

[keniken]

If you have the GSM cradle fitted in the armrest and you have the Bluetooth SIM Access Profile Adaptor this will show signal strength and operator Id but would have to open and close the armrest to look at these if you have not got the RNS-E. Beware this cradle is for Bluetooth mobile phones with SIM access profile in their menu eg. Nokia etc...