Bluetooth Phone Cradle

[johnaxp]

I recently purchsed a 2006 A4 Avant from a Honda dealership in NJ. Not the ideal place to buy an Audi because they did not know all the specifics about the car, but I found the car I wanted with low mileage at a good price (Avant are tough to come by in the NJ/PA area). I believe the car is Bluetooth capable because a message "Insert Phone" is displayed when I hit the Mode button on the steering wheel and a voice comes over the speaker system as well. I was looking through the owners manual and found that a cradle is needed for the phone system to work. That unfortunately was missing when I bought the car. A few questions:
1. Based on the info. above, do I have the phone package?
2. About how much would a phone cradle cost?
3. Are they universal, or do you need a specific cradle for each type of phone (I own a Nokia 6102i)

I appreciate any assistance.....John

[El Guapo]

I recently purchsed a 2006 A4 Avant from a Honda dealership in NJ. Not the ideal place to buy an Audi because they did not know all the specifics about the car, but I found the car I wanted with low mileage at a good price (Avant are tough to come by in the NJ/PA area). I believe the car is Bluetooth capable because a message "Insert Phone" is displayed when I hit the Mode button on the steering wheel and a voice comes over the speaker system as well. I was looking through the owners manual and found that a cradle is needed for the phone system to work. That unfortunately was missing when I bought the car. A few questions:
1. Based on the info. above, do I have the phone package?
2. About how much would a phone cradle cost?
3. Are they universal, or do you need a specific cradle for each type of phone (I own a Nokia 6102i)

I appreciate any assistance.....John

Hi John, you do not require the cradle for this to work. I had mine removed as I did not need it and I thought it looked ugly anyway. You need to switch on the bluetooth on your mobile and then do a search in the car with the ignition on or engine running so that the cars bluetooth is on on. The mobile phone should find the car in the search. Just pair the phone with the car and then authorise the device so that when you get in the car your mobile will automatically connect to the car. Any problems or more questions let me know.

[johnaxp]

Thanks. Last night I decided to try and sync my phone with the car and it worked!! Based on what I read in the manual, I am guessing that the cradle allows for more uses and capability for the phone (i.e. voice recognition), but I am more than happy to use the basic features.

Thanks,
John

[El Guapo]

Thanks. Last night I decided to try and sync my phone with the car and it worked!! Based on what I read in the manual, I am guessing that the cradle allows for more uses and capability for the phone (i.e. voice recognition), but I am more than happy to use the basic features.

Thanks,
John

Hi, no problem. You should be able to use all the functions via the bluetooth anyway. The only advantage of the cradle is that it will charge the phone but they are not worth it i would say. You can use the voice recognition and also scroll through the sim card via the dashboard display and steering wheel buttons. Any questions let me know.

[thescruff]

El Guapo - you say you had the phone cradle removed on your car. Can you give some details of how you did it and how you covered the holes in the dashboard. I agree that it looks ugly (I prefer hideous) and I can't get the adapter for my phone anyway.

Thanks
David

[El Guapo]

El Guapo - you say you had the phone cradle removed on your car. Can you give some details of how you did it and how you covered the holes in the dashboard. I agree that it looks ugly (I prefer hideous) and I can't get the adapter for my phone anyway.

Thanks
David

Hi there! I had the cradle removed when I got the car from Audi. I advised them that I did not want it there and if they wanted the sale they would have to remove it. They had to take out the complete centre console section I believe and replace it as they could not just cover the holes. I think they said it was about £250? As you say the phone adapters are not cheap and they do not even make them for most phones especially the slider ones. And also most people change their phone every year so what is the point of it anyway. You could go to your Audi dealer and ask them about it I guess?

[Nigelo]

I could be wrong but I believe that a bluetooth connection still uses the mobile's built in antennae. Conversely, the cradle connection will use the vehicle's antennae with better reception and no interferance with vehicle's electronics

hope this helps

[El Guapo]

I could be wrong but I believe that a bluetooth connection still uses the mobile's built in antennae. Conversely, the cradle connection will use the vehicle's antennae with better reception and no interferance with vehicle's electronics

hope this helps

Not sure about that but I have not had any problems as yet.

[FLIPKEY]

Hi

Got a NOKIA N70 bluetooth works fairly good apart from diconnecting itself for no reason I thinks its when the battery is not fully charged on the phone.

Can you have 2 sim cards identical so that I can leave one phone in the car in the adaptor which is in the arm rest????