Yes you can (accidentally) get a MK7 Golf without a radio!

"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
06/01/2015 at 13:51 • Filed to: None

Had a funny chat with my neighbour yesterday. He works at a VW/Audi/Merc dealership as pretty much a driver. He is a trained hotel guy, so hospitality is his business, not cars. He is nice to customers and offers to chauffeur them or their cars around, but he knows zilch about cars. A few months ago, he ordered what he jokingly called his “last car” (he’s 60 now and planned to drive it forever).

A Golf with the 1.2 TFSI (he drives like an undertaker anyway, so why not), a full size spare, sports seats, A/C, not much else. He specced it with one of their younger sales guys, knowing that others at this dealership are more knowledgeable, but as he always thinks he knows everything, this didn’t bother him.

As the headline indicates, when the car arrived, there was a big surprise. It has no radio whatsoever. I’m not sure if it even has the neccessary wiring or speakers. He says that the first thing he does when entering a car is to shut off the radio, so he pretends that it doesn’t bother him. Good on him! As it turns out, retro-fitting a VW radio into a car that left the factory without one costs a cool € 1.8K!!!!! Apparently, you can’t just slap a € 50 radio from Aldi in there and be done with it.

In a gesture of “Let’s not point fingers at who is to blame here!” (technically he signed the order sheet, but the sales guy should have warned him) his boss offered to cut the cost in half, and he still declined. O.K. € 900 is a lot for something you think you don’t really want in your car anyway, but think about residual value for a second!

He now acts like “Well, I’m gonna dump it at VW in a few years, and then it will be their problem”. Yeah right! It’s not a lease, the title is in his name, it’s his damn car. They WILL take the fact that this “unique” car is pretty much unsellable as is into account when appraising its value.

DISCUSSION (18)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 13:53

he ordered what he jokingly called his “last car”

planned to drive it forever

A Golf

Weird sense of humor this guy has...

Klaus Schmoll > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 13:53

In case anyone was wondering, yes, it is the exact same dealership: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/car-salesman-a…

LongbowMkII > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 13:55

If it’s going to be his last car he probably won’t be too heartbroken about the loss in resale value.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 13:59

I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t have the wiring already there. It’s part of the loom they install in pretty much all of them.

My bog standard Twingo came with 2 speakers but has wiring for two more and a couple tweeters already installed.

Slant6 > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 13:59

Picture of the empty dash? Don’t they all have screens?

RazoE > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 14:00

What the hell?

Klaus Schmoll > Slant6
06/01/2015 at 14:02

Hmm... Good idea! I’m too lazy too see if their car is there right now, but I should be able to get one tomorrow.

Echo51 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
06/01/2015 at 14:04

This. All the wiring is most definantly there, maybe all they did was omit the speakers and fit a blank plate. I didn’t know you could order it without a radio tho?

Raphael Orlove > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 14:04

do itttt

Slant6 > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 14:05

I’m just curious. They would have to have the part that goes in place of the radio. Maybe it’s a commercial part for fleet Golfs?

MysticStick > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 14:06

Radio delete feature is the best feature! Really surprised you can get a car from VW like that — now only if it had a snarling engine that makes its own soundtrack.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Echo51
06/01/2015 at 14:23

It’s strange for sure. That said a stereo and speakers are fairly cheap. A decent double DIN head unit is lile Ł100 and Ł50 for a couple speakers.

TheTick247 > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 14:32

Sounds like a good time for one of those bluetooth speakers like the Logitech UE Boom or Bose SoundLink mini. Pair it to a phone to play back your own music, stream music, or stream internet radio. Plus it’s portable so you can take it with you to use in the house, park, whatever, instead of having it be anchored to the car.

Klaus Schmoll > TheTick247
06/01/2015 at 14:41

For that he would need to have a modern phone first. But the idea is a good one.

TheTick247 > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 14:43

True, and at that age I knew there was a decent possibility the owner didn’t but on the outside chance that they did, I figured the ease of solution warranted a mention.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > Slant6
06/01/2015 at 16:21

And here I was thinking radio delete plates went away in the 80’s.

P5guy now GTIguy > Klaus Schmoll
06/01/2015 at 17:34

I want to see that empty dash!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Klaus Schmoll
06/02/2015 at 04:46

i’d buy it as is.