997.1 PCM upgrade Options

[ogn]

I’ve just put mine in. It was pretty easy to do most of it. I got a local car stereo company to wire in the earth etc (took them 45 mins) as I didn’t really want to do any wiring. I removed the trims / old radio / phone which took about an hour.

Here’s what it looks like with CarPlay / radio and also what comes through on the on-board computer. It just says Bluetooth or USB when using CarPlay.

The fit / colour is ok. It isn’t as fast or responsive as another CarPlay unit I had in another car. I’d say it was worth the money but if you have any OCD or are expecting something worth more than £300, don’t buy it. For me, the Pioneer units don’t look quite right, I bought this as it looks more OEM but the fit isn’t quite right and the colour is out.

 

[Dave997]

Thanks for the photo - I’m assuming you can’t rename the saved stations?

Last question - can you keep playing the radio with Carplay (i.e. google maps) on? Couldn’t in my old alfa as it was wired through aux, but can in our Tiguan.

 

[Stevehughesuk]

Just did my install, not at all painful. The colour match and fit is pretty perfect to be honest. I did remove the side brackets from the unit and moved them from the back to the front (there are two sets of mounting positions and bent out the retaining tabs to get a better centred fit.

Carplay worked first time and on mine at least whatever mode I leave it in its there when you startt the car again - eg if carplay then that comes right on. Really grateful for the writeup from rennlist on setting the volume to max before you remove the PCM. Computer controls are working fine so the radio frequency corretly shows on the dash, and steering whell control work just fine too - very happy for £400!

The only thing I now want to do is work out to get the carplay button to be on the main home screen, may play around with other launchers when i have more time

 

[Stevehughesuk]

yes mine still pays radio even when im in carplay mode using maps etc

Thanks for the photo - I’m assuming you can’t rename the saved stations?

Last question - can you keep playing the radio with Carplay (i.e. google maps) on? Couldn’t in my old alfa as it was wired through aux, but can in our Tiguan.

 

[HMG66]

Just did my install, not at all painful. The colour match and fit is pretty perfect to be honest. I did remove the side brackets from the unit and moved them from the back to the front (there are two sets of mounting positions and bent out the retaining tabs to get a better centred fit.

Carplay worked first time and on mine at least whatever mode I leave it in its there when you startt the car again - eg if carplay then that comes right on. Really grateful for the writeup from rennlist on setting the volume to max before you remove the PCM. Computer controls are working fine so the radio frequency corretly shows on the dash, and steering whell control work just fine too - very happy for £400!

The only thing I now want to do is work out to get the carplay button to be on the main home screen, may play around with other launchers when i have more time
View attachment 94900

I assume your car has BOSE so you needed the MOST adapter ?

Was it all plug and play or did you have to splice this in somewhere ?

 

[Stevehughesuk]

I assume your car has BOSE so you needed the MOST adapter ?

Was it all plug and play or did you have to splice this in somewhere ?

Yes I have Bose so had to just splice the yellow positive and black earth to the harness then with the supplied MOST adaptor and then connected the red acc into the blue bullet connectors of the antenna adaptor. Super easy

 

[Stevehughesuk]

Sadly my unit just failed - half of the screen has gone darker than the other side - waiting for the manufacturer to send me out a replacment screen. They have been pretty responsive (owtosin) so hope it comes reasonably quickly.

 

[Paddcomp]

I recently had fitted a KENWOOD DMX7722DABS WIRELESS APPLE CARPLAY to my 997.1. It’s a short mechless chassis so installation is easier, also added the DAB aerial and Kenwood reverse camera.
I have Bose so the installation kit was expensive, but it’s needed. Works well and using an IQ wireless charger means simple phone in and out.

 

[Fred0224]

So with the PCM unit being totally gone there's no way to access the car settings, etc... anymore ?
I understand it might a cheaper solution to get Apple Carplay.

 

[Stevehughesuk]

That is true - that is one of the tradeoffs in modernising the head unit - yoi do lose some of that. I assume the official Porsche unit (at big cost) closes that gap

 

[spinnaker]

So with the PCM unit being totally gone there's no way to access the car settings, etc... anymore ?
I understand it might a cheaper solution to get Apple Carplay.

I replaced my head unit a couple of years ago with a Kenwood one. I honestly can't think of any car feature that I have needed and not been able to do since then so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[Fred0224]

I replaced my head unit a couple of years ago with a Kenwood one. I honestly can't think of any car feature that I have needed and not been able to do since then so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Good to know.
What would be the best/most recent units these days from Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood that fits a 997.2 ?
I'm looking at a Pioneer SPH-DA130DAB but not sure how good it is...
Edit: Ok this unit is not Wireless CarPlay so need to look for another one...

 

[Fred0224]

I recently had fitted a KENWOOD DMX7722DABS WIRELESS APPLE CARPLAY to my 997.1. It’s a short mechless chassis so installation is easier, also added the DAB aerial and Kenwood reverse camera.
I have Bose so the installation kit was expensive, but it’s needed. Works well and using an IQ wireless charger means simple phone in and out.View attachment 95283

Hi - Do you have the references of the various bits of kits you needed (especially in relation to the Bose part)? Are you happy with the Kenwood unit? Where did you connect your IQ wireless charger? Thanks

 

[spinnaker]

You can always go and have a look at Halfords if you want to poke some buttons and see the head units.

The two bigger companies online seem to be:

Wireless Apple CarPlay - Double Din

www.caraudiodirect.co.uk

Double Din Apple CarPlay / Android Auto

Find great deals on Car Stereos, Car Speakers, Car Subwoofers, Sat Navs and a range of other car audio products ready for you to purchase online. Complete your car audio setup today.

caraudiocentre.co.uk

I bought my fitting kit from Incartec as the silver colour replacement fascia was reported to be a good match for the 997.1

 

[Dave997]

Good to know.
What would be the best/most recent units these days from Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood that fits a 997.2 ?
I'm looking at a Pioneer SPH-DA130DAB but not sure how good it is...
Edit: Ok this unit is not Wireless CarPlay so need to look for another one...

The DA360 is the better version of the one you like. my understanding is that if you book a fitting through halfords they fit them, including the fascia and connect2 loom, effectively at a loss. Lots have traveled down to a halfords down south (farnborough pops into my head?) for the fitter there who is experienced in the 997s supposedly.

Not a recommendation, just what I’ve read.