Twentyvee

I'm looking at a 2006 Avant w/o NAV. It's got the monochrome cluster screen as a result, but also does not have the trip computer feature. WTF?

What is required to add the trip computer to the monochrome cluster?

Is it just a matter of changing the wiper stalk to one with the controls for the trip computer?

Is there any additional wiring involved?

I want this car, but can't live w/o a trip computer.

Thanks

beep-beep

The trip computer looks nice, but it does not really give so much useful info.
"miles to empty" only helpful if you will continue the same type of driving
"duration of the trip" - meaningless
"average MPG" - am I some sort of Green Peace Vegan?
"current MPG" - waste
average speed - useless since it calculates average from a ramdom point in time. And BTW, you can get useful average by simply dividing distance by time.

The Navigation is really last century. It does not pronounce street names. It is hard to understand where and when to turn from the instrument cluster display since it only shows the arrow and not the streets.

That been said, if you wkeep the money you were about to spend on the trip computer and instead buy yourself a smartphone with docing station you would get the same functionality plus:
modern TTS nav
map updates
traffic updates
no skipping-DVD issues
you can get something like SCDB with speed camera warning
etc

Twentyvee

This question has nothing to do with NAV. It's a technical question about adding a TRIP COMPUTER to an existing cluster, which my gut tells me is already built in. It's also not a question of whether I need it as part of my daily commuting lifestyle or not. I've had one in every VW/Audi I've ever owned and if it didn't come with one, I added it myself.

I just want to know what I'm up against before I shell out $21,000 on a 6 year old car, mysteriously packaged without a feature I've grown up with and expect in my vehicles.

getaway_driver

Hi Twentyvee,

Yes the trip computer can be added - you need the wiper stalk with the buttons on it and also need to enable the trip computer using VCDS.

Good luck,

Twentyvee

Thank you for the info. Any additional wiring to the new wiper stalk required? Is it already equipped with the appropriate ambient temperature sensor?

getaway_driver

AFAIK, no new wiring is needed, it should be a straightforward install and code via VCDS.

BoxcuTTer

I'm in the same boat, Getaway. Looking to add a trip computer to monochrome cluster. Did you go through with it?

Does anyone know if the wiper stalk I need is 4E0 953 503 G 4PK? Is it a matter of plug and play with a VAG COM?

BoxcuTTer

Oh, I forgot to mention, I have an Avant, so I need the rear window wiper control as well...

BoxcuTTer

I've installed the stalk but I'm not sure how to activate with the VAG COM. Is there a code I need to enter?