VW Polo Japanese import

katlynvw15

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice about my 2015 VW Polo which was a Japanese import. The main console screen when i got it was mainly in japanese (timezone, language for the keyboard on screen, sat nav, etc.) and with some patience i managed to tune out of japanese radio stations and into irish ones instead. The next issue i wanted to tackle was the sat nav, so i popped the Map Data SD card out, and downloaded the navigation Europe Package 1 (Ireland, UK, France and Spain) from the official VW site. I followed their manual online for successfully downloading it onto the SD and i thought my problems were solved.
I popped it into the car and the time zone, keyboard etc is still Japanese, and the sat nav only shows "please wait..." for upwards of 20 minutes. I got out my japanese car manuals and used the camera function of google translate and the manuals quote Clarion being the provider of the maps, which is the name of the Japanese SD card i have in the car.

I'm wondering can i download the VW maps onto a regular SD card and that will work? Or do i need to get a completely new infotainment system put into the car to fix the issue?

Oops!

New system needed unfortunately. Out of interest, did you buy this car privately?

katlynvw15

No, I bought it from a dealership in Dublin in the summer, they managed to get a couple of radio stations on it but the frequency would only go up to 90, the rest i've been trying to fix myself

Oops!

katlynvw15 wrote: »

No, I bought it from a dealership in Dublin in the summer, they managed to get a couple of radio stations on it but the frequency would only go up to 90, the rest i've been trying to fix myself

If you want to send me a pm i can pass on the details of somebody that can sort it out for you.

zilog_jones

katlynvw15 wrote: »

I popped it into the car and the time zone, keyboard etc is still Japanese, and the sat nav only shows "please wait..." for upwards of 20 minutes. I got out my japanese car manuals and used the camera function and the manuals quote Clarion being the provider of the maps, which is the name of the Japanese SD card i have in the car.

At a guess I'd say the head unit in your car is made by Clarion (a Japanese company), so may be exclusive to Japanese market vehicles and not compatible with European maps.

FM radio goes from 76–95 MHz in Japan (76-90 until 2013), unlike most of the world. You can get converters, but the radio will still display the wrong frequency, you won't get RDS (auto frequency, station names, etc.), and the aerial may work sub-optimally with our frequencies. If FM radio is important to you, you're probably better off replacing the head unit.

Del2005

I'd a JDM car years ago with a frequency shifting device. Worked fine apart from when beside taxis when they used to use FM radio for dispatch, they all use phones now.

Changing the radio could have insurance issues and you will most likely still have crap maps that don't do traffic. If you have a decent data plan just use your phone and connect to the aux input on the radio.

meathstevie

Del2005 wrote: »

I'd a JDM car years ago with a frequency shifting device. Worked fine apart from when beside taxis when they used to use FM radio for dispatch, they all use phones now.

Changing the radio could have insurance issues and you will most likely still have crap maps that don't do traffic. If you have a decent data plan just use your phone and connect to the aux input on the radio.

Is changing a radio / center console with an equivalent original by the manufacturer a modification for insurance purposes ? I doubt it.

Mjolnir

meathstevie wrote: »

Is changing a radio / center console with an equivalent original by the manufacturer a modification for insurance purposes ? I doubt it.

Swapping oem parts for I'm parts isn't a modification unless you've an incredibly strange insurance company.
If that were the case everytime you had a repair you'd have to inform them.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Del2005 wrote: »

Changing the radio could have insurance issues...

No it won't.

CoBo55

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

No it won't.

Exactly, god lads do be spouting some Shiite don't they?

projectgtr

Ive a Japanese Polo myself, its a new headunit im afraid, tbh they are cheap enough on Ali express for and OEM one with Carplay or android Auto, its a simple plug and play install i done mine in about 3 min. Upside of the OEM units with android auto or carplay is they use google maps so no need to upgrade maps over SD card. The model in mine is the RCD330 plus, thought newer models may fit too.

jumbone

I've often wondered what the appeal of jap importrd euro cars was

Are they cheap or high spec or what

AMKC

Why the hell would you buy a Japanese VW Polo and put yourself true all the hardship and why the hell would someone import one from Japan. So that car has been around the world twice. It has been from Germany to Japan and then brought back from that side of the World to this side onto our shores and that is a good buy? The mind baffles.

Del2005

meathstevie wrote: »

Is changing a radio / center console with an equivalent original by the manufacturer a modification for insurance purposes ? I doubt it.

A quick call to the OP's insurance company will answer the question better than a random stranger on the Internet. It's not your or my policy at risk

colm_mcm

AMKC wrote: »

Why the hell would you buy a Japanese VW Polo and put yourself true all the hardship and why the hell would someone import one from Japan. So that car has been around the world twice. It has been from Germany to Japan and then brought back from that side of the World to this side onto our shores and that is a good buy? The mind baffles.

It didn’t swim over and back.

It makes loads of sense to import one IMO.

Firstly they tend to be automatic, which is hard to find here.
They also tend to be the 1.4 non turbo which is a safer bet than the TSI or 3 cylinder engines of that era.
Japanese cars are often tiny mileage and in amazing condition,
Spec on them is usually very good - they all have aircon for example
It’s something a bit different.


Only downside is the infotainment - which is an easy fix.

User1998

Profit margin is huge on them as well

CoBo55

AMKC wrote: »

Why the hell would you buy a Japanese VW Polo and put yourself true all the hardship and why the hell would someone import one from Japan. So that car has been around the world twice. It has been from Germany to Japan and then brought back from that side of the World to this side onto our shores and that is a good buy? The mind baffles.

It wasn’t driven to those countries.. Boggles, The mind boggles is the saying you’re misquoting.

AMKC

CoBo55 wrote: »

It wasn’t driven to those countries.. Boggles, The mind boggles is the saying you’re misquoting.

I never said it was just that it has been shipped there been there for whatever many years then shipped back again.
Ye that's the quote I meant lol.

CoBo55

AMKC wrote: »

I never said it was just that it has been shipped there been there for whatever many years then shipped back again.
Ye that's the quote I meant lol.

Maybe someone brought it with them, there are a family of Asian girls who work in a nearby care home who have a very tidy looking jdm golf. It looks strange with the square number plates and the extra brightwork around the windows. No they didn’t drive it over, I asked:D

zilog_jones

AMKC wrote: »

Why the hell would you buy a Japanese VW Polo and put yourself true all the hardship and why the hell would someone import one from Japan. So that car has been around the world twice. It has been from Germany to Japan and then brought back from that side of the World to this side onto our shores and that is a good buy? The mind baffles.

That Polo (like most in the past 30 years or so) has never been in Germany

As long as the price, condition and specification suits, why does it matter where it came from or how it got here?

Also, the last time I checked: Japan is about 10,000 km from here - so here and back is only halfway around the world, once.

corks finest

katlynvw15 wrote: »

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice about my 2015 VW Polo which was a Japanese import. The main console screen when i got it was mainly in japanese (timezone, language for the keyboard on screen, sat nav, etc.) and with some patience i managed to tune out of japanese radio stations and into irish ones instead. The next issue i wanted to tackle was the sat nav, so i popped the Map Data SD card out, and downloaded the navigation Europe Package 1 (Ireland, UK, France and Spain) from the official VW site. I followed their manual online for successfully downloading it onto the SD and i thought my problems were solved.
I popped it into the car and the time zone, keyboard etc is still Japanese, and the sat nav only shows "please wait..." for upwards of 20 minutes. I got out my japanese car manuals and used the camera function of google translate and the manuals quote Clarion being the provider of the maps, which is the name of the Japanese SD card i have in the car.

I'm wondering can i download the VW maps onto a regular SD card and that will work? Or do i need to get a completely new infotainment system put into the car to fix the issue?

Been there thrice : ( 2 hybrids and one normal)done it, buy a head unit that does Apple CarPlay and android auto, go to the upgrade part of this forum you’ll get plenty of advice , I chanhtlast to a pioneer sph 250 DAD class bit of kit

corks finest

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I have a Japanese VW Up and to say its in immaculate condition is putting it mildly. It looks like it rolled out of the factory. As somebody said its an auto and in great knick for less money than a Euro one.

My neighbour has one reliable and economical

corks finest

colm_mcm wrote: »

It didn’t swim over and back.

It makes loads of sense to import one IMO.

Firstly they tend to be automatic, which is hard to find here.
They also tend to be the 1.4 non turbo which is a safer bet than the TSI or 3 cylinder engines of that era.
Japanese cars are often tiny mileage and in amazing condition,
Spec on them is usually very good - they all have aircon for example
It’s something a bit different.


Only downside is the infotainment - which is an easy fix.

Correct I’ve had 3 jap imports all spotless, low mileage, all the extras and automatic , never a problem insurance wise or mechanical, all 2 years not new tyres etc etc, got a warranty with each

corks finest

corks finest wrote: »

My neighbour has one reliable and economical

Yep they’re spot on and in normal time’s fly out the garage

OldmanMondeo

AMKC wrote: »

I never said it was just that it has been shipped there been there for whatever many years then shipped back again.
Ye that's the quote I meant lol.

Doubt it was built in Germany, probably a VW factory in Japan.

sunnysoutheast

Know a few people who swear by Japanees import cars, Hybrid Jazz/Fit, Toyotas etc. As others have said the condition they are in is astounding and no issues selling on.

Think you have to replace the audio in some cases and maybe put an alarm in. I thought there would be issues with insurance but I'm told not.

Would definitely look at doing the same as we'll probably need a runaround when my daughter passes her test.

corks finest

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Know a few people who swear by Japanees import cars, Hybrid Jazz/Fit, Toyotas etc. As others have said the condition they are in is astounding and no issues selling on.

Think you have to replace the audio in some cases and maybe put an alarm in. I thought there would be issues with insurance but I'm told not.

Would definitely look at doing the same as we'll probably need a runaround when my daughter passes her test.

I’m with Zurich now , was with liberty ( 3 jap imports)

corks finest

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Know a few people who swear by Japanees import cars, Hybrid Jazz/Fit, Toyotas etc. As others have said the condition they are in is astounding and no issues selling on.

Think you have to replace the audio in some cases and maybe put an alarm in. I thought there would be issues with insurance but I'm told not.

Would definitely look at doing the same as we'll probably need a runaround when my daughter passes her test.

I’m with Zurich now , was with liberty ( 3 jap imports)

zilog_jones

OldmanMondeo wrote: »

Doubt it was built in Germany, probably a VW factory in Japan.

There are no VW factories in Japan. The Santana was briefly built by Nissan in Japan in the '80s but that's it. And the Mk.5 Polo was never built in Germany either. So it's probably either from Spain just like ours, or possibly Malaysia but I can't confirm that.

If someone wants to check the VIN on their imported Polo we'd have a better idea

CoBo55

zilog_jones wrote: »

There are no VW factories in Japan. The Santana was briefly built by Nissan in Japan in the '80s but that's it. And the Mk.5 Polo was never built in Germany either. So it's probably either from Spain just like ours, or possibly Malaysia but I can't confirm that.

If someone wants to check the VIN on their imported Polo we'd have a better idea

Yawn...

colm_mcm

They start with WVWZZZ but I know they’re not built in Germany