Fully understand … but in my case it was not about a feature that is part of a supplementary contractual agreement or the purchasing contract itself (within the order), neither a special option that costs extra.
It is a standard function, which is built-in and is also included in the regular price, but has been deactivated by the manufacturer - since the car was configured to ship and register it in Czech. (But only for one day, by a specialized service provider. This is a common workaround to surpass dealer discount agreements.)
Most probably Wireless Full Link might not be permitted in Czech, but it is in Germany where the car has been really registered and is in use.
The configuration is done by simple - more or less self explaining - switches that are easy to find and also easy to set. Thus, it was very strange for me getting the answers I’ve got from professionals - considering that Czech re-import SEAT cars are very popular in Germany.
That falls into the buyer beware category. Certainly there was ambiguity in the early days of mib3 on Seats in the UK on what they could do (Android Auto Wireless, 3D emblematic mapping for those that use the built in mapping) whilst in Germany the options were published with prices which suggested we were not getting the full spec or may not be getting the full spec. Then it subsequently turned out that options were limited by the early software trains on UK mib3s. Seat models in the UK are sold on stripped down options unlike in Germany where you can configure the element of luxury within the spec much more than in the UK. Thus it's no surprise that lesser hardware gets fitted and lesser software if the spec is
lower. The ambiguity of the spec allows that.
I was particularly exercised that the UK spec did not support full 3D emblematic mapping of buildings and features as in mib2 highs. It was in the German spec cars as an option on mib3 but not on the UK vehicles. E.g.. UK cars were effectively all mib3 standards in the old mib2 model speak, had the SSD storage of the built in maps but not the rendering as mib2 high. That's when it became apparent to me the spec in that area was downsized. Brexit and all that, the weak exchange rate means the specs are reduced to keep within price point. Irish RHD cars are better specced and have more options you can see that in the specs so nothing to do with how cars are now sold to meet European rules... that was the fob off for UK customers before Brexit was implemented but with the collapse of the pound on exchange rates on business sentiment.
It seems to me buying a car out of country runs the risk of getting a vehicle that can't be modded. The build codes which East Yorkshire Retrofit looks up are also available from Erwin and the dealer you bought the car from, they work hand in hand with coding. Those systems you see in Obdeleven are also in the build codes. I always recommend on a new car get the Erwin manuals plus the build codes then you have the full documentation if you intend to do any DIY yourself.
In reality it's best to buy a car fully specced how you want it or failing that obtain the services of a good retrofitter like East Yorkshire Retrofit or embark on DIY. The latter has pitfalls if the hardware or software isn't up to it requiring changes or if you just can't buy the part e.g.. the early days of the
Ateca where the configurable boot parts couldn't be purchased.
The Android Auto Wireless being unavailable in these units falls into the two categories of the firmware not supporting it but the hardware does and the firmware suporting it but having it turned off with the hardware still supporting it. Those presumably were the German marketing offers that you saw in the early specs. The fully specced models with AAW and full 3D emblematic mapping were on the business only package of the car. One suspects that as they changed the hardware to higher specs to save on production costs by reducing the hardware range they turned off AAW to keep the same marketing offers. Meanwhile in the UK the ambiguity of whether AAW was in UK cars was resolved when they offered it on some
. Toggling the Obdeleven screens for that just releases the marketing offer if your firmware and hardware allows that. It's how they manufacture and sell cars. The dealer is unlikely going to do that even if they knew that... least in Germany where they were sold with different specs in the first place.
Nb. Which firmware upgrade gives mib3 users AAW who cant do it yet on existing firmware even via coding is suppose to be being offered as a free dealer upgrade at some future point in the UK. Talk of that on
Formentor and Leon 4 side of the board. That's a wait and see. East Yorkshire were hoping to offer that but I think they have pulled back for the minute. Suspect when the hobbyists master the mib3 firmware there will be DIY solutions if dealers don't offer that in the meantime. Haven't seen any yet. Far to early in the lifecycle of mib3.