I finally got around to installing my RNS-E Thanksgiving Morning...
 

It took 2 1/2 hours but I did it mostly by the seat of my pants so that accounts for the longer time. I took a bunch of pictures and will do a writeup as all the other ones I looked at no longer had pictures. But despite all the time spent and the decent cut on my hand from something sharp behind the instrument cluster, I got it installed and I love it! The nav itself works great, the SD capability is awesome, it sounds better overall, and the look of it in the car cannot be beat. I lucked out and got a US unit so there wasn't a ton of recoding to do, so software wise (the part that I'm not good at) was easy. I highly reccomend this to anyone who wants another HU in the car. I'll work on the writeup and hopefully get it up later this week. But for now here are a couple of pictures.

The first one is at the turning point of the project, where everything was taken apart. This picture really doesn't do it justice; I had damn near the entire dash apart on the drivers side trying to figure out where the cluster screws were.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/105649/nav9.jpg">

And then...the finished product.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/105649/nav11.jpg">

Why did you have to pull the cluster?
 

Not familiar with the RNS install, do you need to tap a speedo wire or something?

No. The reccommended install place for the GPS antenna is on the little shelf
 

behind the instrument cluster. I was pressed for time as people were coming for Thanksgiving so I didn't disconnect the cluster. Instead I just jammed my hand up behind there. The alternative to that on the '04/'05 cars is that the GPS antenna can be placed in the shark fin/gooseegg/whatever its technically called on the roof. It requires much more time but if I need a project one day I might reqire it to there.

In answer to the speed sensing question, iirc only the AR/A6/RS6 need the speed sensing hookup. The one that I have just has the tire size programmed in.

Where did you get the unit? (email me if you prefer)

I bought it used from the AZ classifieds
 

US unit, $1300 shipped, came with everything I needed plus a 2GB SD card, so it was a pretty good deal in my eyes

Nice! Welcome to the RNS-E club =D FWIW, I stuck my GPS antenna behind the cluster for a while
 

but was getting intermittent signal. I finally couldn't stand it anymore, as the map was showing I was driving across the map =P

I took it out and put the antenna right in front of the light sensor nub on the dash so its tucked right below the windshield. Looks more or less OEM and now I always get 8 sats.

Thanks! Yeah I think at some point when I get bored I'm going to place it in the fin on the roof
 

I know its a big project but at some point I'd like to get it up there

Yeah, I want to do that at some point. Its not too hard...really just routing the cable from
 

the front to the rear. The drop connection is already there, rear right headliner has to come down a little on the C pillar and then the connectors are there. As for running the wiring, just tuck it under the footwell/door moldings.

Could have just placed it on the shelf above the glove box,
 

can gain access through the HU opening, would have saved you about an hour.
Too late now though ;)
Looks good.

I feel its much better than the Symphony II...noticible difference.