Aftermarket Head Unit - Advice Wanted

[E55BOF]

I've just bought a 2003 E500, with a Sonic Audio head unit (an OE COMAND unit lookalike) which was fitted in 2014. The fascia is almost identical to, and I suspect was a rip-off of, the Dynavin unit for my car. The head unit, which was working OK yesterday when I drove the car 135 miles home, has now started playing up.

Sonic Audio ceased trading in 2015, and I can't find a repairer who deals with their stuff.

What do I replace it with? I need Bluetooth, satnav, and SD card input as well as a radio and a CD player. The OE option is a reconditioned used NTG2.5 unit, which Comand Online can do, but the downside of that is the cost - about £1400 fitted. Ouch! I'd rather not spend that much on a cheap car which probably will not be a long-term keeper.

I want something which looks reasonably similar to an OE COMAND, not something too flashy and modern, and the only units I have found so far are the close OE-lookalive Dynavin, or (in the cheap Chinese crap corner...) units by manufacturers named Xomax and Xtrons.

Does anybody have any other suggestions?

 

[clk320x]

I've just bought a 2003 E500, with a Sonic Audio head unit (an OE COMAND unit lookalike) which was fitted in 2014. The fascia is almost identical to, and I suspect was a rip-off of, the Dynavin unit for my car. The head unit, which was working OK yesterday when I drove the car 135 miles home, has now started playing up.

Sonic Audio ceased trading in 2015, and I can't find a repairer who deals with their stuff.

What do I replace it with? I need Bluetooth, satnav, and SD card input as well as a radio and a CD player. The OE option is a reconditioned used NTG2.5 unit, which Comand Online can do, but the downside of that is the cost - about £1400 fitted. Ouch! I'd rather not spend that much on a cheap car which probably will not be a long-term keeper.

I want something which looks reasonably similar to an OE COMAND, not something too flashy and modern, and the only units I have found so far are the close OE-lookalive Dynavin, or (in the cheap Chinese crap corner...) units by manufacturers named Xomax and Xtrons.

Does anybody have any other suggestions?

Do you have an iPhone ? If so look into the Pioneer SPHDA120 or Alpine ILX range as CarPlay is great!

 

[cheddar]

Tough one really. Shame as the likes of kenwood and clarion at least, make OE-fit double DIN units to fit VW models, but nobody with a decent reputation for quality makes anything that fits merc models that I know of.
I've been considering a replacement for the rubbish NTG2.0 in my CLK, but I don't want to lose any functions like dash display/steering controls, and want it to look good. the reality for me is that I'd need to spend at least £800 to have a unit that does what I want it to, but then makes me think is it really worth it?
Have you not considered a used OE NTG2.5?

 

[E55BOF]

Tough one really. Shame as the likes of kenwood and clarion at least, make OE-fit double DIN units to fit VW models, but nobody with a decent reputation for quality makes anything that fits merc models that I know of.
I've been considering a replacement for the rubbish NTG2.0 in my CLK, but I don't want to lose any functions like dash display/steering controls, and want it to look good. the reality for me is that I'd need to spend at least £800 to have a unit that does what I want it to, but then makes me think is it really worth it?
Have you not considered a used OE NTG2.5?

There's not many W211 NTG2.5 head units on eBay, and the prices seem to start at about £600 with carriage. Add £200 to have the aftermarket unit removed and the COMAND unit fitted, and that will be about £800. As you say, is it really worth it?

 

[clk320x]

There's not many W211 NTG2.5 head units on eBay, and the prices seem to start at about £600 with carriage. Add £200 to have the aftermarket unit removed and the COMAND unit fitted, and that will be about £800. As you say, is it really worth it?

No definitely not, are you sure you want to spend much money on the car if your not keeping it? Can you add an aux input or something to connect to your phone or see if there’s one in the glovebox?

 

[markjay]

I had NTG2.5 retrofitted by Comand Online to my W203 back in 2010.

It's a good choice if you are after originality, it fits well in the car and integrates with the instrument cluster.

But in terms of functionality it will now be very much behind modern infotainment system.

Comand Online also retrofitted NTG4.7 to my W204 last year, and there's a massive difference between the two units. But even NTG4.7 is lacking when compared to NTG5.5......

NTG2.5 was released around 2008-2009, NTG4.5 in 2011, and NTG4.7 in 2014.... so they will all be showing their age now

So it's a tough choice. A new non-OE unit will run circles around NTG2.5.... but it will never be original.

Good luck whichever way you choose to go.

 

[renault12ts]

Don't discount the chinese ones...I fitted one last year and it's very good. Also...it should be a plug and play replacement for the duff one you have now.

 

[jon.english68]

this is in complete contrast to what I was going to say,

I fitted a Chinese Unit and it had everything on it, it was great,

as long as you only asked it to do 1 thing at a time, sat nav was great and so was the cd/dvd player, but it couldn't cope with playing a cd when the sat nav was on.

 

[markjay]

Don't discount the chinese ones...I fitted one last year and it's very good. Also...it should be a plug and play replacement for the duff one you have now.

'Chinese unit' obviously refers to vary many brands... I think the issue is that it's a bit of hit-and-miss unless you know of a good brand. Which one did you get?

 

[renault12ts]

Erisin

 

[GLK]

I too have an Erisin head unit - fitted in August last year, no problem so far.

Everything works, the install was plug and play, great sound, clear picture, and even a fully integrated dynamic reversing guide, linked via CANbus to the steering wheel position (just had to get a camera without its own guides). Handles two cameras - I fitted a second one into the left mirror - perfectly. Plays music, runs satnav, handles calls and displays OBD data simultaneously (obviously I have to switch from one screen to another). Internet is fine too, but I only use it to update apps via my iPhone hotspot - I don't need permanent online access, but can fit it easily, as is DAB, etc (I never listed to the radio, so no need).

There's absolutely no doubt that 'small' name brands are way below the top ones like Alpine, on the quality and reliability scale, but for my budget it works - it only cost me £253 and I fitted everything myself.

 

[m80]

GLK is well aware of my experiences with Erisin and their products. They sell under other names through eBay also.

The products are Chinese, they are Chinese pretending to sell out of Heathrow. I believe they are using a warehousing agent there while they remain in China, if that matters anyway. There is a cultural difference but some UK traders are bad news, so eBay protection is 'hopefully' of value.

I've no experience of Kenwood, JVC and other similar named brands so can only compare price, clearly the Chinese gear is massively cheaper.
I've fitted many, some go T's up, but their quality has improved over the years. The reliability will always be suspect, knowing that you can decide on if the risk is worth it. That is buying an all singing unit for a fraction of the price that you may need to replace in a year or two, remember might as they are continually improving, product and service.
My 1st Viano unit did throw its hand in after four months, so I'm on my second.

The 9" unit in the Viano is an octo core, as GLK great screen display, and manages to do all I ask of it. I generally drive with,
Sat Nav (the Igo Primo is excellent but won't allow for enet traffic updates (unless you pay more to them),
FM or from my internally stored 6gig music collection (approx 11 gig max),
dash cam recording to a 32 gig unit mounted mini SD card (TF or whatever they call it).
I use it to run Torque pro occasionally.
It connects to my mobile automatically.
As said reverse cam is auto.
I've not bothered with DTV or DAB+ either.
You can download apps as you see fit and like GLK I hotspot my phone for such things.
Personal choice but I'm happy with the aesthetics, it looks far better than the Comand 2.5 that I sold on.

 

[clk320x]

GLK is well aware of my experiences with Erisin and their products. They sell under other names through eBay also.

The products are Chinese, they are Chinese pretending to sell out of Heathrow. I believe they are using a warehousing agent there while they remain in China, if that matters anyway. There is a cultural difference but some UK traders are bad news, so eBay protection is 'hopefully' of value.

I've no experience of Kenwood, JVC and other similar named brands so can only compare price, clearly the Chinese gear is massively cheaper.
I've fitted many, some go T's up, but their quality has improved over the years. The reliability will always be suspect, knowing that you can decide on if the risk is worth it. That is buying an all singing unit for a fraction of the price that you may need to replace in a year or two, remember might as they are continually improving, product and service.
My 1st Viano unit did throw its hand in after four months, so I'm on my second.

The 9" unit in the Viano is an octo core, as GLK great screen display, and manages to do all I ask of it. I generally drive with,
Sat Nav (the Igo Primo is excellent but won't allow for enet traffic updates (unless you pay more to them),
FM or from my internally stored 6gig music collection (approx 11 gig max),
dash cam recording to a 32 gig unit mounted mini SD card (TF or whatever they call it).
I use it to run Torque pro occasionally.
It connects to my mobile automatically.
As said reverse cam is auto.
I've not bothered with DTV or DAB+ either.
You can download apps as you see fit and like GLK I hotspot my phone for such things.
Personal choice but I'm happy with the aesthetics, it looks far better than the Comand 2.5 that I sold on.

He has got a name you know

 

[m80]

He has got a name you know

Cheeky blighter, I want it back.

 

[E55BOF]

Thank you, gentlemen; that's all good information. A unit packed with features is not what I need; satnav, an SD card slot, a radio and a CD player are all that is essential, and anything else is unlikely to be used much if at all at my present level of 'technological sophistication'.

Having read Erisin reviews on Trustpilot, though, I'm more likely to stick pins in my eyeballs than buy anything from that lot; I'd rather buy a used car for cash from a Bradford back-street dealer...

More anon, but I'm beginning to wonder if the problems with the current unit may have more to do with a slightly tired battery. I'll put the CTEK on it to freshen it up, then see, and get back to you. Fingers crossed...

 

[jon.english68]

'Chinese unit' obviously refers to vary many brands... I think the issue is that it's a bit of hit-and-miss unless you know of a good brand. Which one did you get?

Mine wasn't a branded unit which might have a lot to do with it, but the OS was old technology which was its down fall.

 

[E55BOF]

The problem isn't the battery; the head unit starts to play up as it physically warms up after about five minutes' use, irrespective of whether the car is idling or being driven. I've disconnected the battery completely to force a reboot when I reconnect it, but if that doesn't work I think it's toast.

There are several second-hand NTG2.5 COMAND units on Fleabay out of W219s. One of those would do fine, as I'm quite content with the identical NTG2.5 in my other W211; it may be old hat now, but it provides all I need. Prices are around £400-£500, which I'll spend if I have to, but £1400 for a refurbished unit, albeit including fitting, is a bit much for an old car like mine.

I have the OE APS20 radio/single CD unit, and the OE fibre optic cabling/connections for it, which came with the car. How involved would it be to fit a COMAND unit into the car, does anybody know, and would any additional connecting kit be needed? I presume both that a new unit would have to be coded to the car with a Star, and that an activation code would be needed before it would work?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Two questions:

What's wrong with something like a Pioneer Apple CarPlay unit for £300 from Halfords? (Apart from the fact that a Kenwood, Alpine or Pioneer for a little bit more would be twice as good?

Pioneer SPH-DA120 Car Stereo with Apple CarPlay

And what's a CD player? Is it one of these?

 

[E55BOF]

First answer: No SD card slot.

Second answer: Close enough...

This is the interior:

Even if the Pioneer had an SD card slot, it's a bit too modern to look right. It's not necessarily a show-stopper, but I'd like to keep my 'old lady's sofa' looking as original as possible, which is the main attraction of the existing head unit (if I can persuade it to start working properly...); I'm open to suggestions, though.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Why not give up the SD card requirement and just get a 2003 standard Mercedes unit for £200 on eBay?

Spending an extra £600 just to get an SD card seems an unnecessary expense. And it is original spec for a 2003.