Android Auto for W203 C-Class 2007 - options?

[samoht]

I just bought a 2007 C55 AMG Estate (my first Merc), and I love it already.

However, I'd like to update the Infotainment so as to have Android Auto, so I can connect my phone and use Google Maps and listen to music and podcasts from my phone. The standard system is COMAND NTG 2.

In my previous car (a 2007 Nissan) I bought a cheap Sony double-DIN head unit and a fitting kit, ran a USB cable to the centre cubby for my phone, and all was good. However, I'd ideally like something a little more OEM-looking / integrated. I'd also like to be confident that it'll work well with the existing speaker setup, the little display between the dials, the steering wheel controls, and the microphone(s) for the existing Bluetooth setup.

Looking on Comand Online, I can see an Android Auto / Apple Carplay adapter for NTG3.5 and later, but nothing going back as far as mine - which is understandable, I'd probably want a touch screen and higher res anyway.

Searching on Amazon for head units for a W203, I find various "Android" head units, meaning the head unit itself runs Android, but nothing that is designed to fit the W203 and also supports Android Auto / Apple Carplay.

Have any W203 owners out there upgraded their head unit for one with Android Auto support? Any feedback?

 

[samoht]

After some more googling, I found that Xtrons apparently do sets designed for specific cars, including Mercs, e.g. Mercedes-Benz| Various | Android 10 | Octa Core | 4GB RAM & 64GB ROM | IB80M209L . Basically it's a standard unbranded Chinese Android head-unit plus a fitting kit for a W203, so it fits into the fascia neatly. Then there's a fibre-optic adapter for the audio (I think), and another optional adapter if you want to use Carplay/AAuto.

It's not exactly what I'd ideally want, since I feel it loses a bit of the car's originality by replacing the buttons etc with a big slab of screen and may look a bit out of place. However the fact that it practically speaking seems to cover everything I want it to do makes it a tempting option.

If anyone's used anything similar in their Merc and got feedback, I'd love to hear it.

 

[markjay]

How about one of these:

Erisin Car DVD Player, Car GPS Navigation, Autoradio, Car Stereo, Car Multimedia System, Car Radio

Car DVD Player, Car GPS Navigation, Car GPS Sat, Car Stereo, Car Multimedia, Car Radio, autoradio,GPS SAT NAV

www.erisin.co.uk

 

[samoht]

Thank you - that looks like the same things at half the price

 

[Alfie]

Your C55 almost certainly has HK in which case fitting another head unit is not straightforward.

Be sure to get a guarantee from any seller that their system will work in an HK equipped car!

 

[samoht]

Your C55 almost certainly has HK in which case fitting another head unit is not straightforward.

Be sure to get a guarantee from any seller that their system will work in an HK equipped car!

Thank you, this is an area I'm aware of some uncertainty over.

I'm hoping that something like the below will hook it up, but as you say I'll be sure to ask them to confirm:
Erisin PC001 Fiber-Optic Decoder Box for Porsche Cayenne Benz ML/GL/R CLASS W164 W251
"If your car has a fiber-optic amplifier/sound system such as Harman-Kardon or Bose, just buy this Fiber-Optic Decoder Box PC001 to connect, this unit will work with your amplifier/sound system directly, your factory optic fiber will work with this unit."

 

[Tezz]

Let us know how you get on I was considering one of them Head units from Ersin for my car

Anyone know if they plug and play on A180 2006 I believe I have an NG2