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Cannot Upgrade Phone!

RGC

New Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
4
Location
London
Car
Mercedes S500L
I have a 2003 S class with COMAND and the factory fitted phone cradle for the Nokia 6310/6310i. When I asked Mercedes about upgrading the cradle they said that I cannot and that the only way of using another phone hands-free is to install a new hands-free kit that is not linked to COMAND or to the steering wheel controls.

Mercedes said that to use another phone requires an upgrade to the Car Management System software and Mercedes will not do that.

This appears to be short-sighted and I feel as though my money has been wasted on the telephone pre-wiring and cradle.

Does anyone have any solution to this or suggestions how to use a more modern phone?
 
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Im in the same boat as you, i've an e class where the standard phone is a 6310i. My research so far has come to the conclusion that the only way around it is to upgrade to a Universal Handsfree Interface (UHI) which MB use in their newer cars. If MB were to install it you are looking at around 2500 pounds plus!

Cheapest Ive come across so far is Braybrooks who can change the whole system for about a grand or contact Steve at MbenzL.

Still thinking whether its worth me upgrading, Guess the installation could be done DIY but needs to be programmed by the Star system.

Let me know what prices people quote, if its cheaper now I may consider it too!
 
RGC said:
I have a 2003 S class with COMAND and the factory fitted phone cradle for the Nokia 6310/6310i. When I asked Mercedes about upgrading the cradle they said that I cannot and that the only way of using another phone hands-free is to install a new hands-free kit that is not linked to COMAND or to the steering wheel controls.

Mercedes said that to use another phone requires an upgrade to the Car Management System software and Mercedes will not do that.

This appears to be short-sighted and I feel as though my money has been wasted on the telephone pre-wiring and cradle.

Does anyone have any solution to this or suggestions how to use a more modern phone?


Have any of you guys thought of trying the pop-port adaptors? I don't have the factory 6310i kit, it's the Nokia CARK91 linked to the stereo.

There are many many cars sold with the CARK91 and there are a whole range of adaptors that fit into it and allow you to then fit your newer phone in. E.g., like this: http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/5134.htm

I don't know if it would be compatible with the factory kit though.
 
We need to find out where the Parrot 6310i bluetooth emulator for all bluetooth phones got to!

You plug the emulator into the cradle and it pretends to be a 6310i, while talking to your bluetooth phone which frankly can be anything that supports bluetooth. There are some threads about this item if you search. Last I heard it was still in development.
 
Shude said:
We need to find out where the Parrot 6310i bluetooth emulator for all bluetooth phones got to!.

Now that I've got to see.....
 
Yeah I heared about the Parrot 6310 emulator. Anyone know if they got to market? This really would be a great solution if they could get it to work, especially for those of us with the factory installed kit in the armrest.

I actually upgraded from the MB 6210 kit to the 6310i kit in my W203 (thanks to Sym for the kit) as I didn't want to go back to using a 6210. Still stuck with the 6210 in the S class though, still toying with the idea of upgrading the PSE in that one too...
 
Parrot - looks interesting

The Parrot solution looks as if it could be the most cost-effective solution allowing the best upgradeability. I have done a quick search of the web, but could not find their web address. Does anyone know it? - Found it: driveblue.com. I will contact them.

I also spoke to Braybrooks. They quoted £725+VAT. However, it does leave me with the feeling that MB Customer Care is definitely lacking as they said it cannot be upgraded.
 
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RGC said:
I have a 2003 S class with COMAND and the factory fitted phone cradle for the Nokia 6310/6310i. When I asked Mercedes about upgrading the cradle they said that I cannot and that the only way of using another phone hands-free is to install a new hands-free kit that is not linked to COMAND or to the steering wheel controls.

Mercedes said that to use another phone requires an upgrade to the Car Management System software and Mercedes will not do that.

This appears to be short-sighted and I feel as though my money has been wasted on the telephone pre-wiring and cradle.

Does anyone have any solution to this or suggestions how to use a more modern phone?

This dealer is blowing smoke a few rings short of a compression ratio.

Shopping list
=============
- UHI main body harness
- UHI extension cable
- UHI main contact clip
- UHI trim panel to hold contact clip
- UHI controller
- W211 compensator to replace the old one.

Lets face it ..... when you can score 20K in one hit with less effort why fix phones. This upgrade path is possible.

UHI pinout for W220 was already published on this site by yours truly. In actual fact I could do the whole job by crimping new wires on the phone end and getting some Amphenol FAKRA connectors to changeover the old mini-UHI antenna connection.

The more I think about it the easier it gets.
 
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RGC said:
The Parrot solution looks as if it could be the most cost-effective solution allowing the best upgradeability. I have done a quick search of the web, but could not find their web address. Does anyone know it? - Found it: driveblue.com. I will contact them.

I also spoke to Braybrooks. They quoted £725+VAT. However, it does leave me with the feeling that MB Customer Care is definitely lacking as they said it cannot be upgraded.

This is a revised shopping list made after changing brake pads.

New shorter shopping list
==================
- UHI conversion kit from www.mbenznl.com for W203
* controler module (quite expensive)
* conversion cable from old wiring to new wiring
* contact plate

- some trim and W220 parts to make it look nice in the armrest
- UHI cradle
- new phone
 
Hi all, found this old post.


Hi y'all
I have a 2001 S320 with no cradle ( and no engine currently lol - long story ) and do NOT have a cradle. Does anyone know if the unit is fitted by default on the COMAND side and I will just need a lead and/or cradle ?

thanks
AL
 

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