Comand - live with what you have?

[symanuk]

Hi guys,

First time Merc owner and fully unimpressed with Comand (I think it is the 2.0 version in my late 2002 SL55 - but not an officianado on spec).

The previous owner was obviously too stingy to pay for TV, Tel and Linguatronic from factory and part of me is niggled by having buttons without functions.

Have done some preliminary hunting round on the web and it appears hugely expensive to retrofit things to Comand - that and it being a 7 year old platform makes me question the value for money this would bring.

I am just about likely to spend the £100 or so to get the later NAV CD to give postcode function - but even that looks dated and difficult to use.

Don't get me wrong - I love the car and I love the fact that it is so well integrated with the steering controls etc (which is one of the key reasons for not doing a double DIN rip and replace) but I can't help but wonder if getting it fully featured would be throwing good money after bad here?

Your honest feedback and opinions would be appreciated guys

 

[Mudster]

Buy a Tom Tom for when you really need a sat nav.....

I've never been impressed with comand when other items can produce better results for a little more than 10% of the price.

Quite frankly, it's unforgiveable that these systems are so poor considering what is charged for them.

 

[topgixer]

I agree. Just got my 1st MB (ML350) and whilst the Command SatNav is ok I'll use my TomTom whenever I really need SatNav. My TomTom goes down to much more detail in terms of house number etc. and I need the speed camera warnings and to be able to update roads and POIs as well, which I don't think I can get with the Command system

 

[Beetnik]

TomTom - excellent and £200 or variable quality OEM system on any car at £800 to £2,000? TomTom maps updated 4 times a year for £30 or £100 for your new CD?

Yes OEM is neater but not at a price I'm prepared to stretch to.

 

[Smatt]

If you think the original owner was 'too stingy', then why don't you splash the cash on a new SL with all the full price options you require..?

 

[rf065]

In a country like the UK with speed cameras everywhere, there can only be one choice, TomTom. The fact that it is a better satnav too, is a bonus!

Russ

 

[Rose Chap]

I've got essentially the same COMAND in my CLK as the OP has in his SL and despite only having a 2004 disc I still rate it. The intergration is the best thing; muting the stereo when giving route guidance, showing turn arrows in the cluster, and the fact it's all built in without having wires trailing on the dash means it's far more convenient for me. Not to mention the fact it will still give guidance even when satellites are hard to find.

The TomTom I have (910) is a clever bit of kit but not a substitute for COMAND (or iDrive in my BMW for that matter).

I do agree with the OP that COMAND 2.0 can look a bit old school compared with truly modern systems, but bear in mind it was introduced in 1999...

 

[smillion]

I am hugley disappointed with Comand in the E55. I have the latest DVD and still no FULL postcode functionality.

There are many on the forum that jump to its defence (perhaps becasue they did pay £2-3.5k when new) but I prefer my TOM TOM. Its the only disappointment with the car - very poor satnav.

Marc

 

[amwebby]

You need to speak to Alfie or Richard on this forum. I have become used to COMAND navigation and now prefer it to anything else, mostly because of the in dash display, which means I hardly ever need to look at the map display, but also because of the intergration.

Mine had a phone but an ancient Motorola piece of kit and Richard sold me a kit and helped me instal it via email so I now have BT SAP, which I'm very happy with.

I sourced a TV via another MB forum for a good price of £200 and, once again, this forum and Richard in particular was invaluable in helping me fit it and the new aerial I needed.

Now I have no buttons that don't work, an MP3 player feeding in through my TV's aux inputs and I'm very happy.

Thinking about getting Richard to help me retrofit Linguatronic though...

 

[Alfie]

You need to speak to Alfie or Richard on this forum. I have become used to COMAND navigation and now prefer it to anything else, mostly because of the in dash display, which means I hardly ever need to look at the map display, but also because of the intergration.

Mine had a phone but an ancient Motorola piece of kit and Richard sold me a kit and helped me instal it via email so I now have BT SAP, which I'm very happy with.

I sourced a TV via another MB forum for a good price of £200 and, once again, this forum and Richard in particular was invaluable in helping me fit it and the new aerial I needed.

Now I have no buttons that don't work, an MP3 player feeding in through my TV's aux inputs and I'm very happy.

Thinking about getting Richard to help me retrofit Linguatronic though...

Linguatronic is a nice (fairly straightforward) retrofit. It does mean the steering wheel coming off and partial dismantling to install the lever though

 

[symanuk]

I thank everyone for their input here especially amwebby who appears to have gone through the same curve as me. Next question is - what do you think a "reasonable" cost for each of the upgrades would set me back?

 

[amwebby]

Linguatronic is a nice (fairly straightforward) retrofit. It does mean the steering wheel coming off and partial dismantling to install the lever though

That's the bit that scares me!

 

[Alfie]

That's the bit that scares me!

I'm sure you can get some help from somewhere

 

[B3ROO]

TV upgrade

I would also be interested in fitting the TV function to my 2003 MY CL55. What does it entail and where can I get the parts. Also can a DVD function be integrated into the system?

Tks

 

[amwebby]

I thank everyone for their input here especially amwebby who appears to have gone through the same curve as me. Next question is - what do you think a "reasonable" cost for each of the upgrades would set me back?

I suggest you contact Comand Online. I'm sure they will be as helpful to you as they were to me.

 

[Hal Adams]

I am baffled by everyone who thinks the cd/dvd MB satnav is satisfactory! Sorry, but it is total rubbish!

It is not enough to defend it saying it is 1999 technology. I had a Philips Carin in by C43 in 1998 which gave me house number.

I had a VDO PN6000 purpose built into my last car a 2001 R129 SL. €500 it cost, gave me a touch screen, full postcode, house number, camera beep, radio fade-out, speed, ETA etc. Brilliant it was!

Then I made the mistake of buying a 2007 SL without even considering the satnav was crap. Then I used it. Ugh.

To answer your question Symanuk, you should consider moving up to a post April 2008 SL which had the HDD system (HDD gives full postcode and house number plus an increased ICE functionality). You will not successfully retrofit the HDD system as your trim is different shape to accomodate the new unit, and, I am not sure (mainly because the help techies in Milton Keynes are pretty clueless) if by retrifitting the unit into mine even, I retain full command and programming fuctionality.

Yours is the CD system which is slower than mine which is DVD, but both are rubbish.

Best, as said before, if you like your car and no plans to change - buy a basic TomTom for when you really need a satnav!

Sad that arguably the best car manufacturer in the world, has only decided in the last year to catch up with technology, but there you are!

For TV operation, I would not blame the PO, as the TV switches off on forward motion and as the SL is really a two seater, then it would be used seldom. You can get the TV module, about £150, from Command online, or Nav.tv in fact plenty do it now.

Interesting point on TV now that it is possible to unlock the forward motion cut out, I heard that insurance companies looking for more and more ways to get out of paying, will now look to see if the TV/DVD feature on a two seater is enabled during motion... mmm.

 

[Mr E]

I am baffled by everyone who thinks the cd/dvd MB satnav is satisfactory! Sorry, but it is total rubbish!

I can only say that my experience is opposite to this. I have COMAND in 2 W211s over the past 5 years - it's never got me lost, never given me a wrong turning, and gives timely instructions.

I travel over 40k miles per years, throughout europe, in both cities and rural locations. I can still read house numbers, even with another year passing .

My wife doesn't like her portable unit - takes ages to acquire a GPS signal, comes up with bizarre routings, and she's always leaving it behind.

Yes, COMAND is expensive for what it is but I don't have anything cluttering up the windscreen (a pet hate of mine), it's always in the car and it does what I need it to do in a nicely integrated package.

 

[rf065]

I can only say that my experience is opposite to this. I have COMAND in 2 W211s over the past 5 years - it's never got me lost, never given me a wrong turning, and gives timely instructions.

When it is capable of things like speed camera warnings, then I might be interested. But not as a £2000 option.

Russ

 

[Alfie]

........................................................................................................................................................ You can get the TV module, about £150, from Command online, .................................................................................

Can you? Where?

The genuine Mercedes TV tuner is about £1500 for just the tuner

 

[pos.k]

I changed from a tomtom to COMAND when I retrofitted it to my CLK for 500 sobs.

I too was, in part, disappointed with the postcode limitations, and also the inability to input speed cameras (and KFC's ) into my COMAND APS, but the integration, routing quality, Traffic info, satellite pickup, no trailing cables, radio muting, telephone (and texts) make it invaluable. (to me at least)

I travel a lot. but now that most of my destinations are stored either in memory, or recent destinations, it's a piece of cake. Occasionally I need a new destination, but it's worth the effort.

I would certainly consider buying a new MB without but only if it was possible to retrofit - otherwise it would have to be in.