command SL500

[blak500]

Hi Guys

Need some advice, my command has packed up and is not recognising my cd changer and no radio. I have a warranty with Warranty direct, and they have had the car inspected and also mercedes has had a look at it and recommended a new command unit. My warranty stipulates that mercedes dealers will undertake all repairs, however the warranty company want to now repair the unit via a company called Central Services in Suffolk, who I have never heard of. I dont feel confident to have it repaired, do any of you know if commands can be repaired and has anyone heard of central services? Mercedes benz in Guildford have never heard of them!>!> thanks

 

[npuk]

Yes there are companies that repair Comand units, whether it can be repaired depends on the fault.

 

[mirras]

On google maps it looks from the outside like an old fashioned TV repair shop, I'm sure they may be able to fix the basics but I wonder if they have the correct equipment to properly diagnose, repair and test your comand unit. I would get straight back to WD and ask to escalate this concern as you were led to believe you were paying for a policy to deal directly with MB. If MB chose to send it out for repair to CS then at least MB would warrant the repair.

 

[richard]

Used SL units (i.e removed from write off cars) are hard to come by, and if bought from MB very very expensive which is probably what is causing the "issue" for the warranty company.

MB dealers will never send a unit out for repair, they just order a "replacement" unit from MB and it it is a "reconditioned" unit get a credit for returning the old unit.

Some units are only available new, some only as a reconditioned part.

I wouldn't be too worried if the unit is sent to a repair shop *however* the most important thing is who is removing and re-installing the unit. We've seen SLs with the screw lugs on the wood trim broken and other cack handed workmanship done by car audio shops who don't know how to dismantle the cars.

So, I'd worry about who is removing/re-installing rather than actually repairing the unit. Especially as the fault is not an intermittent fault - it will either come back working (and undamaged) or not !! You could insist a MB dealer or Alfie removes it ...

Take a really good photo of the unit (to show there is no screen damage etc) before it is removed from the car, and photo the edges of the COMAND where it meets the dashboard, the cupholders and where the cupholders meet the top of the wood trim. That is the common things that could get damaged by bad disassembly

Cheers

Richard

 

[blak500]

Thanks a lot guys, WD are happy to pay for MB Guildford to remove and re install and will guarantee the repair for a year, but they want central services to repair the unit, i have to get back to them next week in order to go ahead. So maybe I should, then it seems ..... i really wanted only MB to touch any repairs on my SL rather than independent companies. maybe replace the bose command system with an after market system from Braybrooks? any ideas on costs, maybe then i can have an updated sat nav and bluetooth phone plus dvd movies and DAB radio and digital TV?? hmmm ... not sure!!

 

[richard]

If you're going to change your SL COMAND to anything, you should change it to the newest version (Model Year 2009, Hard Disk Comand) - the trouble is that you have BOSE, and that has to be replaced by Harmon Kardon which is a major job and many many £1000 ...

(Ive done it on my MY2004 SL, put MY2009 system in) - it is slightly cheaper taking a MY05 onward SL to MY09 config because you don't need a new dashboard trim, cupholder and instrument cluster which are about £2500 of parts at least (trim dependant).

I don't think you can argue with Warranty Direct's choice of repairer of the COMAND unit and of course if they fail to repair it then you still have the warranty !! They are of course using Mercedes to do the work to the car .. And as i've said before, its not an intermittent fault so you'll know its fixed !

Make sure you have Birds Eye view when it returns too (its a firmware upgrade on older units, and if they rebuild your unit from other parts, it may need the firmware update done)

Richard

ps, is your COMAND one with Navigation DVD in the boot, or one with Navigation CD in the COMAND ?

 

[blak500]

Hi Richard thanks for the great help!!my sl has a front loading cd for the sat nav and a 6 cd changer behind the passenger sear with tv tuner and a aux in in the glove compartment. do you do the command upgrade and how much would it cost thanks