MY2008 or MY2009

[Reefergeezer]

Hi all,

I'm about to buy a CLS 320 and have been struggling to make sense of the audio stuff installed by MB - they don't seem to want to make it easy!

My issue is that I would like to play music from my iPhone via bluetooth but understand that this is a relatively new thin not available on older cars. The car I am looking at was first registered in March 2009 - is this an MY2008 or MY2009?

Looking for solutions to my issue, it seems the best thing would be a retrofit of the media inyterface in the glovebox and to keep a spare iPod permanently connected, but the kits are specifically for MY2008 or MY2009 and I don't know which is which.

Also, can anyone help with telling me the difference between these two versions in terms of spec etc.?

My proposed solution above won't be streamimg via the bluetooth but using a dedicated iPod - is there any was of actually streaming/using the phone to play the music e.g. using a cradle? This would save me nicking the iPod which is currently in the glovebox of my wife's Audi!

Just to be clear, the car already has bluetooth for the telephone itself (making calls etc.) so I don't really want a third-party bluetooth device which supports streaming, although I could live with the MB phone cradle (assuming they do one for the iPhone 5).

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

 

[gIzzE]

MY 09 got the much newer NTG2.5 nav system, this will take an SD card full of MP3s.

You can see the sd card slot above the cd drive.

Much better system all round, the other one is now 12 years old and very dated imho.

 

[Reefergeezer]

Thanks gIzze, but my question is really how do I tell which is the MY2008 and which is the MY2009? This one has the SD card slot above the opening for the CD player.

 

[gIzzE]

I think that the NTG2.5 started from MY09 production, so from Sept. 2008 builds.

Once you have that system adding media interface is easier.
If it has the SD slot it is the NTG2.5.

Or go cheaper and buy a 2006 model with a nice spec but no nav and fit the later NTG2.5, can be had on eBay for £500 and then add the full media interface and maybe dab as well?

 

[Reefergeezer]

Thanks for the tip - it has the SD card so will assume it is the NTG2.5

I did consider the older models but I want the facelift version - I prefer the fewer bars in front grille and also the square exhausts!

Good to hear the NTG2.5 is easier to upgrade, as the only thing missing on this car seems to be the Airmatic suspension and media interface.

Fingers crossed, I will be taking the plunge this weekend...!!!

 

[gIzzE]

Airmatic isn't all that imho, plus they can fail so I would rather not have it.