O/T Blue tooth car kits

[Tan]

Hi

I currently have Nokia car kits fitted in two of the cars that I drive, however I have changed phone and now mainly use a Nokia 8910i for which there is no proper car kit. I was using a PAYG chip in my old phone and using the old car kits but this is becoming fairly expensive and annoying.

Whilst I would like to get fully installed Bluetooth kit which both Vodafone and MB Dealer say should be safe to use, I cant really justify buying three kits one for each of the cars i drive.

I have seen the Parrot Driveblue portable Bluetooth car kit.. see below and was wondering if anyone has used one of these and if so what are they like?

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=DRIVEBLUE

Regards

Tan.

 

[Andy W]

I have a Nokia ear piece Blue tooth kit, I do not like it, very uncomfortable and it cost me £90! Also the on board battery has to be charged up, I must prefer my hands free kit in my van, but we all learn by our mistakes.

 

[RichardM]

How about getting a bluetooth ear piece? Then you can easily move it between cars.

I've used a few handsfree kits (Nokia and SonyEriccson) and have never found them that great. In most cases an ear piece give much better clarity.

Having said that my Nokia bluetooth kit is so convenient the way it just connects when I get in the car.

 

[RichardM]

I guess you've answered my question there Andy! I like using the wired ear pieces.

 

[Tan]

How about getting a bluetooth ear piece? Then you can easily move it between cars.

I got the Nokia Blue tooth headset, but dont like it much and am really used to the quality of a fully installed.

 

[craigyb]

I have a SE bluetooth hands free kit with the car speaker mod as well, works a treat, will pair with upto 5 phones and looks good too.

I sold my headset to a colleague, it was uncomfortable to wear for more than 1 hour.

SE HCB-30 bluetooth kit £109.05 inc
SE HCE-16 advanced car kit £26.44 inc

Expansys.co.uk

Craig

 

[Tan]

Thats the route i will prolly end up going, getting too many mixed reactions to the parrot stuff. Guna see what e-bay will fetch for 1x Nokia Headset and 2x Nokia Cark 91's

 

[Andy W]

I only bought my blue tooth ear piece for my two cars instead of drilling holes to mount a fully installed kit as in my van, you cant beat a fully installed kit.I think mine will end up on ebay, waste of money.

 

[craigyb]

I didn't have to drill a single hole to mount my bluetooth kit. Ok I don't have a phone holder/charger, but I'd always forget to take the phone out anyway so it's better off in my pocket.

The kit is hidden behind the left hand side of the glove box, there is quite a large empty space just below the heater vent in the CLK.

Power has been taken from the radio connections. And the mic has been mounted on the lighting dome. I took an ignition feed from the cigarette lighter to the radio ISO connector when I swapped out the MB head unit for my panasonic.

I have secured some light grey paint to colour the Mic and my rear GPS receiver a similar colour to the car so they are not as obvious.

Quite simple really.

Craig

 

[Andy W]

CraigyB do know of a link to the website of the SE bluetooth ?

 

[craigyb]

Andy

I've just modified my post to include www.expansys.co.uk, cheaper than what I paid for my car kit, although I did get the mute kit from them.

www.expansys.co.uk

Craig

 

[craigyb]

Andy, you can just see my SE bluetooth control unit to the right of my screen nicely lit up with that purpley/blue SE light.

Craig

 

[Tan]

I have had a brain wave, let me run it buy you see if it makes sense.

I already have two Nokia Cark 91's. These are fitted in the SL and the E-class
if i now buy a Nokia ck-1w Blue tooth kit, i will get another mic and speaker.

If i fit the new mic and speaker into the s-class all cars will have mic and speakers, the wireing looms from the Nokia Cark 91 kits can then be coverted using a special cable (£9.99) so they can fit the New BT control box then if I can buy two new control remotes and fit these i will have Bt in each car by just moving the control unit around.

I know moving the contol unit is a bit of a pain but I am thinking its no worse than moving the portable unit plus as its going to live under the dash so will look fully installed thus no messy cigar lighter plugs.

So what dya think.. will it work or is there a flaw to my plan??

Thanks

Tan

 

[RichardM]

Does sound like a lot of hastle to me switching the control box around!

 

[Tan]

Ok, bit the bullit and went out and purchased a Nokia CK-1W BT Kit this afternoon, fitted it in just over an hour admittedly i cheated a little by using the existing mic but did change the complete wiring and the speaker.

Tested it all out this evening and Wow... its damn good.

Thanks all for your input.