mb240
Active Member
Well, I picked up the CLK55 at the weekend and am very very very pleased with it, a big difference from my E240.
However, it is fitted with the standard Audio 10 and has the cradle for a 6310i in the armrest, and has steering wheel controls (so it has CANBUS).
I would definitely like to get navigation and also to use my phone in the car, so my questions/options are
1. Navigation:
(a) COMAND: it seems that with the CANBUS it should relatively easy to get COMAND installed on this car. But, how good is the navigation? I don't need to know where every MacDonald's is but how out of date are the maps?
- can I install a COMAND-APS (DVD version) or am I restricted to the standard COMAND (CD) - and if so, do MB even make updates on CD anymore, or will I have permanently got 2001 maps.
(b) Aftermarket: I do like the look of the Becker Cascade navigation, but am wondering if I will lose steering wheel controls, although it would have Bluetooth for phone and uses Navteq maps (which are excellent in Ireland)
2. Phone:
(a) 6310i: the car comes with a cradle in the deep part of the centre armrest that flips out for the 6310i. I used to have one of these phones and they are great, but are quite old now. I would have no problem in picking up a refurbed one if I had to, and it worked with a COMAND retro-fit, and COMAND had decent maps
(b) Aftermarket: again, a unit like the Becker has BT so will be future proofed.
I would like to keep the car as OEM looking as possible, so COMAND is the more attractive option (although a bit more expensive). The one issue I have with COMAND is I cannot find any comparison with aftermarket nav units - I really don't care for points of interest but am more concerned with the road mapping. Navteq have 99% of Ireland mapped.
Also, if I got one of the older CD-based COMANDs, will I never be able to add new mapping data? Or will I be able to purchase maps from somewhere else?
As an aside, I am willing to travel to get a COMAND installed if it's going to work - if I can get new maps as they are released, COMAND would be my first choice but I am concerned that there would be none available as people are referring to new version 6.0 on DVD, but not CD. The phone isn't an issue - I'd be happy to use a 6310i if that was the only way to keep things integrated (new phones have **** battery anyway - unless there is some interface to replace it (UHI?).
However, it is fitted with the standard Audio 10 and has the cradle for a 6310i in the armrest, and has steering wheel controls (so it has CANBUS).
I would definitely like to get navigation and also to use my phone in the car, so my questions/options are
1. Navigation:
(a) COMAND: it seems that with the CANBUS it should relatively easy to get COMAND installed on this car. But, how good is the navigation? I don't need to know where every MacDonald's is but how out of date are the maps?
- can I install a COMAND-APS (DVD version) or am I restricted to the standard COMAND (CD) - and if so, do MB even make updates on CD anymore, or will I have permanently got 2001 maps.
(b) Aftermarket: I do like the look of the Becker Cascade navigation, but am wondering if I will lose steering wheel controls, although it would have Bluetooth for phone and uses Navteq maps (which are excellent in Ireland)
2. Phone:
(a) 6310i: the car comes with a cradle in the deep part of the centre armrest that flips out for the 6310i. I used to have one of these phones and they are great, but are quite old now. I would have no problem in picking up a refurbed one if I had to, and it worked with a COMAND retro-fit, and COMAND had decent maps
(b) Aftermarket: again, a unit like the Becker has BT so will be future proofed.
I would like to keep the car as OEM looking as possible, so COMAND is the more attractive option (although a bit more expensive). The one issue I have with COMAND is I cannot find any comparison with aftermarket nav units - I really don't care for points of interest but am more concerned with the road mapping. Navteq have 99% of Ireland mapped.
Also, if I got one of the older CD-based COMANDs, will I never be able to add new mapping data? Or will I be able to purchase maps from somewhere else?
As an aside, I am willing to travel to get a COMAND installed if it's going to work - if I can get new maps as they are released, COMAND would be my first choice but I am concerned that there would be none available as people are referring to new version 6.0 on DVD, but not CD. The phone isn't an issue - I'd be happy to use a 6310i if that was the only way to keep things integrated (new phones have **** battery anyway - unless there is some interface to replace it (UHI?).
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