Pre Facelift Audio Options

[JSJ]

Hi Guys,

Im new to this forum and would appreciate some help. I have recently purchased a 2004 pre facelift c class (4 door) avantagarde with sports pack (not sure if it is pre facelift but the car reg was first registered in March 2004 and I understand that the facelift occurred in April 2004). I have been told by Comand.co.uk that if the car is pre face lift then the Comand APS cannot be fitted. I would like to know the alternatives available to me. Can I fit the Audio 50 aps? Currently I have an audio 10 in the car which I really dislike and want to get shot of.

Appreciate any help that you can give me and possible costs involved.

Regards

JSJ

 

[speedybiker]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

You can install a comand but not the APS version.
APS is dvd based, you need a CD based comand.

Send Alfie a PM he is a member on here.

Alex.

 

[JSJ]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. Just to ask what is the face lift model? my car looks a little like yours above ie a w203 model but its a 2004 model. Sorry about my ignorance but would just like to make sure. Also I have no idea who Alfie is or what a PM is.

Thanks again

JSJ

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Alfie runs Comand.co.uk and is a member on this forum.

PM is a Private Message (control panel is in the top right hand corner under your user name).

As for whether yours is a facelift, easy way from the outside is the style of the headlights. If they are clear then it's most likely to be a facelift.

Internally the radio will be a single din unit (i.e. you will have a spare compartment under the radio). The heating controls and switch row are also different as are the rear lights (although they're really difficult to spot!)

The most obvious external differentiator are the front lights.

I have the facelift lights on my 2002 car, if yours look like this (as opposed to the frosted look lights) then yours is probably a facelift.

 

[JSJ]

Thanks AA much appreciated. I am yet to take delivery of the car but thats some really good advice. I was wondering if you or anyone else reading this post knew of somewhere, where I could get the systems fitted. I'm on a budget of £600 max to fit the Comand APS if possible and slightly less if the Comand (w/0 APS) unit.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Alfie (comand.co.uk) is the best bet. But it partly depends upon where you are. Alfie is based in Surrey (although I think he has agents in other areas now. There's also a a couple of guys on ebay that fit units. Mitesh (think his ebay ID is incar123) and J.Moukas in London.

I've bought stuff of the last guy and have heared good stuff about Mitesh.

I'm sure you'd get a better deal from Alfie though!

Here's a Comand 2.0 unit (for pre-facelift cars) from J.Moukas (but it's £995fitted!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-COMA...8QQihZ011QQcategoryZ75327QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If your current system is Audio 10 then I'm almost certain your car is a Pre-facelift. If that's the case you need Comand 2.0 not Comand APS.

 

[JSJ]

Cheers AA,
That is a bit too steep for me. I think I may just downgrade to the Audio 50. I am not a massive fan of command 2, doesnt look as slick as the other mercedes systems. If there any other systems that you can suggest then I would really appreciate it. I am not sure if if pre of post I will call the guy from who I am buying it and ask him. I think I might be getting ripped off in terms of price for the car its a c180k 2004 04 plate with 20k miles avantgarde with sports pack in excellent condition fo 12.5k on the nose. Do think I am paying too much if its pre face lift. In excellent condition. Sorry for digression but I only just found out about this pre facelift malarky today and quite frankly I am P ing myself about the deal.

 

[speedybiker]

It would also help if we knew your location.

I install comand's too in Scotland

Alex.

 

[JSJ]

Thanks for the prompt reply speedbiker. I live in Wolverhampton. West Midlands. I think Scotland is a bit too far , would appreciate it if you could suggest somebody else.

How about the audio 50 compatible? or am I just going to be stuck with the audio 10. It just looks so cheap compared to the rest of the car!

 

[speedybiker]

Best wait till you find out if it PRE or POST facelift.

Worst case I'm sure there will be a forum member here that can help install it.

Alex.

 

[portzy]

Cheers AA,
That is a bit too steep for me. I think I may just downgrade to the Audio 50. I am not a massive fan of command 2, doesnt look as slick as the other mercedes systems. If there any other systems that you can suggest then I would really appreciate it. I am not sure if if pre of post I will call the guy from who I am buying it and ask him. I think I might be getting ripped off in terms of price for the car its a c180k 2004 04 plate with 20k miles avantgarde with sports pack in excellent condition fo 12.5k on the nose. Do think I am paying too much if its pre face lift. In excellent condition. Sorry for digression but I only just found out about this pre facelift malarky today and quite frankly I am P ing myself about the deal.

Do you have a link to the dealers web site at all?, someone here may be able to suss the pre/post facelift dilema by checking out the pictures?. Not being dissrespectfull here but I wouldnt go for the Audio 50. If the COMAND is a non starter and you cant stand the Audio 10/20 then get something non OEM.

Portzy.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

If it's a pre facelift you're limited on OEM (original stereos / nav units).

You can only do Audio 10, Audio 30 APS Nav (don't think there was an Audio 20 on the pre-faclift) or Comand 2.0.

Do you want navigation or are you just looking for a fresher look?

 

[JSJ]

I am just looking for a fresher look but sat nav would be good. Really like the finishes of the merc stereos and how they are flush with the console. I am buying the car private but I have doing the sellers head in with phone calls (as you can prob tell with the amount of noddy emails i'm sending). Will give him a call tomorrow to see if he can help at all. Any OEM steroes that you can recommend? price and fitting looking at 500-600 max.

Thanks for all the responses. Really appreciated!!

 

[JSJ]

I have spoken with the owner and the merc is defnitely pre face lift so I am restricted in choice of stereo. ANy advice on non OEM products would also be helpful, looking for a nice finish. I have given up on getting the sat nav built in and will just go for an off the shelf plug in one which I am more than happy enough to do. So i guess I put it to the forum as to the recommended OEM or non OEM radio suitable for the C class?!?

 

[Stratman]

pre-facelift 2004 c-class fascia

 

[fuzzer]

I don't understand whats wrong with the audio 10 thats in your car?

Accoustically i don't think there is much difference between comand and audio 10 , the pre facelift speaker system was quite a letdown. This was adressed in the facelift model with the audio 20.

Why not spend the £600 on an amp and some speakers? Would be money better spent.

If you just want something that looks good , go for the comand 2.0 . DVD comand isnt possible in your model full stop , ever! Buy a facelift model if you want dvd comand.

 

[Alfie]

Hi Guys,

Im new to this forum and would appreciate some help. I have recently purchased a 2004 pre facelift c class (4 door) avantagarde with sports pack (not sure if it is pre facelift but the car reg was first registered in March 2004 and I understand that the facelift occurred in April 2004). I have been told by Comand.co.uk that if the car is pre face lift then the Comand APS cannot be fitted. I would like to know the alternatives available to me. Can I fit the Audio 50 aps? Currently I have an audio 10 in the car which I really dislike and want to get shot of.

Appreciate any help that you can give me and possible costs involved.

Regards

JSJ

You have a PM.

 

[JSJ]

Thanks for the advice but its just that the system looks a bit crap and that another system would look better. Thanks for the heads up about the speakers though. Gutted about the sound but good advice nonetheless.

 

[JSJ]

Ok. I will stop doing everybodies heads in but could I just ask peoples opinions on the audio 50 and the audio 50 aps and if this too is compatible with a pre facelift c class mercedes. I hope this is the last question I will ask on this subject but I seem to learn a whole lot more from this forum than I do elsewhere.

Regards

JSJ

 

[fuzzer]

your car doesnt have the option of an audio 50 aps , best that will fit in is a special version of the audio 30 designed to fit into the w203 prefacelift.

looks like thishttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCEDES-EURO-AUDIO-30-APS-NAVIGATION_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38653QQihZ011QQitemZ320137159454QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD2V

p.s. this is a forum , ask away. There is more knowledge than you could ever desire on this forum for your car!

Enjoy!