S212 E500 Five Years In

[Londonscottish]

I have a 2009 W212 too... as I said, mine came like that - no bluetooth audio/music - then I enabled it in the engineering menu. Or if you ever take it to Mercedes, they will update the comand software and enable it (they did this for free, in my case, while I had other work done a few years ago).

It seems like you guys found other solutions - for others, see post no.5 in this thread: Bluetooth Audio Streaming

I also added DAB to my W212 using OEM parts (except for the aerial) - it doesn't work amazingly, but it's nice to have.

I'd love to get an Apple CarPlay module working on my NTG4 though, if the prices aren't too crazy.

I've just re-read this properly - If you're right, I could have enabled mine then. I was maybe wrong thinking it was only possible from late 2010 onwards.

Oh well, it's only money.......

 

[Skd884]

 

[Londonscottish]

I FINALLY had the rear bumper sprayed in July and then I took tool itdown down to Bordeaux in August. Had to stick 4 x new tyres on it (fair enough) and, this time I actually remembered to buy an autoroute transponder which makes queues at the peage pretty much a thing of the past.

Got there and back fine and really enjoyed having Android Auto for Google Maps, Spotify, PocketCasts, Audible etc. BUT having the new head unit and sub has really highlighted how shit the door speakers sound. Even my wife and daughter have started moaning about it so another trip to ComandOnline beckons.

In terms of competing spend, I also fancy getting a failing "smart" repair resprayed on one of the rear arches - something done before my time - and the car would really benefit from a machine polish. And the wheels could do with a refurb at some point.

I'll probably do it in stages; speakers this year, paint in the 1st half of next year, wheels after that.

Other than that it took me & the mrs to Devon and back recently for a 4 day walking holiday, to the Chilterns and back for a family walk and has been on airport runs this week picking up and dropping off a French visitor.

Can't believe it's nearly 13 now. It's only just clicked over 80k and, minor cosmetics aside, still scrubs up and drives very well.

 

[SW18]

View attachment 133337

That's very nicely spec'd: panoramic roof, reverse camera, HK, comand, rear seat heaters and rear entertainment. And it's a super-rare late 2011 model, perhaps the very last one sold before they ditched the E500 from the range.

 

[Londonscottish]

That's very nicely spec'd: panoramic roof, reverse camera, HK, comand, rear seat heaters and rear entertainment. And it's a super-rare late 2011 model, perhaps the very last one sold before they ditched the E500 from the range.

I just can't take my lack of HK any longer. We listen to a lot of music at home through a £500 amp and £1.8k's worth of speakers plus we've all got decent ear buds and headphones and the gulf in quality in the car is immense. Made worse by the fact that a lot of what we listen to is soul or jazz played and sung by very talented musicians and usually recorded/mixed extremely well. On a decent system the effect is amazing. On the MB speakers it all sounds like it's been recorded underwater.

I'm going to get ComandOnline to do the front door speakers & tweeters. Might get them to sneak an extra amp in at the same time. It's rude not to.

 

[E55BOF]

It sounds to me as though you might actually have a fault. Of my two CLS, one has the HK, the other the stock system, and I can't say I hear much difference when the cars are actually rolling down the road. I'm no audiophile, mind, and I might notice the difference if I sat in the cars listening to music while stationary, but I don't do that unless in a jam or at the lights..

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I just can't take my lack of HK any longer. We listen to a lot of music at home through a £500 amp and £1.8k's worth of speakers plus we've all got decent ear buds and headphones and the gulf in quality in the car is immense. Made worse by the fact that a lot of what we listen to is soul or jazz played and sung by very talented musicians and usually recorded/mixed extremely well. On a decent system the effect is amazing. On the MB speakers it all sounds like it's been recorded underwater.

I'm going to get ComandOnline to do the front door speakers & tweeters. Might get them to sneak an extra amp in at the same time. It's rude not to.

Two thoughts: why not benchmark to a friendly E500 owner’s system?

And why not buy used HK components and get your friendly car electrician to install them in yours?

 

[Skd884]

My c180 w204 has morel speakers and a alpine sub fitted by comand it sounds very very good!

 

[Londonscottish]

It sounds to me as though you might actually have a fault. Of my two CLS, one has the HK, the other the stock system, and I can't say I hear much difference when the cars are actually rolling down the road. I'm no audiophile, mind, and I might notice the difference if I sat in the cars listening to music while stationary, but I don't do that unless in a jam or at the lights..

The bass is now there thanks to the sub. But the midrange is horribly muddy.

Vocals just get lost. Even audiobooks sound grim.

 

[Londonscottish]

My c180 w204 has morel speakers and a alpine sub fitted by comand it sounds very very good!

Thanks - out of interest, which speakers did you get - fronts and tweeters only? Or fronts, rears and tweeters

 

[Skd884]

Thanks - out of interest, which speakers did you get - fronts and tweeters only? Or fronts, rears and tweeters

@markjay Over to you

 

[markjay]

@markjay Over to you

Front:
2 x MOREL MAXIMO 6½" 2-WAY 90W RMS

Rear:
2 x MOREL MAXIMO 6½" COAX 80W RMS

Boot:
1 x ALPINE 8" SUPER COMPACT ACTIVE SUBWOOFER PWE-V80 160W MAX

And Dynamat acoustic insulation inside the doors.

 

[Londonscottish]

Right; six years in now. Still loving it and still struggling to think of what to replace it with.

Anyway, dropped it off for a service today; Oil + filter + fixing slight oil weep from filter casing, air filter, cabin filter, plugs, brake fluid, NSF & OSF drop links, OSF lower arm & ball joint and gearbox fluid.

Meanwhile I've spent a few months trying to get excited about an E43 with rock hard suspension and red seatbelts. Or a C350e with a big battery in the boot floor, black wheels and black trim. I've given up, I don't fancy either.

So now onto plan B; once my daughter's learnt to drive sell the Fiat 500 and get something like a Golf GTI or Passat estate as an all rounder 2 litre petrol turbo-type thing.

Then sell the E500 and get something else V8 and interesting. I'm too chicken to get an SL55 but was getting very tempted by a CLS55 before pivoting back to a 2 door something. Current front runner is an XKR. Maybe break the habit of a lifetime and get a convertible.

The wife likes the plan and I get to enter a third decade with a mobile mid life crisis. Now where's my chest wig?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Right; six years in now. Still loving it and still struggling to think of what to replace it with.

Anyway, dropped it off for a service today; Oil + filter + fixing slight oil weep from filter casing, air filter, cabin filter, plugs, brake fluid, NSF & OSF drop links, OSF lower arm & ball joint and gearbox fluid.

Meanwhile I've spent a few months trying to get excited about an E43 with rock hard suspension and red seatbelts. Or a C350e with a big battery in the boot floor, black wheels and black trim. I've given up, I don't fancy either.

So now onto plan B; once my daughter's learnt to drive sell the Fiat 500 and get something like a Golf GTI or Passat estate as an all rounder 2 litre petrol turbo-type thing.

Then sell the E500 and get something else V8 and interesting. I'm too chicken to get an SL55 but was getting very tempted by a CLS55 before pivoting back to a 2 door something. Current front runner is an XKR. Maybe break the habit of a lifetime and get a convertible.

The wife likes the plan and I get to enter a third decade with a mobile mid life crisis.

More than this, you know there’s nothing..

(BTW your daughter’s insurance risk “could” scupper the GTI Golf plan, but a Golf Ordinaire could fix that)

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[pioneercollector]

The sound system in my venerable SL500 is very good, Just saying ........ And i have a very good home set up to compare it with ( Get the SL55 !!!! )

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The facelift SL500 is the 5.5 litre 380bhp. The wheels may not be as stylish but it’s only a little more than half the price of the SL55…..

 

[Londonscottish]

More than this, you know there’s nothing..

(BTW your daughter’s insurance risk “could” scupper the GTI Golf plan, but a Golf Ordinaire could fix that)

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TBH I can't see her driving anywhere when she's passed her test - we're surrounded by buses, tubes, trains, Lime Bikes and Ubers. Her brother is the same; he wants to pass his test to get a licence for later years, not to drive now.

 

[Londonscottish]

The sound system in my venerable SL500 is very good, Just saying ........ And i have a very good home set up to compare it with ( Get the SL55 !!!! )

The thing is, I've been told by an owner that keeping am R230 outside is just not a good idea. He was working on one at the time which had been parked up with leaky seals and the electrics were all over the place. Whatever I get will live on my drive. Hence gravitating to an XK8 coupe. TBH I only started talking about convertibles to get my wife to agree to the plan; she's got a thing about them whereas I don't.

Or maybe I do and I just don't know? Dunno......

 

[Londonscottish]

The facelift SL500 is the 5.5 litre 380bhp. The wheels may not be as stylish but it’s only a little more than half the price of the SL55…..

Nice legs, shame about the boat race.

 

[Londonscottish]

Right, got it back. £1,588 later.

The oil filter housing leak ended up also involving a new roller, a new tensioner and a new belt on the basis of might-as-well-do-whilst-he's-in-there. The OS drop link ended up including a new lower arm and ball joint.

But there you; mahossive service done, oil leak sorted, front suspension refresh completed - that's both arms, both drop links and both ball joints done in the last two years. The car drives beautifully now with all the creaks, groans and clonks gone. All the pricey bits done for a few years now (gearbox oil, plugs and brake flush).

One tiny thing; he spotted a slight leak in one of the top hoses; that's on order.

I also got a recommendation for a local bodyshop so I'll be round there shortly to price up some body work tidying.

Then down to Comand Online for those Morells I've been promising myself for at least a year.

And then I can relax and enjoy the summer in it.