Signed on the dotted line

[rf065]

I completely agree re used cars, however my statement above refers to new cars with the latest generation of COMAND, I maintain if funds permit its a no brainer to spec it, I must also add that far too many people compare it to a TomTom... It is not just a Sat Nav unit.

Neither is a TomTom, it does many things, but try putting a speed camera database on comand.

Russ

 

[RAG]

Neither is a TomTom, it does many things, but try putting a speed camera database on comand.

Russ

I wouldn't personally rule it out, my COMAND unit has three years of free updates so who knows whats around the corner.

 

[artyman]

I have the UMI which following a map update is now a Navigation 20, as a Satnav it doesn't seem state of the art, adequate and now it has 7 digit postcode reasonably easy to input, the main attraction of the UMI is the USB interface, I can have my whole music collection on a stick. It came with the car which I bought s/h but as to whether it's worth the £1,000 cost if buying new, hmm..... probably not. If MB continues to charge hefty premiums for addons most people consider standard now, they may find customers questioning vfm.

 

[Pappilo]

I find that these for and against arguments generally revolve around the people that didn't spec COMAND justifying their reasons for not doing so, the bottom line is it is a financial decision and I would challenge anyone to argue the point of not speccing it if money was no object.......

Of course its all about money. If money was no object, we would all have all the options. We would all drive AMG63s, not E200s or E350s. We would all buy petrol not diesel. I would challenge you to argue that you wouldnt have bought petrol (who would drive a diesel convertible) if money was no object....

 

[timskemp]

Of course its all about money. If money was no object, we would all have the options. We would all drive AMG63s, not E200s or E350s. We would all buy petrol not diesel. I would challenge you to argue that you wouldnt have bought petrol if money was no object....

Except it's not.

I spend a lot of my time installing and working with audio equipment (the kind you can't fit in a car...), and have already spent more money on mods for my W204 than I would have done to fit a comand, in fact I may yet fit one just to get Linguatronic and the fancy screen. Problem with that is that there's no access (that I've found yet) to the parametric EQ functions in the engineering menus in COMAND that there are in the Audio 20s so I'd need to fit an external DSP and four channel amp for the main speakers.

There's no line out for the audio either, so I'd be driving that from the speaker outs, which degrades quality, which goes against my principles for installing sound. And so begins my next project, which is to get a line out and VCA working for mercedes vehicles - something to do in the summer lull if it ever happens.

 

[Privatedoc]

Interesting you mention the Toyota Aygos, I though that was the same system as Renaults now use, the Sat Nav is a TomTom built into the dash?
That surely will be the end of comand when all the other car manufacturers adopt the same system.

Russ

It is and to be honest, I'm sure the way forward for stand-alone satnav will be the integrated removable one like the Renault/toyota method.

 

[timskemp]

It is and to be honest, I'm sure the way forward for stand-alone satnav will be the integrated removable one like the Renault/toyota method.

It wouldn't surprise me, my Garmin has a plug in for the OBD that gets fuel consumption and other data from the bus, speed data and gyro / accelerometer data is where factory nav like COMAND wins over aftermarket, integrate the aftermarket into the factory bus and you're on a winner.

TomTom and Garmin will be pushing for more OE deals, the issue with that is OE like to make money, and map updates are a revenue stream!

 

[st13phil]

TomTom and Garmin will be pushing for more OE deals, the issue with that is OE like to make money, and map updates are a revenue stream!

Map updates are indeed a revenue stream - for Garmin & TomTom too - but a large chunk of the revenue goes to the cartography licence holders such as Ordnance Survey in the UK. Royal Mail also take a cut for the postcode database which is the main reason that full 7-character postcode support is absent in lots of older sat-nav's.

As an aside, MB now provide "free" cartography updates for the first three years of a car's life.

 

[RAG]

Of course its all about money. If money was no object, we would all have all the options. We would all drive AMG63s, not E200s or E350s. We would all buy petrol not diesel. I would challenge you to argue that you wouldnt have bought petrol (who would drive a diesel convertible) if money was no object....

My point exactly.

I'm not trying to justify all the reasons that a E350 CDI is better than an E500.... Because its not!

I think you've missed the point.

 

[RAG]

Of course its all about money. If money was no object, we would all have all the options. We would all drive AMG63s, not E200s or E350s. We would all buy petrol not diesel. I would challenge you to argue that you wouldnt have bought petrol (who would drive a diesel convertible) if money was no object....

.....I have to add this as I think your point re diesel convertibles is extremely out of date.

I can argue the point for driving a 350 CDI and not CGI and it all comes down to one point.........Torque!

The E350 CDI has more torque than a E500 let alone an E350 CGI and its delivered at much lower revs which makes real life in gear performance greatly improved over its petrol siblings, that was simply my motivation for buying it over the equivalent petrol.

But I'm not preaching about an E500 being over priced and why I didn't want one, your point about Petrol over Diesel is however unfounded and ignorant.

 

[Pappilo]

.....I have to add this as I think your point re diesel convertibles is extremely out of date.

I can argue the point for driving a 350 CDI and not CGI and it all comes down to one point.........Torque!

The E350 CDI has more torque than a E500 let alone an E350 CGI and its delivered at much lower revs which makes real life in gear performance greatly improved over its petrol siblings, that was simply my motivation for buying it over the equivalent petrol.

But I'm not preaching about an E500 being over priced and why I didn't want one, your point about Petrol over Diesel is however unfounded and ignorant.

@ RAG

An ignorant point eh? You can spin it all you want about torque but people generally buy diesels over petrol for financial reasons. I challenege anyone they wouldnt by an AMG63 (instead of a diesel) if money was no object.......

Do you really expect me to believe the number 1 deciding factor when buying your car (a cab for that matter) was more torque?
I can argue argue the point for using Copilot and not COMAND and it all comes down to one point........ speed cameras

 

[RAG]

@ RAG

An ignorant point eh? You can spin it all you want about torque but people generally buy diesels over petrol for financial reasons. I challenege anyone they wouldnt by an AMG63 (instead of a diesel) if money was no object.......

Do you really expect me to believe the number 1 deciding factor when buying your car (a cab for that matter) was more torque?

I'm a big Diesel fan because of power delivery so yes to me it was a big factor, so whether you choose to believe that or not really doesn't concern me

I personally couldn't drive a car that looks the way the the E coupe/cab does with an underpowered engine and no toys but thats just me.

This is going way of the subject of the OP so perhaps we should start a Diesel vs Petrol thread lol.

 

[Pappilo]

What you said about specing COMAND if money was no object is very true. I just thought your post was kind of condescending because if you look through most posts arguing against COMAND you will see that for most, money is a factor even if it isnt explicity stated. The tone of your post made it look like people arguing against COMAND were making excuses when infact money was the only reason they didnt get COMAND.

Lets not derail the thread though. You,ve made your point and I have made mine. Its all good!

 

[d w124]

Lets not derail the thread though. You,ve made your point and I have made mine. Its all good!

Someone is on a good mood today

 

[Pappilo]

Someone is on a good mood today

Its easter mate! :bannana:

 

[NISFAN]

I replaced the audio 20 in my S211 with Comand. Didn't change the speakers or anything else. To my ears FWIW the sound quality is noticeably better.

I can confirm same, I replaced my W204 Audio 20 with Comand, and the internal amp is certainly more powerful giving better sound from the same speaker set.

Incidentally I had the Nav 20 upgrade fitted then removed because it was rubbish.

For me the Comand has transformed the car for the better.
Sure it is clunky, takes a while to find itself at times, and leaves blue flags all around your home, but it just works...........and the TMC is the nuts.

I also prefer a North up, full map on a 7" screen with easily clickable zoom, to any touchscreen portable nav device. The fact that it reduces audio sound when announcing directions, and being able to set the nav volume independantly to audio are great...........a fully integrated solution.

 

[snoop51]

I've got Command on mine, not that impressed with it TBH. Having said that I've tried Tom Tom's and Garmins too can't say they really impressed me either. The only difference is it less easy to throw Command out of the window when the annoying cow tells you you've missed the turning.:bannana:
And having said all of that I spent 12 years in the Army, I can read a map, write a route plan and actually quite enjoy doing so.

As an aside my Father in Laws Garmin kept telling him he was off route and showed him in the sea when driving along the A16 in France one year. His nearly went out the window too. They even annoy SWMBO so consequently they don't get used that much in my household.

 

[jepho]

I bought my W203 C220 as it was and had a new Comand unit retro-fitted for £700. I sold the Becker Audio 10 unit on eBay for £80 so all in all, it was a good deal. I think the voice announcements are in good time and sensibly quiet when it is not necessary to give directions. It is never late for turns but I am frustrated by the lack of postcode entry. It makes for a less accurate system in my view.

My first car with a satnav (after market fit) was a Pug 406 and I chose a system from VDO-Dayton. It was fantastic in use but very expensive to buy but it paid for itself in a short span of use. Subsequently, I have had several Garmin satnav boxes based upon my good experiences with their marine stuff. Their Nuvi range is just ok in my view. I have just bought co-pilot for the iPhone and for £16.99, I do not think that there there is anything much to complain about because it is fairly complete and easy to use.

If I was buying a new Merc (slim to no chance of that) I would probably specify Comand too. I like to see integrated solutions but I think that the Comand module is in grave danger of falling behind the rapid advances being made in GPS technology.

 

[MarriedBlonde]

The family ML has command fitted and we keep a tomtom in the glove box for when we want sat nav. I've even bought the later discs to try to keep the nav up todate. Waste of money.

But it does mean you can have an integrated reversing camera, unfortunately that and parking sensors doesn't stop the wife from reversing into things...

J.

 

[artyman]

I recently upgraded my UMI to Nav20 and on it's limited use so far seems to be OK it has full postcode now against the original 5 charaters. Sat Navs come into their own when trying to find streets in strange towns, for basic A-B the good old fashioned map is still pretty good.