My first post - ooh-err.
I've got two cars: a 2002 CLK320 convertible (which i think is called a W208) and an old banger 1.4 S-reg Peugeot 306 which I got for the kids to learn to drive on. The CLK320 has a Trafficmaster gps fitted under the dash with its own speaker. It does not have any integration with the radio in the car, which is the standard MB one. As a phone I use an o2 xda which has Bluetooth and an integrated gps. I can fit it in either car very easily using a £10 phone mounting kit on a sucker and a flex-lead from the cigarette lighter to the phone. I use a Creative Xen VisionM music player.
The radio broke in the Peugeout, so I replaced it myself with a Sony MEX-BT2500 head unit. Now I can get in my old Peugeot and have music from the player while I drive via the line-in on the Sony, and I can have gps navigation via the xda. The xda and the Sony communicate via Bluetooth so I've got full integration between my phone and radio/music. The Sony has its own mike which seems to work perfectly and the muting is fine also. The total cost of the equipment in the Peugeot was £130 (approximately equal to 10% of the cost of buying the car!) and I've now got, for the money, pretty well everything I need in terms of in-car-electronics in this car. Even the steering column volume control is connected.
Now when I get in the 320CLK the situation is not quite so rosy. I'd like to have a similar radio so I can integrate the xda with the car via Bluetooth, and I'd also like to play the Trafficmaster sound via the car speakers with muting. I'm very tempted to buy a second identical
Sony MEX-BT2500 for the 320CLK and replace the MB radio with it. I've been told by the internet site which supplied the Sony that this will fit without an interface kit, but that the steering wheel controls on the car cannot be interfaced with the Sony, and that it's doubtful whether the Trafficmaster sound can be plumbed into the Sony with muting.
I'd really appreciate any feedback on this idea.
Does anyone have experience of doing this switch (MB radio > Sony bluetooth) and have any ideas on its advisability? How difficult is it to remove the MB radio - do I need special keys (the Peugeot radio was a pig to get out)? Can I plug the Sony into the steering wheel volume controls. Anyone know how to plug the Trafficmaster into a Sony?
One of the appeals of doing this is that the two head units are interchangeable, and if I replace either car I can put back its original radio and transfer the Sony into whatever I buy.
I've got two cars: a 2002 CLK320 convertible (which i think is called a W208) and an old banger 1.4 S-reg Peugeot 306 which I got for the kids to learn to drive on. The CLK320 has a Trafficmaster gps fitted under the dash with its own speaker. It does not have any integration with the radio in the car, which is the standard MB one. As a phone I use an o2 xda which has Bluetooth and an integrated gps. I can fit it in either car very easily using a £10 phone mounting kit on a sucker and a flex-lead from the cigarette lighter to the phone. I use a Creative Xen VisionM music player.
The radio broke in the Peugeout, so I replaced it myself with a Sony MEX-BT2500 head unit. Now I can get in my old Peugeot and have music from the player while I drive via the line-in on the Sony, and I can have gps navigation via the xda. The xda and the Sony communicate via Bluetooth so I've got full integration between my phone and radio/music. The Sony has its own mike which seems to work perfectly and the muting is fine also. The total cost of the equipment in the Peugeot was £130 (approximately equal to 10% of the cost of buying the car!) and I've now got, for the money, pretty well everything I need in terms of in-car-electronics in this car. Even the steering column volume control is connected.
Now when I get in the 320CLK the situation is not quite so rosy. I'd like to have a similar radio so I can integrate the xda with the car via Bluetooth, and I'd also like to play the Trafficmaster sound via the car speakers with muting. I'm very tempted to buy a second identical
Sony MEX-BT2500 for the 320CLK and replace the MB radio with it. I've been told by the internet site which supplied the Sony that this will fit without an interface kit, but that the steering wheel controls on the car cannot be interfaced with the Sony, and that it's doubtful whether the Trafficmaster sound can be plumbed into the Sony with muting.
I'd really appreciate any feedback on this idea.
Does anyone have experience of doing this switch (MB radio > Sony bluetooth) and have any ideas on its advisability? How difficult is it to remove the MB radio - do I need special keys (the Peugeot radio was a pig to get out)? Can I plug the Sony into the steering wheel volume controls. Anyone know how to plug the Trafficmaster into a Sony?
One of the appeals of doing this is that the two head units are interchangeable, and if I replace either car I can put back its original radio and transfer the Sony into whatever I buy.
