W203 comand ntg 2.5

[lancebond]

I'm considering retrofitting a ntg 2.5 in the 203 instead of fitting my avic f900.

Two questions,

Will the comand work with the existing telephone pre-wiring (using the phone via the steering wheel has become my new bond gadget)

And

How much can I pick up a ntg 2.5 unit for?

 

[markjay]

It's a fine choice...

NTG2.5 has built-in Bluetooth so works with BT phones, including the wheel buttons.

In fact, all the wheel buttons plus cluster display work 100% as they should.

This replaces the older Convenience Telephony option, thus leaving you with the deep storage space under the centre arm-rest, which you would have been robbed-of if retro-fitting the original MB Convenience Telephony (that, plus a tidy sum as the MB Convenience Telephony kit isn't cheap).

The downsides of BT is that (a) the phone is not being charged at there is no cradle, (b) you don't benefit from the car's external aerial and instead use the phone's aerial, (c) Convenience Telephony had the option of reading-out text messages, which BT does not support.

Oh, and you will need a Mic - which can be discreetly fitted next to the base of the mirror (I believe that the original Mic would have been fitted inside the rear-view mirror, but I am not sure).

As for price... I had mine professionally installed by Alfie and Richard, and the unit was a brand new MB unit (came in a nice new MB box), with 1-year warranty, so obviously not as cheap as some of the second-hand eBay units (which interestingly all seem to come from Latvia for some reason).

Alfie and Richard: http://www.comandonline.co.uk/

 

[markjay]

As for the cost... another question is how far you want to go. The thing has several options, some more expensive than others:

Single-DVD or Internal DVD-Changer? The latter is extremely rare and not very useful (between the 4gb HD Music Store storage and the SD card, you can store all the music you will ever need...), unless you have the rear-screen options for your kids to watch DVD in the back.

Linguatronic (one option I am beginning to regret not retrofitting - Alfie did suggest it!)

DAB radio

TV Tuner

Dual Rear screens (which do not blank-out while driving) with remote control

iPhone / media connector

And obviously, the chaps upgraded the firmaware and installed the latest maps, something which you will have to factor in the cost if you get an old unit off eBay.

 

[markjay]

Also... I am assuming that you have a facelift i.e. post-2004 model?

It fits perfectly in one of those, and while it can be fitted in the 1999-2004 cars as well, the latter will require replacing some more bits (such as the entire instrument panel, if you want the cluster display to work...).

Last, I am aware that post 09 units may have anti-theft locking and will need to be coded to the car - or such like - worth conforming the situation before buying anything off eBay....

 

[npuk]

You will need the NTG2.5 unit, gps antenna and wiring kit. Also STAR coding to activate navigation in the cluster.

As you already have phone pre-wire you need the kit for cars with phone-pre wire, no need for new microphone it will use the existing one.

Comand Online Ltd :: Mercedes SatNav/COMAND :: COMAND Retrofit parts :: A/B/CLC/ML/GL/R COMAND NTG2.5 (Hard Disk) retrofit kit - cars with phone.

Plenty of members have bought Comand units from abroad with no problems and there are a few UK sellers too on ebay.

You need the unit from a CLC and these are not up for sale on ebay as much as the other model units so you need to keep a look out for one unless you want to buy new.

 

[Alfie]

NTG 2.5 units seem to be drying up on ebay. I suspect this is because Mercedes are doing a good job of locking up stolen / 'lost' units.

As for new, the price of these is rising because the factory that makes them is situated inside the exclusion zone around the earthquake hit japanese nuclear plant. Supply is drying up!

We are quoting people only to find that when we order the parts the price has gone up!

 

[lancebond]

What was the average price of a unit on fleabay?