W203 - phone and aux input question

[dwm]

Hi,

I've recently bought a 2004 C-Class Sports Coupe (SE Panorama, 220 CDI) - it's a W203 facelifted model with the Audio 20 radio/cd unit (no multichanger). Its my first MB and I am very, very pleased with it.

However, despite some very useful pointers I've found on this board, I have been struggling to work out precisely what options are open to me in relation to the audio/phone set up. I presently own an iphone (and have a spare ipod nano 2g). I would like to play the iphone or ipod through the Audio 20 unit, and use the iphone handsfree whilst driving.

The car is not pre-wired for telephone and there is no AUX input in the glove box (although when 'CDC' is pressed for 3 secs the radio switches to AUX input).

My questions are:
1. Is there any way to have the car retrofitted with telephone wiring so it can be controlled from the steering wheel buttons? Is this likely to be ridiculously expensive?

2. If the answer to the previous question is 'no' or 'too expensive', do any of you have any decent alternative suggestions in order to use the iphone handsfree? I have seen mention of a Parrot system - any idea if that works well?

3. Is there any way of linking the iphone or ipod to the radio other than using an itrip device? Is there some aux cabling hidden away somewhere even though there is no sign of that in the glove box?

Any help will be gratefully received,

David

 

[Neebo]

You can get your local MB dealer to fit an Ipod integration kit ,It's very good although costly or if you are very handy you may be be able to fit it yourself.
It will work from the steering wheel controls and lives, when fitted in the glove box

 

[crockers]

your best bet is to get in contact with Alfie at Comand Online Ltd.

He is an expert in this field..

 

[dwm]

Thanks guys - have emailed the people at command.

Do any of you have experience of the various options/how they compare?

 

[louisv6]

Thanks guys - have emailed the people at command.

Do any of you have experience of the various options/how they compare?

I have the phone pre-wiring, but no ipod kit.

I'm using an iphone 3g, and recently bought an iphone 3G cradle to interface with the phone pre-wiring.

That works nicely as long as the handset is plugged into the cradle, although the address book sync is a bit dodgy. It's supposed to do bluetooth when not in the cradle, but doesn't seem to connect to the bluetooth unless manually initiated, which seems like a bit of a waste of time really - especially as on the iphone the bluetooth options are buried in the menus.

I've previously had a Parrott bluetooth kit connected to the factory steering wheel controls in my previous C class. This worked much better. You leave your phone in your pocket, and the steering wheel controls answer/hang up.

I guess the problem with that is that your Audio 20 has various phone-handling options which would then become redundant, so in many ways the factory pre-wired kit is more attractive.

It would probably be better to go with the VisEEOO bluetooth cradle thingy, rather than the iphone cradle, as I suspect its bluetooth handling is better, and although it doesn't handle address book syncing, my experience is that the iphone cradle doesn't do it reliably enough for it to be worthwhile anyway - anyone else have any experience of the iphone cradle?

 

[JerryC200Cdi]

anyone else have any experience of the iphone cradle?

Not the with iphone cradle, but I have Audio 20 and prewire with a genuine MB Bluetooth cradle and it works a treat with the iPhone 3G and address book syncs fine. All contacts appear on the radio display and on the dashboard display via the steering wheel.

 

[dwm]

Thanks for your help on this guys - I've deciding the prewiring is too expensive but am going to go for a parrot for the phone and an ipod connector to hook up the ipod. Fingers crossed!

 

[Ajenks]

Hey dwm make sure you put a email in to command online (don't no how to a provide link) I recently bought a 2003 CLK which did not have prewiring (previous owner had no friends), like you I have a 3Gs iphone and wanted to link through command system (bluetooth) for steering wheel use and I also wanted to play my music through the system.

Mine already has a ipod type connection in the glovebox.

I enquired at MB Dealers and was told the wiring was £1,500 and I would need a bluetooth unit £212, the alternative was a parrot or similar kit.

Let me state clearly that I have no experience of the Parrot system (people seem rate them on this forum) but for me it was about originality, i did not want a parrot siting on my dash.

I spoke to Mark at command on line, (most helpful guy you could want to deal with) and no pressure to buy JUST GOOD ADVISE I bought a retro wiring loom (£450 + postage £15) from him and bought a bluetooth unit off ebay (£150 small but significant saving), it took a full day but wasn't that difficult to fit.

Mine works perfectly, I have synced it with the iphone contacts and all my numbers come up on the screen, I also have a works blackberry and have linked that so I can swap between the two for the best of both worlds. only problem i have is that because i have peapole with more than one number in the iphone contacts for example: AJ with office number, mobile number, home number, fax number, maybe even their wife's number this means when you view in command it gives you a list of 6 or seven contacts for AJ and you don't know which number is which, needs a little thought but i may need to redo may contacts list in the iphone (not a job i am looking forward to.

HAVING A PARROT SITTING ON YOUR DASH JUST MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A PIRATE, sorry guys only my opinion, don't think badly of me.

 

[cplnoonoo]

HAVING A PARROT SITTING ON YOUR DASH JUST MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A PIRATE, sorry guys only my opinion, don't think badly of me.

good god that was awful lol. i think its so poor i wont even bother getting on the drumkit for the badumdum-tish lmao.

 

[richard]

HAVING A PARROT SITTING ON YOUR DASH JUST MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A PIRATE

That may have been terrible, but it made me laugh alot ! Thanks R

 

[rf065]

Thanks guys - have emailed the people at command.

Do any of you have experience of the various options/how they compare?

I bought the Aux in cable from MB for £15 & play my MP3 player through the Audio 20, It does not charge it or show song titles on the dash, but I can live with that.

Russ

 

[John Felipe]

Ajenks - How did you activate the fibre optic ring? I was under the impression that if the car is not pre-wired the car had to be reprogram by Mercedes. Is this not the case?

I had considered comand.co.uk solution at some point, but the cost + installation makes the product too expensive and it isn't bluetooth.

TOOKIMB have a similar product bluetooth enabled which fully installed would cost £550 + cost to activate the fibre.


It seems there are 3 products that fully integrate with the Audio 20

1 - Comand.co.uk
2 - TOOKIMB
3 - Itronic (US based product)

I am not an expert at all on this, so I would really welcome suggestion and guidance.

Thanks
John