w208 retro comand installation

[s1gar]

i have messed up i think. i want to put a comand unit in my 2001 clk coupe but i dont have a clue. i have a a163 unit and think i need a a208 unit. can i use the a163? can someone tell me all the parts i need and where to source them? and can i use the multi function on the steering wheel and keep the cruise control. to be honest all i want is to put a decent stereo in with cd and keep all the multi function stuff and cruise control working.....one option i found was alpine do a fix for the clk multifunction so a compatible alpine stereo will use the functions on the steering wheel but the cruise control is disabled.....anyway the part is kce-868b. i have rang around and people have said there is moore stuff coming out in the new year but please please please can somebody help me please. i have read the threads about fitting comands but there does not seem to be a parts list.........

 

[miro]

i have messed up i think. i want to put a comand unit in my 2001 clk coupe but i dont have a clue. i have a a163 unit and think i need a a208 unit. can i use the a163? can someone tell me all the parts i need and where to source them? and can i use the multi function on the steering wheel and keep the cruise control. to be honest all i want is to put a decent stereo in with cd and keep all the multi function stuff and cruise control working.....one option i found was alpine do a fix for the clk multifunction so a compatible alpine stereo will use the functions on the steering wheel but the cruise control is disabled.....anyway the part is kce-868b. i have rang around and people have said there is moore stuff coming out in the new year but please please please can somebody help me please. i have read the threads about fitting comands but there does not seem to be a parts list.........

Let's settle on a parts list when you settle on a solution. As it stands it sounds like you are venturing in 3 different directions.

 

[aka$h]

if your car has steering wheel controls it will have CAN-BUS, in which case the a163 unit will not work. If its a pre 99 car without steering controls then you should be ok with the unit you have.

 

[s1gar]

ok so the a163 wont work so i need a a208. where is the best place to get one? and what additional parts will i need? or does anyone know of a soloution to putting a normal stereo in with a way of being fully interactive with the car????? does anyone want to buy or exchange a a163 for a a208...........i am going to go the a208 route i think as there is not a soloution that is fully compatible.

ps it is a december 2001 model

 

[Madferrit]

Before buying any more parts you're better off getting a shopping list together for your project. Comand units come and go on Ebay, but you need to be sure it isn't a dodgy unit thats being sold. One issue i heard of was the fans continue to run after the engine has been switched off, so be aware. There are a number of people who advertise the install on Ebay, or you could do a search in this forum and you'll see this has been discussed many times.

HTH

 

[aka$h]

ok so the a163 wont work so i need a a208. where is the best place to get one? and what additional parts will i need? or does anyone know of a soloution to putting a normal stereo in with a way of being fully interactive with the car????? does anyone want to buy or exchange a a163 for a a208...........i am going to go the a208 route i think as there is not a soloution that is fully compatible.

ps it is a december 2001 model

You have pm.

 

[s1gar]

whats a pm????-----poor model

i will choose a model carefully. i got my a163 from a scrap yard (£500 of your english pounds plus vat) but i did not think it was the right one so i insisted i could take it back if it was wrong. i have seen a a208 on ebay for 300 there are 2 on at the moment. i have seen people advertising install's on ebay for around £1000 but i thought that was a bit steep. is it steep or is that what i will end up paying if i get the unit for £400 and with the additional parts? (i dont have a clue how much the other parts will cost by the way). i am also going to well document this installation so it will help others i hope........

oh and does anyone know of any good mb breakers i could try????????

what about using a BE4715?? is this compatible?????

 

[miro]

whats a pm????-----poor model

i will choose a model carefully. i got my a163 from a scrap yard (£500 of your english pounds plus vat) but i did not think it was the right one so i insisted i could take it back if it was wrong. i have seen a a208 on ebay for 300 there are 2 on at the moment. i have seen people advertising install's on ebay for around £1000 but i thought that was a bit steep. is it steep or is that what i will end up paying if i get the unit for £400 and with the additional parts? (i dont have a clue how much the other parts will cost by the way). i am also going to well document this installation so it will help others i hope........

oh and does anyone know of any good mb breakers i could try????????

what about using a BE4715?? is this compatible?????

You should be talking to [email protected]

 

[richard]

You should be talking to [email protected]

Also, read my COMAND retrofit document at www.mercupgrades.com

If you have a pre "steering wheel buttons" then you can put the 163 unit in a CLK, but note that the speed signal from the car will have to be wired to the connector A pin 1, and not the connector C2 - I tend to advise people to connect the speed signal to both.

If you have the one with steering wheel buttons, then really you should have a unit from a CLK - which will start with part nr A208 540 xx xx

It may be possible that if the dealer code's your 163 unit to tell it that it is in a 208 that it will use the CANbus - but you'd have to do the installation and see what happens - the parts you will need will be the same for a 163 or a 208 unit (but note the speed signal connection differences) - so it may be worth a try

I've never had a chance to actually take a 163 unit and code it as a 208 unit and try it's canbus.

A unit from a 208 can be coded to go in a 163 if it has the latest software on it. (and you connect up C2 speed signal pin)

Cheers

Richard

 

[s1gar]

cheers but i think i will try and get hold of the a208 unit if anybody knows where there is one for sale. i can get my money back on the a163 unit.

simon

 

[Madferrit]

whats a pm????-----poor model

pm= Private Message. Scroll up to the top right of your screen. You'll find a link to your mailbox from there.

 

[Rose Chap]

I've seen MBenzNL made reference to a number of times in the Merc owning fraternity, and I'm sure the quality of his work is second to none, but the issue of cost of fitment tends to be distinctly skirted around.

Like s1gar here I'm considering fitting COMAND to my W208 (facelift) but know I don't have the skills to attempt it myself. The eBay fitting prices are dropping - I've seen it fully fitted for £899 - but could do with a few more numbers for comparison purposes.

Anyone else have ideas of figures for parts and fitting from MBenzNL or any other suppliers?

 

[s1gar]

i think you could get it all for around 700 if you fitted it yourself and from what i have seen, speaking for my model anyway is does not appear to be that difficult. the unit is going to cost around £500, i have bought a cable exchange from germany for £20 and i have a gps unit coming with a 5m cable for £12. because i have a 2001 model i dont need a can-bus because the car already has one (but i am going to have to investigate this more). can some elplain what a can-bus actually is as well please???? i have checked if i already have a speed wire and i do and its to control the stereo volume when travelling at speed. so if i am right its just a case of taking out the old unit and replacing it with the new one, installing the gps ariel and cutting out the splitter plate thats there at the moment. all this depends on if i can get the right a208 unit. EASY (i think anyway) as long as the cable converter thing works otherwise small adjustments to c and a plugs but fingers crossed......the only other thing i have seen is when all this is done i will be able to control the radio with the steering wheel functions and it should display the radio info on my intrument cluster but i can also get the navigation info on my cluster if i take my car to the dealership and ask the to make the dash recognise it.......can someone let me know if all my investigations are right?????????
if they are all i need is a a208 unit now that is proving hard to find....
i know richard above mentioned that i could turn my 163 into a 208 but does anyone have any experiance of this, the cost and where it can be done????


regards
simon

 

[miro]

I've seen MBenzNL made reference to a number of times in the Merc owning fraternity, and I'm sure the quality of his work is second to none, but the issue of cost of fitment tends to be distinctly skirted around.

Like s1gar here I'm considering fitting COMAND to my W208 (facelift) but know I don't have the skills to attempt it myself. The eBay fitting prices are dropping - I've seen it fully fitted for £899 - but could do with a few more numbers for comparison purposes.

Anyone else have ideas of figures for parts and fitting from MBenzNL or any other suppliers?

Its one price for UK and another for NL.

 

[s1gar]

will a A210 unit work the same as a A208? if so can i use a A210 instead of a A208??????? :bannana:

 

[s1gar]

right ok i have just bought a A210 unit..... so the parts i have are:

one a210 comand unit (on its way)
one gps unit with gt5 connector
one cable converter (to save all the cutting and changing wires)

so i think this is what i have to do.......

1. remove old audio 10 unit and lower try.

2. remove divider with a saw.

3. check and find speed wire (I know its there already for the auto volume adjustment of old radio) check it is on a1 and on the c (c2 from memory but I have it written down) connector.

4. remove glove box.

5. fix and install gps unit (on top of stiffening bar in glove box as show on one of the other threads)

6. add cable converter to existing loom and attach to command unit along with existing cable’s i.e. aerial cable.

7. turn on and test.

8. fix in and replace glove box.

9. take car to the dealer for them to plug up to star and tell my instrument cluster that is has comand fitted.

Job done…….
I may have to install a bracket as well I have read somewhere.


Is it this easy?????

 

[Howard]

Are you quite fluent with taking apart dashboards and working with electronics ?

If you are not ( and no disrespect is meant here, but it doesn't sound like it ) you would probably be better paying a professional to install it for you ...

I have very little knowledge of dismantling interiors, or complex electronics, and that is the reason i take the car to someone who knows what they are doing otherwise who knows what could happen ....

Miro knows his stuff, as does Steve (MBenzNL) and Alfie too....

I think you would probably be better biting the bullet and paying someone to do it !

As I said earlier , i mean you no disrespect at all, but there is nothing worse than taking something apart and then realising that you don't know how to put it back together , or breaking something and then the car is off the road ...

Good luck with whatever you choose to do .

 

[s1gar]

i know what you mean. i am ok at fitting things into cars the only thing with this is i have read all the treads and some are different from others. there is not that much taking the dash apart (would be different if i did not have the speed wire) its just the technical things i am unsure on but i think i have got to the bottom of it. i just want confirmation before i start

 

[aka$h]

Send Alfie a pm, he's quite clued up on the COMAND's/

 

[s1gar]

thanx for that have sent one....i wish i had seen him last week he had a a208 for sale