What radio do I have?

[mikemillen]

Hi everybody,

Yesterday I bought my first Mercedes... a 1998 E430 Avantgarde.

It came without an instruction book for the radio. I've looked at hundreds of MB radios on Google images but I can't find mine.

It has a rotary knob on either side of the LCD & a N-S-E-W switch around each knob.

The ON button is at the top left-hand-side, on the top right-hand-side it says NAV (which brings up an error message). The lower right-hand-side button is marked CC CD... I'm not sure if I have a cassette player, or where it is!

One button is marked SC... what does that mean?

There's a 6 CD changer in the boot. That's working fine.

My VIN is WDB2100702A603773 if that helps.

I'd love to download a manual for it, if possible.

Thanks,
Mike

I

 

[Diesel Benz]

Something like this APS4 unit:
Soundmaster Scotland - Becker Navi Navigation Headunit Blaupunkt Mercedes Benz APS4 merc sat nav

SC sounds like Station SCan, at least so on an Audio 10 radio.

 

[mikemillen]

Eureka! That's the one! Thanks, DB.

Now I just need to find some instructions on how to use it.

Obviously I can figure out a lot of it, trial & error, but a manual would make it so much easier.

I suppose it needs an M-B satnav installed somewhere if the "NAV" button is going to do anything useful?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[GP801]

If it was in from new the GPS aerial speed signal will all be there. Probably you just need the map disc. I think its a Teleatlas DX disc that you will need. Easy enough to get as they were used in lots of different systems. My 2003 CLK uses the same disc.

 

[mikemillen]

As far as I know, it's original.

The gps antenna is that stubby thing on the roof, then?

I already have a TomTom... am I right in thinking that it's likely to be a lot better than the very old MB system?

Mike

 

[GP801]

The TomTom will be vastly superior. The MB one that you have will only give you an arrow on the display. No actual map. I have something similar by Becker in the 124. Its very accurate but nothing like as good as a Tomtom.
Have you got a phone system too. The aerial on the roof is usually for the phone but on some it did both.

 

[mikemillen]

No, no phone, & I'm not too bothered about installing anything either. I don't spend enough time in the car (nor receive enough calls) to warrant it.

It does have a tiny radar detector control fitted just under the "dashboard", but whether there's the radar horn fitted somewhere else, I don't know. That's not an MB part, of course.

I don't think I'll bother with the MB nav, but I would like to find a manual so I can sort the radio properly.

Are there speakers in the front of the car? I've not had time to take a good look. The sound quality isn't a patch on the (original) system in my Ford Scorpio, but that was *especially* good. I've found the treble/bass control but no front/back fader.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[GP801]

The fader/balance are usually found in the same group as the bass/treble controls. Possibly reached by using the forward/reverse arrows

 

[mikemillen]

Thanks for that... I'll try it when I'm next in the car.

(It's parked way down the road atm... parking is a problem round here!)