Will DAB work if I replace Audio 20 with COMAND?

[India]

Today is a good day. I bought my first ever MB. w204 C220 auto sport in black. Can't wait to pick it up tomorrow!

Question though. I have purchased COMAND HU and screen. Just waiting for the rest of the parts, including the axial blower and ducting. The car currently has DAB though. If I replace the current Audio 20 with COMAND, can I just plug the DAB aerial in and have DAB work on the new head unit. Also, the aerial is on the roof, so I'm assuming this also incorporates the GPS antennae, saving me having to buy the retrofit. Is anyone able to confirm that?

 

[st13phil]

Can't asnswer any of your questions, but congrats on the new car

 

[India]

Cheers Phil. You answered my question on bluetooth last night. You were of course right. I sat in the car today playing with the BT. I'm getting it from Car Giant, which I was a bit dubious about, but so far, all good.

 

[markjay]

Cheers Phil. You answered my question on bluetooth last night. You were of course right. I sat in the car today playing with the BT. I'm getting it from Car Giant, which I was a bit dubious about, but so far, all good.

I would guess that if you retrofit COMMAND you will loose the DAB, but Alfie or Richard will know the answer to this...

India, as for Car Giant, I bought four cars from them in the past 12 years, and I would buy from them again, but...

1. They are the cheapest dealer (i.e. not private) prices to be had, by far.

2. There is no haggling, price is fixed, which is actually a good thing...

3. The comeback is absolutely the minimum available to you by law, but having said that they are en established firm so you will not get conned with ringed cars etc.

4. Keep in mind that they offer a no-frills service, i.e. they are the Ryanair of the car trade... don't expect a free cup of tea and a chat with the salesman, this is a car selling factory and you will be processed accordingly.

5. The only downside is that generally speaking they don't have 'desirable' models... car supermarkets usually get their cars from auctions, which are basically surplus from dealers. So you expect either high-mileage high-spec cars, or low-mileage low spec cars... for example they always have lots of C200 CDI's and E220 CDIs, but very few C320 CDI or E320 CDIs, and definitely no AMGs... in short the cars they have are those the MB dealers will not stock, e.g. no leather, no COMMAND, no sunroof.... though there is the (very) occasional gem here and there. But if, like me, you are after a low-mileage nearly-new genuine basic-spec car, then they can be beaten.

6. And last but not least, they pay pittance for your old car... been there more than once. So if you have the time try selling your car privately, or go to webuyanycar.com.

Hope this helps...

 

[India]

Markjay. Thanks for the tips. I put the deposit down today. I've actually been looking for weeks so had a reasonable idea of what to expect for the money. I got a 08 reg C220 sport with parktronic and DAB with 40000 miles.Obviously the milage is some way above average, but I expect to have it for 5 years and we only do about 7000 per year so won't be too bad by the time we come to sell.

I actually did take my VW golf to we buy any car after they gave an online quote of £5300. When we took it in, they started taking loads off for the most minor of scratches, fair wear and tear stuff. They also tried saying it didn't have full service history. It did, it was just on a 2 year/20000 mile schedule. When I explained this, they offered me an extra £1!!! They just didn't understand it. The sales guy clearly felt uncomfortable about taking the p*!s and he was really nice, just trying to do a job. I'd never go back. Sold it last week for £5500.

 

[markjay]

Markjay. Thanks for the tips. I put the deposit down today. I've actually been looking for weeks so had a reasonable idea of what to expect for the money. I got a 08 reg C220 sport with parktronic and DAB with 40000 miles.Obviously the milage is some way above average, but I expect to have it for 5 years and we only do about 7000 per year so won't be too bad by the time we come to sell.

I actually did take my VW golf to we buy any car after they gave an online quote of £5300. When we took it in, they started taking loads off for the most minor of scratches, fair wear and tear stuff. They also tried saying it didn't have full service history. It did, it was just on a 2 year/20000 mile schedule. When I explained this, they offered me an extra £1!!! They just didn't understand it. The sales guy clearly felt uncomfortable about taking the p*!s and he was really nice, just trying to do a job. I'd never go back. Sold it last week for £5500.

I once bought a car from them with 6k mileage and only 4-months old... that was a good catch. Then I bought my wife a car there which was 3 years old and had just 8k (it was a motability car, I had to go to the DVLA to sort it out, but was well worth it). The Merc was 2 years old with 25k mileage.... and two years later it now has 33k, which for 4 years old car is actually below average. So you are quite right, no problem with a high-miller if it will even-up while you own it.

 

[markjay]

Ah, one more snag with Car Giant - you can test drive the car only after you pay the £200 non-refundable deposit - which means that if at that point you realise you don't actually like the car, it will still cost you £200 to change your mind....

 

[markjay]

Markjay. Thanks for the tips. I put the deposit down today. I've actually been looking for weeks so had a reasonable idea of what to expect for the money. I got a 08 reg C220 sport with parktronic and DAB with 40000 miles.Obviously the milage is some way above average, but I expect to have it for 5 years and we only do about 7000 per year so won't be too bad by the time we come to sell.

I actually did take my VW golf to we buy any car after they gave an online quote of £5300. When we took it in, they started taking loads off for the most minor of scratches, fair wear and tear stuff. They also tried saying it didn't have full service history. It did, it was just on a 2 year/20000 mile schedule. When I explained this, they offered me an extra £1!!! They just didn't understand it. The sales guy clearly felt uncomfortable about taking the p*!s and he was really nice, just trying to do a job. I'd never go back. Sold it last week for £5500.

Anyway, well done... you will enjoy the 170bhp

 

[India]

Ah, one more snag with Car Giant - you can test drive the car only after you pay the £200 non-refundable deposit - which means that if at that point you realise you don't actually like the car, it will still cost you £200 to change your mind....

Things must have changed. I test drove today before deciding to buy. The negative point is that you don't get a real feel for it because they only take you around the trading estate. The roads are narrow wih lots of parked cars so you can't really test it.

 

[markjay]

Things must have changed. I test drove today before deciding to buy. The negative point is that you don't get a real feel for it because they only take you around the trading estate. The roads are narrow wih lots of parked cars so you can't really test it.

Much better then.... last bought a car from them in 2006, things must have moved on

 

[Krobar]

Today is a good day. I bought my first ever MB. w204 C220 auto sport in black. Can't wait to pick it up tomorrow!

Question though. I have purchased COMAND HU and screen. Just waiting for the rest of the parts, including the axial blower and ducting. The car currently has DAB though. If I replace the current Audio 20 with COMAND, can I just plug the DAB aerial in and have DAB work on the new head unit. Also, the aerial is on the roof, so I'm assuming this also incorporates the GPS antennae, saving me having to buy the retrofit. Is anyone able to confirm that?

My guess is that DAB will work. In the new C Class the DAB is a seperate unit that sits on the optical bus. As long as the Comand is coded properly DAB should continue to work.