Adding COMAND to a C180 Elegance ?

[Sparky-Steve]

Hi everyone

I purchased my first MB last week - a 2002 C180 Elegance 4dr saloon auto.

I have a few questions to do with extras - nothing really related to the car, which is running fantastically thus far.

I have what I imagine to be a standard CD/Radio unit - no multichanger, and below the unit is a little cubby hole; I imagine that removing these two would be where a COMAND module would have been installed.

Can I have a COMAND module fitted to this car, and if so, what are the approximate costs involved ? Can it be done DIY ? (I'm pretty well experienced in this kind of work)

Also, the steering wheel has phone buttons on it, but obviously I need something else to connect to phones. I use standard Nokia phones, and can connect either by wire, or by bluetooth; What do I need to buy / do, in order to get using my phone in the car again, and will it require seperate speakers, or will it use existing ones ?

I do have the "proper" nokia bluetooth kit from my previous car, but i'm assuming that if I fit this, the steering wheel buttons will not work with it.

Just as a sidenote, can anyone tell me why on earth I have a button to drop the three rear seat headrests ? I cannot fathom why I would want to drop them down, other than to annoy the kids.... Oh!!!! Annoying the kids.... ok :grin:

Well, there is it - my first post in this forum, and unlikely to be the last ;-)

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read (and perhaps) reply to this post - I hope the COMAND module is feasible.

 

[Swazi_uk]

As you can probably tell by the lack of responses to your post this is going to be quite tricky. :x It?s certainly not easy and I know only because it is something similar to what I am investigating at the moment.

I'm looking to have a telephone car kit installed, as you are, that integrates with the telephone buttons on the steering wheel but my MB, 2004 C200K, is not pre-wired for a telephone and apparently that is a major problem according to the dealership, who I have to add have not been very helpful. :evil:

What I have found out is that there are people in the Netherlands who do this. Have a look at their website, www.mbenznl.com. I have been in contact where they have offered a UHI phone kit for approx. Euro 1200-1300 installed by their workshop in Holland.

All parts are new and original MB parts with the actual phone not included with the install. It is also very likely that your car is NOT pre-wired for the phone, like most Euro spec MB's. (If you phone the dealer with the chassis number then they should be able to tell you if it has been pre-wired or not)Therefore you need more parts than the standard parts needed for a US spec car which does come pre-wired as standard for phones.

This means that it's not just the cradle, PSE, floorplate etc. that you need, but a rear view mirror with microphone, an additional antenna etc. as well.

Obviously getting the car to the Netherlands will be hard work but I understand that these chaps come out to the UK every now and then to perform installs, perhaps you can contact them to see if you can get yourself on a list for their next visit. MbenzNL will also be able to provide you with a more realistic quote on what it is exactly you want as they do all sorts of things...

Good Luck! Keep posing if you find an easier way.

 

[Ntha]

Command and Phone

Well, first of all, it is useful to have the button to drop down the headrests. Kids do leave them up, and it is a bit irritating them obscuring the view when there are not pessangers in rear.

Had CLK from new for 4 years. Just got E270 CDI Avantgrade.

Did not pay for previre, seemed to be getting too costly with other add-ons and the literature (incorrectly) seemed to suggest that cant use bluetooth, etc. Did pay for the Command APS system.

Ok, so what I really want to achieve, like the two of you, is to have a phone kit. such that I can use any GSM Mobile with Bluetooth in the car to be used, with full functionality from the Command console and the stearing wheel. Originally I thought that if I purchase the UHI kit from MBenzNL, fit a cradle and a spare mobile with say a pay as you go sim, it will work as conduit for Bluetooth for up to six other sets in the car. According to their site, their kit does not have the bluetooth capability. Don't know what that means, as their pictures show bluetooth soft button.

If I find some thing useful, I will post it here. I hope that if either of you two find any useful information, you will post it here for the rest of us to learn.

Thanks

 

[BarryS]

Hi everyone

I purchased my first MB last week - a 2002 C180 Elegance 4dr saloon auto.

I have a few questions to do with extras - nothing really related to the car, which is running fantastically thus far.

I have what I imagine to be a standard CD/Radio unit - no multichanger, and below the unit is a little cubby hole; I imagine that removing these two would be where a COMAND module would have been installed.

Can I have a COMAND module fitted to this car, and if so, what are the approximate costs involved ? Can it be done DIY ? (I'm pretty well experienced in this kind of work)

Also, the steering wheel has phone buttons on it, but obviously I need something else to connect to phones. I use standard Nokia phones, and can connect either by wire, or by bluetooth; What do I need to buy / do, in order to get using my phone in the car again, and will it require seperate speakers, or will it use existing ones ?

I do have the "proper" nokia bluetooth kit from my previous car, but i'm assuming that if I fit this, the steering wheel buttons will not work with it.

Just as a sidenote, can anyone tell me why on earth I have a button to drop the three rear seat headrests ? I cannot fathom why I would want to drop them down, other than to annoy the kids.... Oh!!!! Annoying the kids.... ok :grin:

Well, there is it - my first post in this forum, and unlikely to be the last ;-)

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read (and perhaps) reply to this post - I hope the COMAND module is feasible.

Hi Sparky-Steve,
Interested to know what decision you made re Sat Nav ? Did you go for COMAND or an external unit ? I'm facing the same decision on my new CLK which seems to have the same radio/cubby hole beneath combo as your C-Class.

Think I'm going for a new model Tom Tom Go since although it doesn't look integrated it has more modern mapping, traffic congestion feed and speed camera locations