Aftermarket CD Player vs. Audio 10

[canute]

Hi there, I'd guess this question has been posted loads of times so apologies, but I'm interested in any new advice.

My 2003 C Class Coupe has an Audio 10 Cassette player (which one of the few cassettes I own has got stuck in).

I'm looking to replace with a CD player and have been tracking Audio 10 units on ebay (missed a codeless one yesterday for £20 Arrrgh), they normally go for £80-120!

If I was to spend £120 on Audio at Halfords I could get something that plays CD/MP3/Ipod link/cooks my tea etc. But of course would loose the integrated look.

What I want to know is.....

1. Is the "blank facia" I'd need easy to fit (slot in or remove other trim)?
   
2. Is the Audio 10 worth getting rather than a new Sony/JVC job?
   
3. Do any other Merc units fit in (Audio 20 etc.) without too much hassle?
   
4. Anything else I need to be aware of?

P.S. I already have the Audio 10 "hooks" for removal, but haven't done anything with the unit yet, I guess they slide down the side, right?

Thanks in advance, sorry for the wittering.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Welcome!

All i will say about fitting a non-merc headset is you will lose use of the steering wheel buttons! i would stick to the audio 10 if poss due to keeping the car standard! just my views!

 

[canute]

Cheers, what about units that claim "steering wheel compatible"?

I'd like to keep to Audio 10 just because it is what is meant to be there, but find it galling to pay so much for such an old unit, I've let friends have Blaupunkt and Clarion units from cars I've sold for peanuts before now.

Nice to know of another Merc specialist also! I live in Sussex but work the "wrong" side of Fareham, I've made a note of your number.

 

[HelpThisDude]

I have just fitted a aftermarket alpine 7" screen system to replace a Audio 10. It a fair bit of work. Had to dismantle most the facia. For some reason the power DIN plug has no switched live wire. I had to splice into the ciggar lighter and run a cable up from there.
I wanted to keep the Steering Wheel Controls (SWC) , so I bought a PAC Audio kit.
It works on tapping into the can bus (easily done from the DIN plug), and leaning the code from the controls to system.

Great theory, and it has worked for many others, however...

I spent all yesterday trying to program the darn thing and it drove me nuts. Eventually it drove the car nuts too - I had every fault possible flashing up, main beam coming on and all sorts of bongs and bings. I still have a SRS fault on the system that wont clear. (trip to the STAR machine Monday I think)

I might have another go tomorrow as I just cant let it beat me.

If it actually works I’ll get back to you - possibly programmer error! I'll try get some pictures and that may help you decide.

 

[popuptoaster]

keep the standard unit for when you sell the car and fit an aftermarket one, 9 times out of 10 they are cheaper and better quality anyway and you can pick and choose the features you want in a unit.

The Halfords Sonichi S7000 plays just about everything you would want to put in it, including DVD's, USB memory sticks and SD cards, not the prettiest looking thing but it has 3 preouts on it and works ok and sounds all right, new price is around £180 but you can get refurbed ones for 100.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_708991_langId_-1_categoryId_165743

 

[HelpThisDude]

The PAC Audio gear just wont talk to the CAN Bus. I'll have to call them on Monday see if they can sort it - I still have hope.
I fitted the aftermarket radio, changing around the pocket so it sit above the radio.
Sound quality over the Audio10 is very good. Supprising because I thought the factory set us was good to start with.
I have attached some pictures just so you can see if it going to be something you would like the look of.
Not anywhere near as nice as a looking as a factory Command unit, but then its a lot cheaper.

I agree with keeping the old stuff, even though I think I'll keep my 'C' till its dead.

 

[foof1]

I had the same problem with the A10 in my SL 320. Rather than mess with audio, all I did was use an MP3 player with a FM transmitter. Works great!!!!

 

[canute]

Gulp!

Good luck with getting that working, am I right in thinking that the fascia box is in grey (i.e. not black)? Or is it just the photo?

Sure it will look and sound great once you sort out all those malfunction warnings.

 

[sms78]

i dont know why people rave on about the audio 10 its pants . As people said before keep it for when you sell the car and change it for an aftermarket one . Ive had trouble with the connectors before as they look like standard iso connectors in the car but the wires are completely the wrong way round/ dont mate up with the aftermarket headunits when you clip them together.Also some mercs ive had have some funny power problem with the wiring that i didnt under stand . I ended up paying a auto electrician 20 quid to fit it .

 

[canute]

i dont know why people rave on about the audio 10 its pants . As people said before keep it for when you sell the car and change it for an aftermarket one . Ive had trouble with the connectors before as they look like standard iso connectors in the car but the wires are completely the wrong way round/ dont mate up with the aftermarket headunits when you clip them together.Also some mercs ive had have some funny power problem with the wiring that i didnt under stand . I ended up paying a auto electrician 20 quid to fit it .

I think that is why people would rather keep them! Fitting a radio never used to be this difficult. Unless you like a challenge or want to upgrade to something that sounds much better or has many more features (see the post ^^above^^) then it is easier to go the Audio 10 route than:

buy a new fascia (£20)
pay an auto electrician (£20)
buy a new CD player (£50 upwards)

in my experience there is nothing more frightening and needlessly expensive than lighting up fault codes on a modern car (just spent £35 on my A140 erasing the brake and SRS codes because I knocked the handbrake sensor switch and left my key in the ignition when unplugging the passenger seat while giving it its bi-yearly hoover!) is it worth it to have something that looks out of place with tiny shiny buttons and bright blue graphics? I only want to play CDs.

Having said all that, hope the above installation goes well, he is a braver man than me.

 

[HelpThisDude]

Brave or just a sucker for punishment.
The picture does make it look gray, but it is black, just a different black!:mrgreen:
I must admit, if I didn't have the Alpine sat up in the loft already, I would have never bothered in the first place.
"sms78" Your right, they have a strange plug set up and it has no switched live. I assume the 'IGN ON' signal must come from the CAN bus rather then the traditional switched live.
Right, time to call PAC Audio people.....

 

[sms78]

I had to take the live for mine from an old phone kit that had been disconnected but luckily still had the wires in the dash .

 

[coolpot]

i have one you can have for free, works fine. can you paypal me something for the postage? its quite heavy so prob about £8 im relativly well known on here been around a while, but happy to place it on ebay at 99p if you like and do it that way - upto you. actually ill pm you my number give me a call if you like

its out me old w203 coupe, it was a 2002-52plate

yours being a 2003 i presume its pre-facelift cause ive never seen a 03year with the new dash, so presume thats a 04 thing.

its just the standard cd player that comes with the car.

 

[julesg007]

Evening all,

Hope you all don't mind me piggy backing on this thread.

In the same boat with my own CLK, have an Audio 10 CD player - works fine but want something with Bluetooth and MP3 Aux Jack Socket

Not my area of experience so will get it fitted professionally.

From the sounds of things it is gonna be a bit of a pain in the rear to change, is that really the case? and I will definately loss the steering wheel functionality or is there a fix?

Thanks for the help
Jules

 

[sms78]

i purchased a kenwood head unit kdc- something or other but its got built in bluetooth and built in parrot system for your mobile works great and doesnt look too out of place in the dash due to the lack of buttons . It does most of the stuff using the two control knobs or the remote control which you can hide away in the arm rest .Good thing about this head unit is it also has a usb cable out the back which i connect to a 4gb memory stick so no more cd,s bashing about the car . I have a sunglasses compartment under the headunit with a flap on it so i just drilled a hole in the back of the sunglasses compartment and pulled the usb cable through and the connected memory sticks in there hidden when the flaps down or you can connect or hide anything you want in there mp3 players whatever. Also watch where you put you micro phone for the hands free ,You want it somewhere near the middle or in front of you on the dash ,dont put it on the windsreen pillar because when you use your phone with the window open people will only hear wind noise the other end .

 

[canute]

i have one you can have for free, works fine. can you paypal me something for the postage? its quite heavy so prob about £8 im relativly well known on here been around a while, but happy to place it on ebay at 99p if you like and do it that way - upto you. actually ill pm you my number give me a call if you like

its out me old w203 coupe, it was a 2002-52plate

yours being a 2003 i presume its pre-facelift cause ive never seen a 03year with the new dash, so presume thats a 04 thing.

its just the standard cd player that comes with the car.

Wow, that is incredibly kind of you. Funnily enough, I decided to go the Audio 10 route today, but was still put off by the price of a s/h unit. I've downloaded some very clear instructions with pics from another MBforum, bought a new Torx20 screwdriver and I'm ready for action!

Please see my PM, and thanks again.

If ever there was a good advert for a forum this is it.

 

[coolpot]

Well unused for 2years its gathering dust this forums helped me soo often! so its good to give something back to someone.

and yea its has some really knowledgable people on here!

 

[The Rock]

I had one of these fitted. (£100 all in)
http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/archive/DEH-2000MP/index.html
The sound is astounding and makes the Audio 10 sound like the pants it is.
I have kept the Audio 10 for the next owner (If I ever sell - which I won't)

Rock

 

[canute]

FAO coolpot

THANKS STEVE!!!

The CD player arrived safely and fitted easily (with a little help from someones instructions on another forum, found through this forum, the wonders of the internet eh?).

Working perfectly (I switched the "knob" around from my old cassette player).

Thanks again.

P.S. If anyone knows how to get stuck cassettes out of an old audio10 player, let me know???

P.P.S. I'm trying to add a pic but it won't work. It's here anyway:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27676514@N07/3409202775/

 

[coolpot]

cool glad you are happy and you maanged the install, i know from experience its not the easyist change in the world

Glad your happy