How good is your Comand system?

[grayb]

I would really like to hear from some people who can give a view on what the Comand system is like, as I am just contemplating getting it retro-fitted to our CLK55. I would like to know:

* If you have experienced the Audio 10 and Comand, how much of an improvement do you
think you get in sound quality?

* How effective is the sat-nav in comparison to modern units like the Garmin Nuvi and TomTom (bearing in mind that I would be getting a CD based Comand as our car is 2003)?

* Have you had problems in selling a car without Comand recently?

I'm trying to decide if it will be worth my money, so any comments will be gratefully received!

Ta.

 

[100%Bitch]

I'm new to Comand and I think it's a great system. I had an APS30 system in my previous SL and although the sound is almost as good the nav wasn't. In comparison to a portable unit, well, it can't get stolen can it? And it looks better.

 

[grayb]

Thanks, Helen. The looks argument does carry some weight, I will grant you! I was thinking about functionality - but perhaps that's the nerd in me...

 

[Alfie]

I would really like to hear from some people who can give a view on what the Comand system is like, as I am just contemplating getting it retro-fitted to our CLK55. I would like to know:

* If you have experienced the Audio 10 and Comand, how much of an improvement do you
think you get in sound quality?

* How effective is the sat-nav in comparison to modern units like the Garmin Nuvi and TomTom (bearing in mind that I would be getting a CD based Comand as our car is 2003)?

* Have you had problems in selling a car without Comand recently?

I'm trying to decide if it will be worth my money, so any comments will be gratefully received!

Ta.

Firstly, i'll admit my view is a bit biased..........

For me and a number of customers there is a notable improvement in the sound quality of a comand unit over the standard Audio10 units, but then you would expect there to be given that audio 10 comes free with the car and Comand cost anything from £1800 upwards.

The accuracy of the navigation is very good in my opinion. I recently fitted an RNS510 DVD unit into my wifes VW EOS and it is nowhere near as accurate as comand The one thing you wont get with Comand is full 7 digit postcode entry. Comand only uses 5 digit postcodes.

Comand not only gives you a superior head unit, it also gives you full integration with your factory fitted (or retro fitted) Mercedes phone system. Comand displays the instructions in the instrument cluster and allows you to control it from the steering wheel too. A tom tom or similar wont do that. Comand definately makes the car more attractive. It really sets off the interior. However, you dont buy it just because of that.

As for resale, I have personally sold two cars myself in the last two years. Both were sold with Comand and both attracted a lot of buyers in the first few hours of advertising because of the navigation system (so I'm told). I have also retro fitted numerous comand systems to cars for customers who were fed up with being asked on the phone by potential buyers 'Has it got comand?'. Parkers guide will show that a car with comand is worth about £1,000 more than one without.

Hope this helps,

 

[stumpy]

I have Comand on an 04 model 220. I can't comment on sound quality as my car has the Bose stereo, but the Nav is ok I guess. Things I would like it to do but it doesn't are: Full postcode entry, muting of the voice, leaving your planned route on screen even when Nav not active (like BMW) , less button pressing to flick between screens and more street names displayed on screen. I agree though that it does integrate all your features nicely. I use a Tom Tom too which I don't really like as it is always in 3d perspective view and I prefer north orientation. It struggles with the IR glass in my car too so gets lost alot, and it is ugly and you have to hide it from view. But at least you can mute the voice!

 

[amwebby]

Pushing and holding the mute button when the navigation voice is active will mute the voice. I'm not sure which COMAND you have but info or map mode displays a constant map of your current location.

 

[stumpy]

I will try holding the mute button. On mine, you push mute when she speaks and it mutes that comand, then she fires up again. What I mean by route marking is that on my old BMW , when you turned navigator off, you still had your route to destination marked out on the map.

 

[stumpy]

Hooray!!! Voice is gone. Thanks amwebby

 

[Rory]

What I mean by route marking is that on my old BMW , when you turned navigator off, you still had your route to destination marked out on the map.

Mine (late 04 model C class - is that COMAND APS?) does that - just switch to MAP from NAV and the route is still there. If you go back to NAV it asks you if you want to continue with the current destination.

 

[amwebby]

That's what mine does too.

 

[stumpy]

Mine (late 04 model C class - is that COMAND APS?) does that - just switch to MAP from NAV and the route is still there. If you go back to NAV it asks you if you want to continue with the current destination.

My blue line and flag is only there when Nav is active. Now that the voice is gone I am happy. I am told there a flash update for my model but I can't be arsed to get it done.

 

[grayb]

Thanks for the opinions everyone - and the slight detour round some of the more intimate functions to do with getting rid of voices!

I have one more question: Can you get Speed Camera locations on Comand?

 

[amwebby]

That's easy. No you can't. As it is CD or DVD driven there is no way to load or update them. I use an alert operating via GPS on my mobile phone, many use Road Angel or similar.

 

[grayb]

That's easy. No you can't. As it is CD or DVD driven there is no way to load or update them. I use an alert operating via GPS on my mobile phone, many use Road Angel or similar.

Ta! That's logical when you say it... So I will still have the Road Angel stuck to the dash / windscreen, which defeats one of the objects of the exercise.

 

[amwebby]

I've seen some nice installations of Road Angels etc. mounted so as to look OEM. I didn't want to go that route, that's why I installed software on my phone that does the same job, giving me an audio warning. That way I just get in the car with the phone in my pocket and never have to think about it until I hear that audio warning, "Gatso 30 mph"