phone

[RPSXR]

hi
i've just bought a W210 2001. there's a factory fitted carkit in there for a nokia phone, but that's one of those eally old refrigerators!! does anybody know or have the experience how to maybe change the carkit to bluetooth so i can use it with my present phone?
thx rgds RP

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

2001 was an eon ago and you can bet the system wasn't cutting edge then so your current kit could well be decade old technology.

IMO the best solution would be to bypass the original completly and buy a Nokia bluetooth kit off the internet and fit it yourself. The hardest part is dismantling the dash to run the wires for the control button and mic.

Best to get a bluetooth kit from the same manufacturer as your phone. I tried to change phones earlier in the year and went from Nokia to Motorola but suffered compatibility issues (feedback, etc...) so had to switch back to Nokia to match the handsfree kit (CARK 112).

if your radio doesn't have a mute terminal you will have to get an extra module to cut into the speaker system and mute the music when a call comes in (the carkit controls this).

 

[jberks]

Steve's advise is the best option by far. You can have the kit modified but you still have a limited number of compatible phones available.
MB switched around 04 to a UHI system where the cradle is interchangeable and allegedly there is a bluetooth adapter coming out at some point. My point is that even if you bought a new one, there still isn't a bluetooth option!
I can recommend the Nokia CK7W kit, though I haven't tried it with non Nokia phones.

 

[Blobcat]

IF you want all the bits including the radio mute leads, I recommend (and use) Dashmount.com. The only issue with aftermarket radio mute leads is that they do not work with the steering wheel buttons.

 

[RPSXR]

thx guys. i've put the query also onto dashmount and waiting for response.
rgds RP

 

[psmart]

Look at http://www.mercupgrades.com/ or www.mbenznl.com.

My primary phone is a Sony Ericsson P910i, which is a nightmare to use whilst driving and the cradle made an ugly stain on my dash.

I went to the above guys who fitted a UHI to the COMMAND I installed and I just plonk in my T630/610 depending on which country Im in, using UHI cradle. Full access to SMS and Phone books on a screen I can see whilst driving safely. Plus you get the benefit of a car fitted Aerial, so your not breaking up or losing calls.

This was all done in a MY2001 ML, which is behind your car, feature wise. Steve at MBenzNL can make you up a correct kit for your car if you want to fit it yourself.

 

[Junes]

I've tried to find the answer to the following question but with all the answers I still seem to miss out on some detail I need.

I have a E240 '99 new spec with a MB Audio 30 Radio and the steering mounted controls. The phone I've got is a Nokia N70. Can somebody maybe assist me with the following questions:

- Do I need to fit a mobile phone car-kit and will such a car kit need its own aerial? or
- Is there a way of purchasing a extra sim card and installing it somewhere in the car (in some type of device). Then when I switch on the car I just need to switch off my cellphone (so not to confuse the networks). I know the current generation Corsa's had that as an option.
- Is Bluetooth an option? I am not very excited about taking the dashboard apart to connect a bluetooth kit with some wires

 

[Junes]

I forgot to ad,
Having a cradle in the car is not an option - it might remain in there for two robots at the most before it gets smashed and grabbed together with the phone

 

[RPSXR]

in the end i ripped out the merc radio and replaced it with a pioneer 75BT which works perfect.
(i know the buttons are not working anymore but at least i can phone handsfree with my own phone and have my 60GB IPod connected!!)

good luck

 

[jberks]

I've tried to find the answer to the following question but with all the answers I still seem to miss out on some detail I need.

I have a E240 '99 new spec with a MB Audio 30 Radio and the steering mounted controls. The phone I've got is a Nokia N70. Can somebody maybe assist me with the following questions:

- Do I need to fit a mobile phone car-kit and will such a car kit need its own aerial? or
- Is there a way of purchasing a extra sim card and installing it somewhere in the car (in some type of device). Then when I switch on the car I just need to switch off my cellphone (so not to confuse the networks). I know the current generation Corsa's had that as an option.
- Is Bluetooth an option? I am not very excited about taking the dashboard apart to connect a bluetooth kit with some wires

You have 3 options. Either a fitted kit (with or without bluetooth), a cigar lighter kit (just keep the reciept for the insurance claim when it gets pinched) or replace the stereo with a phone compatible unit.
If you replace the unit, you lose the wheel controls and it becomes non standard, plus the audio 30 is sat nav so it would be a shame.
The cig lighter units are pretty good but are a theft risk. This leaves you with a fitted kit I'm afraid. There are several around. The most poular are the Nokia CK7w or the Parrott.
My advice would be to go for the nokia only if you are (like me) a nokia fan and wouldn't consider any other make of phone. This is because the bluetooth capability is inferior to the Parrott but it does have a proper cradle for charging and connecting nokia phones inc the N70.

The parrott has a better interface with a dash mounted display on some models (though nokia also do one to be fair) but doesn't have a cradle so it won't charge your phone. Some, like the parrot do download your sim card, but that's just for info, they all still use you phone to make and recieve calls so it still has to powered up.

Some people may make car kits that take your sim card, but a) have you tried to remove a sim card from your phone recently? On mine, it's remove the back (no mean feat), remove the battery, pull a clip and drag it out with your finger nail. I get the impression they don't expect it to be done very often!

b) sim cards are not designed to be manhandled so you're asking for trouble longer term and if like me, your contacts are on it, you risk losing the lot.

c) most phones have internal memories too.

You cannot clone a sim card. So, yes you could have a 2nd but it would be a different number.

On the arial - you can only have one if you have a cradle (nokia again). Most reckon you don't need one. As I have nokia kits with cradles, for the extra couple of quid, i fitted arials anyway. One is a very small plastic strip stuck to the inside of the screen, the other is a tax disk holder. I have had occasions where it's made a difference (no signal until it's in the cradle) but for most use you can live without it.

 

[Junes]

Thanks for that JBerks

It will be just too sad to take out the Audio 30 which already has buttons for making phone calls etc, so I don't really see it as an option. I'd rather talk on speaker phone then and leave the car kit