Pre wiring for phone

[albion_king]

Hi all

Newbie here. About to buy an Oct 2005 C320CDI and could use some plain english advice.

Didn't get a proper chance to check it out but the car doesn't seem to have a mobile phone cradle that i could see, (there was no side handle lever on the central armrest) is that possible or have i just missed it? Where exactly should it be?

If there is no cradle, is it still possible that there is pre-wiring installed for a cradle? (There are phone buttons on steering wheel and comand sat nav unit).

Can i tell if it's pre wired just by the model and year or was it an option that needed to be specced when the car was built? Or is there something i need to look for?

Is there a bluetooth kit that provides access to the phonebook and call functions through the comand screen/steering wheel controls and if so do i need to connect this to the wiring discussed above? Any recommendations?

Sorry to sound so simple, i'm sure these answers are already here in the forum but i'm unsure exactly what i'm looking for!

Gratefully

AK

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

The phone craddle will be in the arm rest in the centre, if no craddle is in there then as long as there is a little trianagle plastic piece in there then thats where the craddle will plug in, that little cover comes off. if you have it, if not there then not prewired.

 

[speedybiker]

Doubt very much that it will have it.
Buggers stopped it in 2004. On most C-class' anyway.
We have a 2005 C-Class and a 2006 C-Class and both don't have it.

But you never know it might have it.

Alex.

 

[jberks]

Doubt very much that it will have it.
Buggers stopped it in 2004. On most C-class' anyway.
We have a 2005 C-Class and a 2006 C-Class and both don't have it.

But you never know it might have it.

Alex.

MB didn't stop it, but it was a cost option and not very good value, given that you had the cost of the pre-wire £400? and then a cradle at £130 each. Hence most buyers didn't bother. You can fit it after market but it is expensive and a parrot or Nokia kit are equally as good and a lot cheaper. Parrot also do a kit that can integrate with the wheel controls I believe, not that this worth the effort. I have prewire but normally find myself operating the phone from the dash. It's more intuitive somehow. Aside from answering incoming calls, I rarely use the wheel controls.

 

[albion_king]

how exactly can i find out if this wiring is in there?

there's some kind of plastic cover consisting of three pieces at the bottom of the main deep compartment of the armrest (at the back). is this what i'm looking for?

do these nokia or parrot kits integrate with the 'Tel' functions on the head unit? Surely not if i don't have this prewiring?

apologies again for sounding like a five year old!

AK

 

[jberks]

Inside the the console lid area (not in the deep section) should be a small plastic (rectangular ish) plastic cover. It would be in the centre a couple of inches from the front edge. This cover slides forward to reveal a very flat socket onto which you slide a cradle.
On mine there are 2 stiff curly wires inside the main centre console going up into to the lid - this should be a giveaway too.
On the 211, the console lid/arm rest is split down the middle for prewired cars but I don't think that applies to 203s.

No after market kit will integrate with the head unit but you're not missing that much.