UMI (Universal Media Interface) Installation Only

[EastExpert]

Hi,

I've managed to get my paws on a spanking new UMI Retrofit Kit for W204 C-Class, for a really good price. Somebody just decided for another marque so didn't need the part. This is a genuine boxed Mercedes-Benz part (A204 870 68 96). So I've finally got a chance to get the UMI for a decent price (sought it for 6 months...)

Now the question is to get it installed, at lowest reasonable price, and properly, so

1. it fully works.
2. it won't invalidate my warranty (as the car is on PCP) and
3. it's registered in M-B global car database (so that during the annual service, updates would be fed into the UMI without reminder from my part).

An online company I've asked quoted me £299. Sorry, I'll pass on that: it's nearly my purchase price and way beyond what I'm ready to shell out on this project.
I've also sent my dealership an inquiry about installation price; but TBH I don't expect much lower price than £250, considering the ridiculous hourly rates; and these guys just seem to never haggle.
Installing myself isn't an option, I am more of a user than electrician; and I don't have a STAR diagnostic laptop and access to database.

What other reasonable option could there be?

Am thinking about:
- personal acquaintances who work for main dealerships,
- choosing dealerships where they've already done lots of UMI installations (mine has never done it! and are bold enough to quote it as a reason for high charges - arrrgh)
- choosing dealerships that have special offers and aren't too far off Surrey
- third party companies that have proper skills/access and less of that greed.

Any ideas, folks?

 

[EastExpert]

An update from my main dealer:
£262.50 + VAT (at 17.5%) = £308.44

That's outright, daylight robbery.
Remembering the earlier quote of £299 from the company, I come to the conclusion that there must be an engineer conspiracy and price fixing

OK, these are my calculations. After all it's just 2 hours work and at a fair rate that should probably cost about £120-150.

Is there such a place available?

 

[whitenemesis]

Criteria #3 in you original post would suggest you will have to get it done at a dealership? I don't think independants / privates can update the MB database. Or of they can there is probably a cost involved which might explain the pricing?

How long do you expect to keep the car? So, £300 spread over that time.....

 

[Alfie]

There are very few people who can do this job properly as you need access to a fully maintained factory supported STAR system.

If the dealer is quoting two hours then they are being optimistic. I have installed a few of these now and it is not that straight forward. For starters the Mercedes WIS documentation for this is wrong. There is a nasty error in it which means it wont work if you follow the instructions.

I have personal experience of the Online company (I part own it) and they dont offer fitting themselves. All their fitting work is done via a separate company. I happen to know that they have two people who would work on the job. One of these is Richard Almeida (http://www.mercupgrades.com). When it comes to Mercedes retrofits there is no-one and I mean no-one in the UK with better knowledge than him. He has performed retrofits that no-one else can do or even thought possible. Ask around here and elsewhere for references.

There are possibly other firms who will fit it for you but they will almost certainly refer you back to the main dealer for the coding to be done. Main dealers have been instructed by MB UK not to update any datacards unless the work was performed by them.

You can try a friend or associate of an MB technician for a spot of 'moonlighting' but I doubt they will do it as once they try and get the datacard updated at the dealership they will be putting their job on the line.

 

[whitenemesis]

+1 for Richard. That man knows Mercs inside out (quite literally! ). You will not find a more professional, knowledgable and helpful person to work on your Merc electronics.

 

[television]

+2 for Richard a very helpful knowledgeable guy

 

[EastExpert]

whitenemesis:

You are right, I'm looking for level of work found at dealer's or comparable.

I'll keep my car for 2.5 years more (30 months) for sure and then it depends on actual depreciation, might either extend the financing or just switch to the new car.

Shelling out £300 would mean it goes out now straight away. It's not backbreaking for me, but I have this feeling that 300 quid is bit steep.

Really: if the online companies offer just the retrofit kit for about £650 inc. VAT, and you can get the installation fitted for £849 or even for £799 from a main dealer, this leaves about £150-200 for installation itself. That's what my opinion is, is fair for that complex piece of work.

I've also seen dealerships having about the same price difference between just the retrofit kit and same kit fitted.

My dealer salesman's explanation was that the price charged comes out of labour rates which are quite steep. He said "you might be able to find a cheaper rate from dealers who already have experience of installation". He also suggested that their prices may be quite expensive per se (them being located in a millionaire town, "may be further up north"). I also have the feeling that they ask somebody else - not their service department - to do this job. Their part is to register the unit with MB Datacard.

Well... why should I pay for someone being inexperienced and the work taking them longer -- or for just being in a posh location. Why should I also pay middlemen.

Alfie:

Thank you for very detailed answer. I hoped someone on the inside would see my thread.

I definitely wouldn't want to ask anyone things that would jeopardise their jobs, or anything illegal. I just want to cut the middleman and pay a fair price for a fair work, that's all. The dealerships have already milked me an arm & a leg for everything, so why would I want to line their pockets more - I don't print money and don't work for hedge funds.

whitenemesis, television:
OK, I'm convinced now. Sounds like what I need.

--*--

Now I am starting a quest of how to get into contact with Richard and may be find the solution. Like I said, I want decent thorough job at a reasonable price lining the expert's pockets, not the dealer's.

I have so far only potential lead, but I'll start on it

Thanks everybody for answers! You're really helpful and to the point.

P.S.
Additional leads would be welcome. (Wink, wink, :arrow:nudge, nudge).

 

[television]

http://www.mbguru.com/

Both Richard and Alfie can take it from the link

 

[whitenemesis]

Email to sales@comandeurope.com will find Richard

 

[Alfie]

Richard has been informed.

 

[rpalmeida]

You actually got the Navigation 20 rather that the UMI, which is great news because you get all the new features and latest map without having to spend the extra money updating a UMI. Also you got the one for cars without Harmon Kardon which is good as it comes with the loudspeaker you need.

There is great confusion over parts costs for these as its one of those parts where there is massive price diffential between the different european countries - initially because UK needed the post-code (licenced) database and fees for TMC, so there were different models of UMI for UK, France, Europe - but it seems to be down to 1 basic model for Navigation 20.

When Navigation 20 first came out in UK it was priced significanly more than the UMI which itself was less than Germany, but MB UK may have corrected that now.

As Alfie mentions (a) you need Star (etc) to make it work as designed (and genuine machines are expensive and require paying Mercedes every month) and (b) the proper instructions (in WIS) are wrong.

But, if you ask me its a great system with good iPod integration, and it has bluetooth audio streaming which in theory should work nicely with an iPhone

Cheers

Richard

 

[rpalmeida]

# it's registered in M-B global car database (so that during the annual service, updates would be fed into the UMI without reminder from my part).

Actually, MB dealers wont do updates like that for you. (and it doesn't get registered in VeDOK (MB database) in quite the same way if you follow the proper process)

The firmware updates only come with the navigation data (on USB stick) when released. (so updating the map first updates the firmware, then the map itself) -

The 1st new map (and firmware) release for UMI just came out, and that takes UMI up to the spec of the Navigation 20 also - details of that are here

http://www.comandonline.co.uk/product.php?productid=16344&cat=253&page=1

But as I said in last message, you got a Navigation 20 !

Cheers

Richard

 

[television]

And where else could one get all of that info from other than Alfie and Richard in the above post, thank you and interesting reading

 

[EastExpert]

Gentlemen,
my questions get to be answered

Many thanks for your nudges!

"Those who seek, find".