Daveskee

Wanted to pass along something that has been useful for me and might be to someone else looking for a bluetooth solution. I'm using a Kinivo BTC450 Bluetooth hands free car kit in my '05 E55 plugged into the aux plug in the glovebox.


For $40, I've found it to be a great bluetooth solution for my Mercedes since it doesn't have an iPod connector. I'm using an iPhone 5 currently.

Allows me to stream (MP3, iTunes Radio, Pandora) and control the music, initiate Siri and everything Siri can do, and receive incoming calls. Using Siri, you can send email, texts, make calls, and use navigation all handsfree. Siri will even read back texts and emails to you.

I also have the bluetooth Mercedes phone in car option and they work together. Aux sound will be interrupted when an incoming call comes in. After the call is ended, aux sound will resume. Downside as with anything plugged into the aux, you will not have anything appear onscreen on the command screen as you would with the iPod option. Install a phone holder and you can see your phone's screen.

For $40 I highly recommend this as an option for bluetooth, especially if you only have the aux option or don't want to install the iPod option.

AronAZ

I assume if listening to FM or Sirius, you have to switch to Aux on the head unit when a call comes in?

jbondox

Exactly AronAZ.

Everyone knows I will be the first to say replace the antique, but I will offer other solutions that are more integrated. first, derek@navtv.com has the TookiMB, which is a phone interface only that looks and acts like the factory, then there is the mobridge unit which will do phone and audio via bluetooth streaming.

you still use the steering wheel controls, and if you find a decent MB shop, they can turn the phone on in the instrument cluster which is distracting, but like the comand, has the phone book in it controlled by the steering wheel controls

Daveskee

If you don't have the factory phone option installed, you are correct. You'd have to switch to aux to answer the phone. If you have the factory phone option you don't have to switch as the factory phone system will take over during the call and then release BT once the call disconnects.

What I have found though is that I rarely use FM, the CD player or the factory Nav anymore. I end up listening to podcasts, my mp3 music library, iTunes radio, and Pandora on my phone through aux. I also have some radio AM/FM apps of my favorite stations on my phone that I listen to and can launch using Siri.

I've also found that I end up using Siri to voice launch navigation on my phone. It's faster than using the factory nav and since I can do everything by voice it all comes through aux.

I can also have Siri read back to me my emails and texts and reply back all using voice controls. Siri is controlled by the round button of the BT. Hold it down for a second or two and Siri asks what you want.

So I'm finding that I'm staying on aux much more than before, using my phone as my "Command" because my iPhone can do much more than the factory system.

I know it's not for everyone but for $40, it's huge improvement for those of us stuck with old technology that don't want to spend a lot of money and understand the limitations.

AronAZ

Yeah, there are just no great solutions. Since I don't have the factory phone connector it comes down to blowing $700+ to be reasonably seamless & factory (and stuck with all the other limitations that '08 COMAND offers) or spend a couple hundred more to gut it and at least have modern tech.

Since it already had OEM iPod connector (which steals the aux from the glove box), I think I'm going to opt for a 3rd party BT hands free & a A2DP receiver for the iPod connector while I decide which route is ultimately preferable.

Daveskee

Yeah I think the Kinivo works best for someone who doesn't have the iPod connector since it uses the aux connection. Good luck and hope you find a good solution.