Hey guys I was wondering if you could help me with a few questions I have about an install of a indash tv for the 2005 C-class. I am a manager of a car audio place called Audio Jam in Delware. We have in our shop this week and next a brand new 2005 C-calss. This baby is getting loaded with everytyhing.

There is one problem with that though. This beautiful machine seems to be built with the capacity to not have aftermarket radios. Unline the thousands of Benz's that we have worked on in the past, there is nothing available for aftermarket radio or indash tv in our case.

I dont own a Benz but I was posting on here for help because It seems like you guys are the place to ask these questions since you seem to really car about your cars. This Benz that we have in our install shop has only 140 miles on it!!

This customer brought it to us as his first stop because he wanted to get the best car audio install he possibly could get. Please help me by posting pics of any custom installs that you can possibly find. I have spent hours upon hours researching on the web and this website is my last resort!!

I will post pictures when I am all done. Please repsond asap. We have to October 15th, which is next friday, thats when I told the customer that his car would be finished!! Thanks for reading and please help. I want this customer to leave as happy from our store as the other Mercede's customer have left in the past. I want to be the first store to ICE a brand new Benz!!

Heres the list of goodies the customer is getting. Well over $10k !
Eclipse indash cd/dvd/navagation/am/fm player
Two Alpine 5.8 inch Headrest screens
One JL Audio 12 inch subwoofer
Front and Rear XR 6.5 inch speakers from JL Audio
JL Audio 5 channel amp
Clifford/Viper two-way paging alarm w/ gps tracking system
....and too much more to add.....

 

It's possible to do, just keep in mind it's an entirely fiber-optic system. AKA - you have to replace/bypass everything (which it looks like you're doing anyhow given the components you listed). I believe Metra still has a dash kit for the '01+ C-Class, if memory is correct the part number is 99-8711. Beyond that, there is no wiring harness (since it's all fiber optics). You're going to have to run all new wire. It's definitely going to be a hell of a project but if done right by a competent installer, it should come out good. Since I've never actually done a full system on one of these myself, I really don't have any specific tips in terms of how to pull it off.

I assume they own the car and they're not leasing it (because MB would be pissed if a lease came back with the headrests cut up). The company I do business with for headrest TVs, Epik, doesn't make them for Mercedes because they're "not a family car". But on top of that the headrest is motorized like the rest of the seat which makes it more complex to work with.

Let us know how it turns out. Just make sure you really trust the techs you put on this car, and make sure they're not rushed, otherwise you might run into some ugly damage claims.

 

I believe the fiber optic system only encompasses connections to the cd changer, phone controls, etc. There should still be power wires, analog audio signal (speaker) wires, etc. But it looks like the installer has done plenty of Benzes so he probably already knows that.

 

Well like I said, I've never worked on one myself, but from what I understand from other installers who have, it's just fiber optic stuff behind the deck (with the exception of your power wires). Analog speaker lines come from the rear. I could be wrong but that's the way the system was explained to me. It might still use the VW harness but I'd be kind of surprised. Ah well, just added my input to the best of my knowledge

 

Yeah we took apart the dash today and got some good news for once....only the cd changer is fiber optic. So that saves us about 4 hours of re-wiring all the speakers in the car We also tried the Metra kit but the 05 is totaly different. We have a few of em in stock and the Metre kit falls right in the dash hole thats how big the 05 dash is. The headrest are also manual ones, not motorize, but that is the lease of our concerns. The headrest screen are gonna be almost impossible...we may have to confer him to a headrest tech....everything else is on the go. We found out a way to do the dash. We are just gonne make a customer dash that matched the interior. I'll left you guys know how it turns out. Thanks for all the help!!

 

Stupid question and no flame intended. Why did you even bid on the car knowing that you didn't know anything about it? One look at the HU would have told any installer worth their money that his kits wouldn't work. That or not knowing about speaker wiring, power wiring, etc. Next you're going to be asking for a wiring color code on this brand new MB. IMHO; if I where your customer I'd want to see your work on an actual car instead of an experiment that I would be charged full price for. Frankly it sounds more like you're the customer wanting this and are just verifying that your install shop didn't give you a line of bull. $0.02

 

Yeah I actually keep forgetting that they made the change to the head unit dimensions/style in the '05s.

 

We took the job knowing that we could customize the dash, I am just asking if anyone else had done it so we can imatate it. Sounds to me like you have a problem but Im not going to go there. You dont know enough information to give statements like that and you dont know anything about customizing cars like we can. I'll post pics in a few days. We already made a prototype cusotm dash. All we have to do now is make the real deal and its all good. And if I was the customer then why would I put my name as "Audio Jam". Here give me a call at our shop (302)832-2868. And IMHO take the stick out of your *** please.

 

And we bidded on the car becuase we are the ****! And no such thing as a stupid question. We do know everything about speakering wiring and everything else. I ONLY ASKED IF ANYONE HAD DONE CUSTOM WORK!!! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING ELSE OUT OF CONTEXT!! Dont even say anything until I post the pics. I got a question for you though....whats eating you?

 

This is the type of custom work I am talking about. Here is my 2004 Civic Si. Its just a civic but its an example of what I mean.


There is another picture of my hatch with the custom system. We are going to do something like that in the next week with the Mercedes. As soon as I get pics of the benz I will post them!

 

Nice custom work. The bad news is that I don't believe we have seen pictures in this forum yet showing a 2005 C Class with aftermarket audio. (And I believe we probably won't see many given the layout and structure of the resigned 05 console).

You will find a few pics of mods on 2001-2004 cars, though, but I guess that does not do you much good.

Good luck.

 

Thanks. We actually have an idea and we made a prototype dash for the 05 Benz. Now we are going to remake the dash for the final stage. I'll try and post pics either today or tomorrow. I have to run out and get a battery for the digital camera. Basically we used MDF as the backing with fiberglass that looks like the wood dash material that came with the car. It matched perfect!!

 

You've worked on THOUSANDS of Mercedes in the past? Somehow I find that hard to believe.

 

Come on guys, quit being *******s to the Audio Jam guy.

That setup in your Civic looks badass!

 

Why do you find that hard to believe. Ever hear of drug dealers who want systems in their Mercedes, Lexus or BMW? I was over exagerating when I said thousands...We have been open since 1995, so probably in the upper hundreds. whats with you guys? Thought this website would be friendlier than what it is turning out to be..

 

Thank you.

 

It would be very useful if you could post information that would show the steps to open the dash around the head unit, switches and A/C, on the '05.

Thanks.

 

The purpose of these forums is for the exchange and sharing of information, not for insults such as "Don't you know this, already?". I may know a lot about computers, I still learn new things everyday. I search these forums to gain new knowledge. Anything I have experienced, I will be glad to share with my fellow members. I guarantee you that there is NO one person who knows everything in this forum, except GOD. We are here to share and to learn. Life is forever a learning experience. Technology is very dynamic, so we learn new things everyday. Be thankful that you have learned new things in these forums, and also be proud that you can teach us new things.

 

Thank you, I am glad to see someone actually want to get along. All I did was ask the question "Who has pictures of custom dashes I can see?" and all I got where people ripping me apart. I will post pics on here as soon as I can. I am going to go get a battery for my camera tomorrow, and If I can pics will be posted on here Sunday or Monday. I'll try and take pics of all different kinds of steps. My job is to be upfront selling, not in the back helping out with the install taking pics. I will try and get as many as I can for you guys. The dash can be taken apart with any type of tool that is flat. You have to take out the vents on the dash above the radio before you can get to the radio itself. I'll update later on and let you guys know. Thanks

 

Thanks very much. I have been trying to figure out how to take apart my '05, but didn't want to damage the trim. Any images will be helpful too.

 

This post shows the dash on my '05. is the correct process to remove the curved vents, above the switches?

 

Please ignore the obnoxious posts. As I said before, your other custom work looks impeccable. Definitely post pics of your final product as I will shed a great deal of light on the issue of disassembling the 2005 c class console.

Take care.
Martin-

 

The dash is the same but I think you have facotry NAv where my customer doesn't. He also has a phone option on the bottom right hand corner of the radio. very similar dash. the vents have to come out first, then the radio is held in by four screws, Two on the top of the radio, and two on the bottom of the radio.

 

Im at work now. As soon as I get off im going to radio shack and getting batteries for my digital camera. I'll be back at work tomorrow (Monday) and I'll taker pics then. So you will see pics within 24 hours!

 

I think it also would be very helpful if you could post a "mini-write up" on how to remove the radio!
Thanks.
Martin-