Please help, where do I go from here?
09-10-2008, 03:36 PM
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2007 CLK 350 Conv
Please help, where do I go from here?
I was told the same thing by 3 different socal dealers and the guys at the all of the dealers had no idea what they were talking about and ultimately no idea what I was talking about. They quoted me from 1700-2500. Then i found some posts online and though I had found a way to get it done for 650. I was wrong.. The threads I found were from guys who had e-class cars, mostly '04.
Anway, here are my findings after spending the last 2 months trying to get my phone to work in my '07 clk350 Cab.
Components:
1. UHI Controller (700-800) - Interfaces the phone with the car audio system.
2. Completer Kit (See pic) (150-400 depending on model) - Mounting bracket for UHI Contoller, Antenna switch which allows the phone to use the car antenna
3. Bluetooth Interface (See pic) (250-400) - Examples are the Visseo or the puck.
It turns out that anyone like myself who owns an '06, '07 and some '08 depending on the models got screwed. Up until '05 mbz was putting in UHI controllers into all cars; but the best that I can figure is that they realized they could make make more money charging for the whole thing.
I had MBZ check my vin and they said i had the wiring i needed so I figured cool, only 650 for what they wanted to do for me for 2500. Also I figured I could always tap into the tele-aid wiring I had in the armrest. Feeling confident and proud of myself I went out and bought the bluetooth interface from someone on these forums for $300, then went to mbz in long beach and they sold me a completer kit for $350. Installed everything in the armrest and headed to the trunk. Thats when I found all of the wires from armrest just waiting to be plugged in. Also, looking back now I shouldve realized something was wrong because the bracket that comes with the completer kit is used for something.
Anyway, I took over someone's lease ans only have the car for a year; but I drive 150 a day and it would have been worth putting it in for 650 but almost 1500 doesn't make sense.
The worst part of it all was that when I went back to the dealer, they refused to take the completer kit back. "Don't take returns for electrical parts.
If I am wrong in my finding or anyone can make suggestions on finding a cheap UHI controller please let me know.
Anway, here are my findings after spending the last 2 months trying to get my phone to work in my '07 clk350 Cab.
Components:
1. UHI Controller (700-800) - Interfaces the phone with the car audio system.
2. Completer Kit (See pic) (150-400 depending on model) - Mounting bracket for UHI Contoller, Antenna switch which allows the phone to use the car antenna
3. Bluetooth Interface (See pic) (250-400) - Examples are the Visseo or the puck.
It turns out that anyone like myself who owns an '06, '07 and some '08 depending on the models got screwed. Up until '05 mbz was putting in UHI controllers into all cars; but the best that I can figure is that they realized they could make make more money charging for the whole thing.
I had MBZ check my vin and they said i had the wiring i needed so I figured cool, only 650 for what they wanted to do for me for 2500. Also I figured I could always tap into the tele-aid wiring I had in the armrest. Feeling confident and proud of myself I went out and bought the bluetooth interface from someone on these forums for $300, then went to mbz in long beach and they sold me a completer kit for $350. Installed everything in the armrest and headed to the trunk. Thats when I found all of the wires from armrest just waiting to be plugged in. Also, looking back now I shouldve realized something was wrong because the bracket that comes with the completer kit is used for something.
Anyway, I took over someone's lease ans only have the car for a year; but I drive 150 a day and it would have been worth putting it in for 650 but almost 1500 doesn't make sense.
The worst part of it all was that when I went back to the dealer, they refused to take the completer kit back. "Don't take returns for electrical parts.
If I am wrong in my finding or anyone can make suggestions on finding a cheap UHI controller please let me know.
09-10-2008, 07:17 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
I just installed a black box in my wife's vehicle 07 350... cost me like $750 or $999 installed at the dealer from the MB dealer. it was not prewired and has everything needed including BT streaming and voice control... took about 2 hours to do because of the radio removal, but I could of kicked myself in the nuts because I could of done it at the changer instead...
09-10-2008, 09:43 PM
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2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
eschamp, do you have a European specification car? Because if you have a U.S. specification car, it doesn't use a UHI control module; it uses MHI.
And whoever told you the "MHI controller" was installed in all cars before '05 is also full of it. U.S. specification CLKs used a StarTac PSE in '00, and went to the Autosense in '01 through '04, and MHI in '05 and after. All of those were extra-cost options.
The only cars that had a phone system controller standard were those using the CP-211 module, a combined cell phone and Tele-Aid module. MB charged an arm and a leg to activate those (it was an option) and finish the installation (they needed the V60 cradle for completion, and required the phone system to be activated through the STAR diagnostics computer). The '03 and '04 E-Class and the '04 S-Class used the CP-211, and I believe they were the only models that did.
You can check when other models phased in various PSEs by checking the phone bulletins referenced in the cell phone How-To Guide at https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...77#post2788377
You may glean from reading that guide that if your car never had a cell installation, you must have it version coded to recognize the system and handle it properly.
And whoever told you the "MHI controller" was installed in all cars before '05 is also full of it. U.S. specification CLKs used a StarTac PSE in '00, and went to the Autosense in '01 through '04, and MHI in '05 and after. All of those were extra-cost options.
The only cars that had a phone system controller standard were those using the CP-211 module, a combined cell phone and Tele-Aid module. MB charged an arm and a leg to activate those (it was an option) and finish the installation (they needed the V60 cradle for completion, and required the phone system to be activated through the STAR diagnostics computer). The '03 and '04 E-Class and the '04 S-Class used the CP-211, and I believe they were the only models that did.
You can check when other models phased in various PSEs by checking the phone bulletins referenced in the cell phone How-To Guide at https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...77#post2788377
You may glean from reading that guide that if your car never had a cell installation, you must have it version coded to recognize the system and handle it properly.
Last edited by Skylaw; 09-10-2008 at 10:06 PM.
09-10-2008, 09:52 PM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
You can do the install without the completer kit as you have no use for the farka antenna/linear compensator since you will not have a cradled phone. As said the cars do not come with the control units. There would be no reason for them to throw them in since they are the most expensive part of the phone system and it was close to a 2k option for a hands free system then. The only cars as far as I know that can use the teleaid adapter are for 2003-2004 E-Class and some 2003/4 S/CL
