My 99 E430 has the factory installed integrated phone, it's not only embarrassing but ANALOG!

Can I update this with a DIGITAL phone without to much modification?

And what service carriers are available ...

I haven't used a analog phone in over 5 years ......


CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ?

 

You can upgrade the phone in your car very easily.

First, decide which phone and service provider you want.

Newer systems like the v60 will work with AT&T and Verizon (maybe Cingular or SW Bell depending on your area, but basically it's a TDMA or CDMA system... although it appears Sprint support is lacking). You can find used V60, Timeport or StarTac systems on eBay. You'll need a Mercedes-branded phone, the PSE (phone support electronics), and the handset/cradle that goes in the console. Replace your old parts with those new parts and you should be done.

You can also use a European Nokia interface, and then use a Nokia 6310i or 5190, on Cingular or AT&T (GSM). The parts you will need are similar: handset/cradle for center console, PSE, and ANY Nokia 6310i or 5190. You can find these parts from a European dealer. Also, Steve (MBenzNL) sells a complete set of these parts. We've installed 5 sets of these into cars that had both factory-installed and retrofited COMAND, with and without VPC installed phone systems, and they work great. It saves quite a bit of money too, over the proprietary Motorola system, and uses GSM with all the latest bells & whistles. If GSM is a possibility for you, I would definitely consider this option. (Some people cannot use GSM due to lack of service in their area, or poor coverage... for instance, until AT&T GSM service was introduced, I could not use Cingular GSM sevice due to poor coverage at my office, which is located right in the middle of a busy area.)

-s-

 

scorchie,

Thanks for the info! I had the same question and i appreciate your explanation.

 

I plan to replace my worthless integrated analog phone with a TDMA startac, timeport or v60.

Most if not all the phones on Ebay come without the cable, which plugs the phone into the car, and the cradle.

Will the existing cable to my analog Motorola fit these newer phones? (I suspect not.) If not, where can one find the appropriate cable and cradle for these phones? (Please don't say from the dealer.)

Thanks,

 

Hi Greg

I emailed a guy who was selling a Motorola Tymeport for Mercedes-Benz phone on ebay ....
my question;

I have a 99 E430 with a analog intergraded phone ...
will this plug into my system?


His answer;

Unfortunately not. Sorry. I have the same issue with my 98 "C" class.


I'm not sure what scorchie ment;

You can find used V60, Timeport or StarTac systems on eBay. You'll need a Mercedes-branded phone, the PSE (phone support electronics), and the handset/cradle that goes in the console. Replace your old parts with those new parts and you should be done.

scorchie can you elaborate ...please

thanks

 

KC,

I think Scorchie meant that these used MB branded Motorola phones WILL WORK in our 1999 E430's provided that we have the necessary cable and cradle.

I pulled open my armrest and inspected the cable connection to the car jack. It has a fibre optic cord which comes out of the basic cable that plugs the phone into the car jack. That is, there are two connections coming off the cable: the phone cord and a thin fibre optic cable. I believe that with the proper cable and an MB Motorola phone, we should be good to go.

Unfortunately, few if any of the phones on Ebay come with the cable or cradle. My question was where we can find those items. I suspect that we can get them for reasonable cost somewhere.

Scorchie, is my summary and speculation on point? Thanks,

 

KC,
For what's it's worth, I just called my local MB dealer. They tell me that "there is no phone upgrade for the 1999 E430". I explained that I planned to buy a used Startac, Timeport or V60 phone and to plug it in.

The dealer (whose ignorance in the past has utterly amazed me on other issues) says that we're out of luck. I hope they're wrong.

Frankly, I think scorchie and the others in the forum may know more than the guy at the dealer I spoke with.

This is like the blind leading the blind. yours in confusion....

Thanks,

 

This guy DOES NOT have the same issue with his 1998 C-class, because the 1998 C-class DOES NOT have the phone controls integrated with the stereo head unit.

In other words, he has no clue what he's talking about.

Of course, you can use this to your advantage to try and get a better price!

-s-

 

Scorchie,

So does that mean that KC and I (who each have a 1999 E430) can buy a used MB branded StarTac, Timeport or V60 phone on Ebay and have it work in our cars?

When you refer to the the PSE (phone support electronics), is that more than just the cord that plugs the phone into the jack in the console? Do we need to replace the entire "install kit"? (AS the dealer told me today?

What specifically do we need to make a digital phone work in our cars?

This whole phone upgrade thing is a pain.

Thank you for your patience in explaining this to those of us who are less informed.

Thanks,

 

Since you have an existing phone, AND you have a stereo system that controls the phone, you can upgrade to a new system with these parts:

1) PSE (phone support electronics)
2) phone handset (Mercedes-branded Timeport, Startac, or V60; OR... MUCH BETTER... Nokia 6310i, any version, from anyone)
3) handset cradle or regular cradle, depending on phone, and depending on the cradle, possibly a handset clip

THAT'S ALL YOU NEED! Can it get any clearer than this?

Mercedes-Benz of USA will not provide upgrades of phone systems to any older vehicle owners. My C43 has NO UPGRADE PATH for the analog phone, and when I bought it, no providers would activate my analog phone in the car. So basically in the eyes of MBUSA, the phone is worthless.

That's why I installed a Nokia PSE interface purchased from Steve (MBenzNL, mail him at s_krabbenborg@hotmail.com). I installed the PSE and handset that I purchased from Steve. Took 15 minutes to install. I then got a Nokia 6310i from the AT&T Wireless store, for like $50. Plugged it in, and it works right with my COMAND (even retrieves SMS... pretty cool).

I bought the same system from Steve and installed it in my CLK, too, EXACT SAME PARTS. Now I can use my phone in both cars. 1999 C43 came with analog phone and no upgrades available, 2001 CLK55 came with Timeport and MBUSA says I can "upgrade" to V60. Now both use Nokia.

Oh, and the big kicker... the whole system was like under $500 per car.

-s-

 

Here's my Nokia 6310i in my C43.



-s-

 

Thanks scorchie.

So what is included in the PSE (phone support electronics) ? More than the cord?

Thanks,

 

PSE = black box (literally, well in most cases)

Here's a picture of a PSE for a W211 E-class:



They've switched to silver..

P.S. before anyone asks... no, this interface currently only works in the W211.

-s-

 

Scorchie,

A picture is worth a thousand words....

Now I know what I have to try to find. No one on Ebay is selling the PSE with the used phones; only the phones and maybe a charging unit and/or cradle. Not sure where one finds the PSE.

Anyway, thank you very much for all the helpful information here.

By the way, do you have any clusters for sale? Steve MBenzNL suggested I ask you.

Thanks,

 

You don't search hard enough... this took me about 20 seconds to find:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6774

On the clusters, I have four clusters currently, all for W210/W208 2001+ ... I am currently working on getting them working for pre-2001 as well.

-s-

 

scorchie

I am try to retrofit the Nokia phonekit in my E55 (w211). I have been given instructions but they seem to be incomplete as they only mention this PSE, and all the other parts, and they do not mention were or how the optical cable plugs in to it. Likewise they do not give any part numbers. Also in the Armrest where the phone cradle goes is there a new part required for the tray or is it one tray does all?

Do you or does anyone know the complete list of parts that are required for this retrofit and where do I put the pse unit (I think it goes in the boot in front of the spare wheel.)

I assume form that picture that the one plug is the multi plug (serial type plug) and the other is the optical plug.?!

Any help is appreciated.

Basil

 

Hi Basil, I am sorry that I cannot help you... the reason is that the US-spec cars that I normally work on come complete will all phone wiring installed, and it is a matter of plugging in the PSE, the cradle, the phone, and one additional cable, to get everything to work. You may be following instructions intended for use on a US car, and therefore some of the cables may not be present on your vehicle.

Also, locations of parts can vary based on the country of operation (believe it or not). As for the handset in the tray, we generally just drill holes in the bottom to mount the cradle clip.

Your best bet may be to try and obtain the list of necessary parts from a friendly dealership!

-s-

 

scorchie, since you have a lot of knowledge on this topic. Does the same thing go for my 97 E420? I have the factory POS phone still in my car but it doesn't work through the head unit. It has it's own dialer or unit in the dash aside from the handset. Please help...Thanks!

 

Hi, your phone setup is a bit different... so I don't recommend messing with it.

If you upgrade your head unit to a 1999+ model (either the Audio 10 cassette, Audio 10 CD, or COMAND), then you'll have a simple path to an integrated phone. The two most difficult parts would be to run the fibre optic cabling to the back (not really that difficult, just involved) and to find a head unit that will work properly with your car (Audio 10 may all look the same, but they are like COMAND... CANBUS, non-CANBUS, semi-CANBUS, etc.). Getting a new headunit from a reliable source would help solve these problems. Steve (MBenzNL) would know exactly what to use for your car.

-s-

 

Thanks for the info. scorchie. I e-mailed Steve but I have not heard back from him yet as I can imagine how busy he is with all of the posts to him in this forum. I will wait and see what says and hopefully share it with the rest of the gang.

 

hey scorchie,

please let me know if and when you have some clusters available that will work in a 99 E430 for a multi-function wheel. ciao.

 

Scorchie,
You certainly are very knowledgable on this subject, so I was hoping you could answer a question for me that I have not been able to find the answer to.

I just purchased a 2000 C-280 with the original phone kit installed. NO handset came with the car. I have seen many on E-Bay, but I want to make sure I am buying the correct phone.

I need CDMA (Verizon). Does it matter if I buy a Startac, or a Timeport?

Are there different models of these phones that will or will not work?

Thanks,
Brad

 

Brad, I am not sure what phone came with the C280 in 2000... I believe it was a Startac, though. Hopefully it was a digital Startac, but I am not positive. Does your car still have the handset cord? If you could post a picture of the free connector end, I could tell you which phone will fit it.

If you buy a phone with a PSE, then it really will not matter which phone you buy, because the PSE should match. Then you can plug your handset into the existing cable and be set. You can find these on eBay all the time, and that way you can "upgrade" to a v60 (which will work with Verizon). Although this is something Mercedes and dealers will say can't be done, we all know it works just fine.

Hope that helps,

-s-

 

Scorchie,
Here are some pics of the cable in the console. I am not sure what phone this attaches to, but I would like to get one. I did not look at the PSE in the trunk, but if you need info on that I can do so. I would prefer Verizon.

Can it be upgraded to a V60?


Thanks for all your help.

Brad

 

Different Angle.