JayinLauderdale

Today I purchased the Mercedes Benz iPod kit from my dealer for 345.00. Other than the high price for the part the dealer wanted another 408.00 to install it.
The manual states kit is compatible with most ipods but makes no reference to working with iPod video(5th generation ipod). It does work with the newest ipod video.
I brought the MB iPod kit to Circuit City. They installed it for 80.00. The technician is John at the Ft. Lauderdale North Federal Hwy location.
I have a 2005 c230 ss orion blue with stick, comand etc. There was originally confusion about if the kit was compatible with comand. It is compatible. The technician was confused about where to plug the existing fiber optic cable after he plugged in the new harness. He said it goes directly into the head unit. I hope he is right. There is no radio code needed for the technician.
The readout is evidently disabled on the ipod which now sits in the glovebox in a black felt cradle. The only information screen(for iPod info) for my comand equipped car is in the center screen between the guages. This is not a perfect solution as it is limited in readout length. Comand screen displays NO iPod information. Good news is the steering wheel controls DO work for controlling the ipod. It was also nice to be able to finally listen to podcasts too.
Sound quality is better than using auxillary plug, headphone plug, fm transmitter or cassette adapter. I recommend not buying the MB cradle (45.00, sold separately) if you keep your ipod in a case as it will not fit into the MB cradle. Ipod Video does fit into cradle properly if it is naked. Even though there are other solutions available for iPod none are as clean and proper as the Mercedes Benz iPod kit. In fact none even come close to providing integration, functionalty or sound quality. In summary, paying 425.00 including installation is egregious. If I had gone full dealer route it would have been 753.00.

LMing

Steve sells it for 250 US if I remember correctly

mick1

that's pretty brave of you because I wouldn't have trusted the installer from circuit city.

KIRA

I don't trust the installer in pepboy, last time i brought my C230 to them for a light bulb changes..... it took them 40mins just to figure it how to open the light cover.... i saw them how they do it thru the window, i was hella worry.... that guy look so confuse and like don't know how to do a light bulb change on a mercedes....

which i really hate it, THEY LIFT UP MY CAR!! i ask the cashier, "hey i am doing a light bulb changes right??" even the cashier don't know what he is doing....

ok i finally got back my car, i was soo mad..... they charge me 5bux for the installation....

nlpamg

first off, no one trusts pepboys. secondly, if you don't know how to change your own lightbulbs...

JayinLauderdale

I had satellite radio MB Kit installed by the dealer in Ft. Lauderdale the first week I had the car and it took a week. They wrecked my brand new car by running it into a post, lost my keys and had to replace bumper parts, repaint etc.

Meanwhile I have had other installations from Circuit City on previous cars and they were done cheaply, fast and without damage or drama. I figure my needs are simple and easy. If I were doing something that required custom work I would go to a specialist. My experiences with Circuit City were 1/4 the cost on average. Place is clean, guys try to do a great job, near my house etc.

FIXEDupW209

does the video portion work on the command? can you post pics of installation?

r3v1ls

Why would you ever have anyone change your lightbulbs! Save the 5 bux next time and DIY

JayinLauderdale

No Video on any screen using video iPod in Mercedes using MB kit provided by MB Parts dept. I was hoping but no go.

BleedzMerc

I second both of them.

Moviela

Excellent review, but I don't agree with this line about the Aux input jack. The connection to the audio unit using the Ipod kit is exactly the same as the Aux Input.

el presidente

Can this be done on 01-04 models with the MB kit by connecting to CD Player interface or is aftermarket my only option?

I know, I know......STFF

JoeVulture

My local dealer told me that the MB kit is for 2005 and higher, with the exception being (some?) 2004 E-class cars. I'm actually going to be getting the Dension kit installed, as I read many good reviews of it, and the long thread here was quite helpful.

I was told by a local installer that the Dension is the only option for the newer MBs. My independant research is unfortunately showing that to be true, unless I have missed something. (Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the Dension kit, I just like having multiple choices, that's all.)

-- Joe

drho2004

damnmit i really want to get that ipod kit installed on my 2005 c230 ss....my local dealer sells it for $300, they didnt give ma quote on install. has anyone done it themselves>? how hard is it? how much does steve charge for install? i would like to dot it myself if possible, is there any code that the dealer needs to input?

Moviela

Many people want to install their own Ipod kit, but are unsure how hard it is. Well, its not worth $200, but I cut my own grass too. You need a 2005 or later car with a radio that says "AUX input Active" if you hold the CDC button down for 2 seconds.

Kit contains two cables, two screws, a small electronics package, some velcro to attach the electronics package, and user instructions.

There are no instructions for installation.

There is a knockout on the right side of the glovebox. you push the ipod connector through the hole, and a grommet on the cable holds it. Route the cable behind the glovebox toward the radio.

Remove the upper vent for the AC, the vent has latches to allow the vent to roll up and down to remove the screws holding the vent. Press down the catch lugs in the air nozzle duct. Remove battery neg cable, attach quiescent current retention unit. (a small battery to keep the computer alive.)

Remove two screws holding upper switch panel and tilt down to remove. When replacing listen for audible click. Now it gets tough to describe. You need a wedge MBZ # 115 589 03 59 00(a tapered piece of wood or plastic that will not damage the surface of the interior) to remove the shifter cover. Lift up between the cover and the ash tray. The catches are about 3/4 inch from the right and left edge of the shifter cover, be careful, don't force it. Then pry up the ash tray. Take out the air conditioner control panel. Now you can see the four screws that hold the radio in the car. Remove these and pull the head unit out.

Remove the connector from the back of the radio and plug in the 'Y' cable from the kit. Plug the connector removed from the radio into the other end of the 'Y' cable. now move the MOST fiber optic cables from the radio connector to the same position they were on the radio before. Careful with them, they are glass and should not be bent, kinked, crushed, smashed or molested. The ends should not be touched. Find a spot on the firewall for the electronics package, and connect it to the 'Y' cable. Now plug the harness side of the ipod cable into the harness. You don't need and version coding, takes an hour or two, and you can do it yourself.

Now my favorite line:

Reassemble in reverse order.

drho2004

eeeeep....really nice instructions...but some pics i think might help out better :-) hmmm.....i miss pulling my aftermarket stereo on my honda without having to remove a/c vents and stuff :-P oh well...gotta think about this one....

spr

where is the cheapest place to get one of these kits and instructions to put it in my c55 myself? So I don't need to have the dealer do something with their computer to enable it?
BTW I have command and it shows AUX in the menu but I dunnot about any enabling etc.
Thanks

kmchow

Has anyone heard of kits produced by
http://www.dension.com/main.htm
or
Planet Wireless
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...0073967&catid=

I wonder if MB would every make an adapter that would allow the 01-'04 C class to use the ipod? They should make an adapter that uses the existing fibre optic cable used by the CD changers.

JoeVulture

I had an iceLink Plus, and had nothing but problems with it myself. That's not to necessarily say that it's a bad device, as others have gotten it to work, but in my case, it would bring down the entire D2B audio bus, and the only way to get it working was to restart the car.

I've not used the Gateway series though, as I put in an Alpine headend, and am very happy with it. If I put in a Gateway, I could get my steering wheel controls back, but I lose the song display.

As for the other item you mentioned, the Planet Wireless one, it appears to not be compatible with Mercedes.

I myself wondered why Mercedes didn't make a box like the Dension iceLink (but make it work!), as I figured there would be a market for it. I guess they figured that people wouldn't accept losing the CD changer and not getting the song information in the display, as the MOST iPod kit allows for.

-- Joe

SeaCoupe

Why would the cashier know what a technician is doing?

Lastly, Damn, you can't change a light bulb?

E