brydon

So as part of the sales process I negotiated paying $2,800 to have COMAND w/ NAV installed on my 06 C350 SS. I dropped off my car two weeks ago for the job to be done then they told me they didn't have the wiring harness they needed, so I had to pick my ride back up again. I'm driving a loaner now, my new baby is at the dealer. They're actually swapping all the components from an 07 C280 w/ COMAND & NAV into my car, and putting my stereo in that car. AND, get this. The dealership isn't doing it, they're contracting with this company (didn't say who) to do the job. The story I got from the service manager is that for the 2006, 2007 cars, it's basically impossible to put factory NAV into the car unless it came that way from the factory/ I don't know exactly why, you guys can speculate. This is such a complex job apparently that they're not having the service tech's do it, they're having this company that specializes in MB OEM NAV installs do the job (they guy's name isn't Steve, I asked )

I don' t know if this is just the case of the dealership not knowing exactly whats going on or if this is just a silly re-post and everyone knows this already. Just thought I should get the word out there.

Basically, for all you forum newbies thinking about buying a new MB, if you want stock COMAND and NAV, it's a lot less trouble to just order it with the car.

Buellwinkle

Haha, it's only impossible for them. They've been saying that for years. Yes, the wiring harness is different, yes the antenna requires tons of work including removing the headliner if you want it authentic MB but most just tap into the existing connectors with the new connectors and stick the antenna between the instrument cluster and dashpad. The reason they use someone else to do it is because they don't want to do it in a non-MB way but a stereo shop doesn't care. Also, be careful, your records from MB do not show that you have Comand, so keep all records of them installing Comand and have them put down that they warranty it for the term of the factory warranty.

brydon

Will do definitely - thanks mate.

Another quick note RE COMAND & NAV, according to my service manager this mystery company doing the install is buying up the units the local dealers (I live near San Jose, California) have in stock because it's "tough" to do the install and these guys are the "local experts"

benzmodz

You may want to update your database on 2005+ models.

* same wiring harness no modifications

* GPS antenna runs inside the wiring trunk and does not need any headliner removal since USA cars have teleaid with GPS pre-wire.

* cars without GPS prewire can have antenna install with C-pillar removal (left) and careful alignment.

* You can use under dash antenna but there are two parts. Antenna and adapter.

* FDOK is not online since it is used for SCN coding of the cluster. So it can show in the car records.

benzmodz

You should be talking to MBENZNL

14cue

it would be awesome if you can find out who this company is. i have been in the market of a COMMAND for a long time. ebay is not trust worthy and a rip off. i've been jerked around too many times. if you find out, please post their info! cheers.

dont forget to update this thread when you get your car back.

slammedcclass

impossible is nothing

brydon

I did. I actually decided to go with the US COMAND unit from the dealer instead of the Euro COMAND from Steve because I wanted Satellite more than a Video input.

I'll ask my service advisor when I pick up the car and post up - don't worry, I'm a bit of a nerd I love posting here it keeps me from going crazy at work

Mercus

Is there a good alternative? I want to put a Nav/DVD/Stereo in my C230 and am wondering what would look good and perform well.

JohnCL

You can get a US COMAND from Steve.

Mercus

Pour combien, how much?

tee_tz

The issue with the dealership not willing to install navigation comes from issues with the warranty. I was told the same thing - if you car did not come with nav, then we cannot install one for you - and if you do it - you would void your electronics warranty.

I think also it deals with problems that dealerships have installing complicated things, like NAV, into their vechiles. The manufacture just perfers to have this installed at the time of build. In fact, BMW now took the extreme because cars with nav have a different dashboard shape; therefore, you can't even install an OEM nav on like a new 3-Series that didn't have nav.

Also, when trading in your car, if you add a OEM nav from somewhere else - some dealerships will NOT recognize or give credit for the navigation system; it had to be installed by the factory.


Tee_Tz.

MJ50

when it comes to OEM parts not offered when u got ur car, just ask steve for it. it's much less compared to what u have to pay at the dealer and he can install lots of things that dealer said 'impossible'.

Mercus

Silly question but who is Steve?

JohnCL

Steve is the mod source around here. Everything I did on my car came from him. info@mbenznl.com

Mercus

Got it. Thanks!

brydon

I personally think the Alpine W200 2-DIN head unit would look pimp and plugs directly in with the Alpine Nav system. Other guys have used the AVIC-N1 (Z1??) head unit with good results. The biggest issue is stock integration. It's a pain to get the steering wheel controls to work with the aftermarket head unit, and as far as I know, no one has figured out how to get the track title/radio station etc to show up on the instrument cluster display. I wanted a 100% integrated system and for that, right now, you have to go stock COMAND&NAV.

You can get the European COMAND and NAV from MBENZNL - see his site mbenznl.com. You don't get the factory Cirius Satellite radio as an option, but you do get in input for a DVD player (not included) or TV Tuner (not included).

The other guys on the forum will tell you DO A SEARCH! Heh because this topic has been covered ad-nauseam previously.

MBenzNL

...since brydon has Smythe printed on his front bumper I can tell you who that company is...

Are you sure you did cause all we offer at the moment is (50+) new US spec comand systems (as the european DVD ones don't work in the US anyways)

I can assure you that that is not the case with this mystery company AND I can also tell you why it is taking that long for Smythe to get that comand installed in teh first place (2 weeks is insane for something that gets installed within 60 minutes) but that is up to your service advisor to explain.

greetingz,

brydon

STEVE! The master speaks! speak master for your servants heareth! seriously though dude you're like the A/V god around here.

I'm sorry if I mis-spoke. I guess I assumed from all the posts on here that it was a Euro COMAND you offered, I guess it was just a slightly different unit - perhaps an 04 COMAND? Didn't mean to mis-represent you buddy sorry.

So that company isn't buying lots of spare head units? I guess they're blowing smoke up my service advisor's butt then. That's the impression he got.

Oh and don't worry, they only had the car for two days the first time, couldn't find the parts, then gave my car back to me for the two weeks. This time it's only been in the shop today, the other company started work late this afternoon and was done before closing, my advisor just didn't tell me until after closing. I'm going in tomorrow morning to pick it up, I'll post up and let you guys know if I see any glitches.

Steve approx. how long would it take you to hook up the Satellite in my ride assuming that it's not wired for it from the factory?

MBenzNL

you can have that done through your dealership as well...the same company will do that install as well and will be able to finish that easily within 1 afternoon

greetingz,

macgyber

Brydon, if I were you, I will contact steve and ask him install coman and navigation.
2weeks? Not for steve.

brydon

yeah but Steve you're the man when it comes to this stuff. Now that I'm past the initial sales-contracted COMAND install I'd rather have you do the work.

Thanks mate. But if you read my post above you'll see that I brought it in once two weeks ago, it was in for two days, then they gave it back to me. It's been in the shop a total of 3 1/2 days, first two days was two weeks go.

The reason I didn't have Steve do it was I already paid $2,800 as part of my sales contract to Smythe when I bought the car. The sales dept had no idea it would be this much of a pain. I had no idea! lol if I did I would've just skipped it. If I hadda known about this site before I bought the car then all this pain could've been avoided That said, they guys at Smythe have done a good job considering this is outside the realms of what they normall deal with.

MBenzNL

it is NOT that much of a pain for smythe - they just MAKE it that much of a pain

greetingz,

brydon

alright here you go guys. I picked up the car this last Tuesday morning. The dealer had it for a day, they called in one of MBenzNL's specialists, a guy who works for Steve I guess LOL can't believe it was his company all along.

They took the COMAND + NAV out of a brand new 2007 C280, and put it in my car.

Here's a vid of the system taking my little burned RAP CD. Don't know if everyone knows what it looks like when you're putting a CD/MP3 disk in, I think it is just too damn cool


Here's some pics of me navigating through the COMAND to the MP3 disk I have in it







dude I LOVE it! Playing MP3 CD's and having it show up on the screen, and on the instrument display.

Oh and here's some pics of the NAV.




There's something I don't get about the NAV. People were complaining it'll only take you to a block of numbers on the street. I guess maybe the '07 NAV is different because I can put in my customer's exact addresses and get right there. It's as good or better than the Alpine NAV I had in my 02 WRX. The only thing I don't like, is that you can't enter street names with the keypad. On the E-Class loaner with NAV I had while this was being installed I could enter street names with the keypad, much faster. Maybe I don't have it in the right mode, but I can only use the joystick - Gay! But everything else is freakin awesome about this head unit (of course it's not touch-screen but I'll give that up for so much OEM integration). It's really cool how when the car senses it's getting dark outside the NAV goes into night mode and the background turns black. (anyone need me to post pics of that?)

Oh and I love the POI's! It found me Del Taco today when I was fiending for it.

So, my hat is off to Steve and his crew at MBenzNL - how funny that the dealer sub-contracted the work to his guys lol. The install looks totally stock, no scratches or anything, the gaps between the unit and the dash are nonexistant, it sits so flush. thankyou Steve! I'm on the list for Satellite install next time you're in the area

Blake P

Go figure! I bet Steve's earlier reply in this thread is starting to make more sense now, huh?