14cue

I have searched but couldn’t find much relevant facts about the command unit.

I just purchased this unit on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...2762%26fvi%3D1


And I was wondering if the stock cars w/o the command would have an antenna that would work with the command. the seller says it only comes with the unit and nothing else.

I haven’t paid for the item yet and I wanted to make sure I didn’t require additional parts before do I send him a check. which brings me to my next question, anyone live close to:

naples, FL 34105

and would like to make some coin by having this dropped off or picking it up and shipping it to me? i don’t trust mailing a money order to someone I don’t know off eBay.

Divergent

I don't know about this guy. His history seems a little sketchy as he really only buys and sells from one guy named grendal1963. Looks like a buffer account that someone uses to inflate the prices of other auctions he/she or friends are selling. They also live in Naples together. I would push for paypal other wise pass on the unit.

coin

Good observations

oel

yea terrence, either paypal or pass.
I learned the hard way

14cue

it is a bit fishy but i think it's ok, he has many orders from other users as well and none of those took paypal either. im going to place a call and see if they can drop it off somewhere and if they say no then i'll pass on the item.

nickgailloux

I put the Euro command in my 05 C230 and the FM antenna from my stock head unit plugged directly on to the back of the Euro command. Of course, you'll still need the GPS antenna and nav disc...

Be very careful with that auction, as its not covered by PayPal buyer protection. You got an awesome deal on that unit, almost too good to be true. As I've personally learned the hard way on eBay, usually when something seems too good to be true, it is.

14cue

thanks nick,

im not jumping on paying for it anytime soon. i havent even spoken to the guy yet. ill be sure to have something in place before i make payment.

i already have the nav disc, i think i just need the antenna now which i can get from steve or MB.

NO_WUR_E

I am an ebay seller myself. This is a tough one, but here are my thoughts. It looks ok because he has sold some big ticket items in the past (more than the auction you won) based on his feedbacks. The reason he doesn't want paypal is because he doesn't want to be dinged with paypal fees. He's already been charged for ebay final value fees. the buyer who he does transactions frequently seems to be legitimate buyer too. If you look at that persons feedback he seems to be a coin collector and does business with others. He is sending it UPS so a tracking number will be provided to you. There is a risk though with money orders and cashiers checks. Good luck to you!

14cue

thanks dude!
you always have informative advice.
i spoke to the seller, he seems legit. not much i can do but send it.
he didnt have a problem with having someone pick it up so i called him back a few hrs later and said i would just mail him a check. :S

mwallen

I recently found the same unit on ebay and paid $660.00, it was a steal! I was pleased with the overall ebay experience, but think you should consider what else could go wrong.

I was so concerned with not getting ripped off, I forgot to focus on the fundamentals of buying over the internet. I urge you to specify the packaging and shipping insurance. As you know, the unit is worth $3000.00 to $4000.00 new and could be hard to replace for the $800 you might get it for. In my experience, I forgot to ask the seller to insure the item to the full value, and as a result the item was only insured for $300.00. Also be sure the item is packaged well. It should be wrapped in foam and in a box big enough to allow at least three to four inches of foam to surround it. Be sure to communicate this to the seller.

I was unfortunate in that I didn't do these things, and when my item arrived damaged it was a hassle to send it off for repair and file an insurance claim. Like I said, I paid $660.00, but had to dump another $470.00 to repair the item. Once the insurance claim is paid I will have only paid $830.00, but anyways, you get the point.

Installing the unit:
Now for the good stuff, installation tips. I was fortunate to have experience with the w203 radio and could easily remove the trim and old radio. You can find good instruction on how to do that at:
http://www.mercupgrades.com/Removing...rticle-37.html

Now you will be able to install the Command. Like the previous posts mention, you will need a gps antenna and navigation disc. Here are the parts and locations where I found mine:

1.) GPS Antenna-MBdoctor-
http://mbdoctor.com/shop/product_inf...3e9742dc68b614

2.) Navigation DVD part number A 169 827 4859 found on ebay.

With these, you can install the Command. The unit should simply plug in and be ready to go. You will want to mount your gps antenna someplace under the dash. I mounted mine under the dash vent. It was a little hard to remove the vent, but well worth the superior reception it gets. If you choose to do this, you won't need to drill any holes to fit the plug through the opening, rather disassemble the plug removing the plastic pieces so the wire will feed through the hole (i used the hole the vent clip secures in to feed the wire). The only other step is programming the instrument cluster for navigation. You will have to take you car to a mecedes dealer and use Star. At first they will not believe you have a Command installed without TeleAid, but just tell them you retrofit the gps antenna and it works. They also might want to overcharge you and give you a long reason for the costly programming steps, just ignore them and find another dealership. It only cost me $50.00 and took the tech 30 minutes to do it.

Well, I hope this helps you out. I can't stress enough the importance of shipping and insurance and of course the trustworthiness of the seller.

14cue

@mwallen,

Thanks for the great reply!
You’re a newbie? Wow! I’m impressed to say the least.

The item has already been shipped via UPS and insured for $1k. I gave him instructions which included heavy foam, newspaper and a large enough box as well as appropriate labeling.

I don’t think I will attempt to install myself; I will likely just bring the unit into the dealer and have them do it before they program it but those links are very handy

Cheers mate