djtopper

Ok, I seem to be having very little luck in getting email replies from my dealer. So I'm thankful for this group. I don't have a c230 yet, but am ironing out the details as I scrub down the best price for one.

1. What kind of tele-aid subscriptions are there? I like the idea of a phonecall being made if the airbags are deployed, but I don't have any need for a concierge.

2. Do I need tele-aid in order to have the built in cell phone?

3. Can the built in cell work with any digital service (eg., Sprint PCS)?

4. Can anyone lay this out logically? From what I'm reading, it's like this:

Cell phone is separate. You buy one of the two motorola cell phones (k2 or k2a), the latter having voice control, and you also get the internals built in for cell-phone operation via the steering wheel, etc... I would also guess the numbers on the stereo right hand side can be used for dialing.

Tele-aid is similar in that it uses a cell phone connection, but is in fact a separate thing altogether. Similarly, tele-aid gets better with the COMMAND system.

This seems silly. If tele-aid installs a hands free cell phone, it should work for tele-aid AND any other service you sign up for. But then again, maybe it's a special deal since you're never making a direct cell phone call ... but instead only talking to a Tele-aid rep.

Also, it shouldn't cost $1,700 to connect a cell phone to internal circuitry that's mostly there already. I guess Motorola scored some major deal with MB on this one.

Thanks,

DT

MB-BOB

In a nutshell, Tele-aid works completely independently from the Cell phone option or the Comand option. I have the former option on my sedan, but neither of the subsequent options. If you were to buy a Sedan, Tele-aid technology and the first year subscription comes with the car at no additional cost, but the Cell phone and Comand systems are extra cost options.

Further, there are no different "flavors" of Tele-aid, you either have it or not (there are not different types of subscriptions). The basic function of placing a call when the airbags deploy comes with basic Tele-aid. "Concierge" service is paid on a "per drink" basis in addition to the basic service. So, you can buy Tele-aid in the Coupe and simply avoid using the extra cost services.

tommy

I don't really know many of the specifics, but I'll reply to what I do know.
There are two tele-aid options: yes and no. You can't specify which portion to get, and MB hits you up for a yearly fee of around $200 after the first year. Bad MB! Damn, MB-BOB has already answered some of this stuff! He moves quickly for a geezer. I saw a poll here once, and the vast majority of people did not re-up at the end of their "free" first year of Tele-aid. Just something to consider.

Yes, the cell phone options are expensive, which is why the majority of c coupe owners don't have either. I think that, with the cell phone, you're fixed with whatever service MB is lined up with. Though I could be totally wrong.

I would assume that Motorola is getting only a small portion of the mark-up on the phone; the rest goes to our friend Mercedes-Benz.

rwcC230

DT,

I didn't get the Teleaid, but I got the K2a Cell phone option (with Voice activation). There are now two more cell phone options - K2b and K2c (same as K2/K2a but with the Motorola V.60 handset).

You can get the handset for whatever provider that you want - Verizon/ATT/Sprint PCS, etc. I got Sprint PCS. The internals work for most of the providers.

The V.60 phone, though, is a different technology (TDMA) and only works with providers that use that technology. SprintPCS currently (in my area) doesn't support that, so no V.60 for me. I didn't want it anyway because it was another $400, and I was stretching already to get the phone system.

I like the Voice activation - it is really cool, and I'm an easily distracted driver anyway, so the feature really helps me.

Maybe you should call your dealer on the phone instead of e-mailing them if you have any more questions.

Good luck,

Richard
C230K Orion Blue C2/K2a/Charcoal Leather/6-speed

800 miles and still really happy!

awiner

Actually there are different susbscriptions levels of Teli Aid. The Basic one (and also free the 1st year) includes your SOS service, i-button(info), wrench button (Roadside assistance), Door Unlock,


There is also a "Premium" service which includes Info Services (news, stock quotes, etc), Traffic, Calander Reminders, etc.

jkelley

How much profit depends on which flavor phone you get. The difference in price between a MB & non-MB Timeport is over $200; for the V60.c the delta is only around $120. (We're talking PHONE costs here, not K2/K2a costs. And who gets the profit is another question altogether).

K2/K2a use the same phone. The difference is in which pieces of hardware get installed (K2a adds a lever to the right side of your steering wheel - a "pull-to-talk" switch for giving voice commands) and which pieces of software get switched on.

What service providers you can use will depend on where you are located. My understanding is that most dealers can offer 2 different carriers. In my case (southern California) the choices are Verizon & Sprint.

greg230

wrong

both the v60, and the timeport motorola phones are available in both TDMA (att/cingular) and CDMA (sprint/verizon)

does anyone know how much premium teleaid costs??? i always wondered that..... it would be awesome if premium came with unlimited aritime.

greg

awiner

You are correct. Mercedes offers the v60t (TDMA-ATT/Cingular) and the v60c (CDMA-Verizon/Sprint).

As far as Teli-Aid costs go, I just pulled out my initial teli-air subscriber form. Let me look....

Here ya go:

New Vehicles:

Annual Billing Option (Basic) - $225/yr

Optional Service Packages (Premium):
(Added to the Basic Cost)

$125/yr extra. For the $125.00/yr extra you get: News, Stocks, Weather, Sports, Traffic (integrated with COMAND) and Calendar Reminders.

Looks like you are still billed per min. for airtime used on ANY package.