DavidM

Hello,

I just ordered C280 4Matic (thanks to all who helped me in other thread) and I got like week to decide on NAVI solution.

I got Audio 50 + UMI in my order, but I am not sure, if I should switch to Command. Basicly, if navi in Audio 50 is ok, i will stick with, just to save money. Is it worth extra 2 000 dollars above Audio 50 to get Command?

Unfortunately I didnt get a chance to see Audio 50 working, I just saw Command at test drive.

Anyone here got any experience with NAVI in Audio 50 with UMI (code 518)? Does it have moving or static maps?

I using Tomtom in PDA atm., can you guys compare Tomtom with Command or Audio 50 navi from experience?

Well, its a lot of questions, I will be glad, if you can answer at least part of them to help decide. Thanks in advance for you answers.

D.

DavidM

To safe you some typing, I red this thread - UNIVERSAL MEDIA INTERFACE INSTALLED, so I prefer to know your personal experience and opinions on Tomtom vs. Audio 50 vs. Command.

Diesel Benz

First, 518 is not UMI, it is MI. UMI gives navigation etc. for an Audio 20 and only for an Audio 20. You cannot even order UMI as a factory option.

It depends a lot how much you have to pay extra for the Comand. I'm planning to retrofit Comand and deliberately ordered the car with Audio 20 because for us Comand would have a huge price premium.

Audio 50 APS I understand is still classified as "arrow navigation only", I understand it being a bit more on a W204 but still not like UMI or Comand.

You may end up missing DVD video after all, if Comand does not cost you a lot, I would change your order. I would not even have 518 with it, the audio register on the hard drive and specifically the memory card should be better than using an external device.

DavidM

Thanks a lot for this answer, it finaly make sense to me .

I always thought, that UMI and MI is same thing and it will make Audio 50 working like UMI in Audio 20.

It states as 518 UCI - Media Interface in my contract. Now i see, that UCI stand for Universal Consumer Interface. Unfortunately I had my dealer confused too, couse I was mixing UCI and UMI together and I was expecting same functions, and since they seem not to sell UMI here yet, he was not able to help me.

Well, one more reason to get Command, but Im still not sure. Gotta give it few days to think it through.

D.

RabbitDad

As someone already pointed out, APS 50 (not Audio 50) does not combine with UMI. Universal Media Interface or UMI is a dealer fit accessory that adds Ipod integration and navigation to only the Audio 20 radio/CD (i.e. can't combine it with anything else). What you are talking about is factory option 518 Media Interface (or MI). I should know because I just ordered a car with APS 50 (because it was free) and MI .

As for the rest of your question, I appear to be the only person on the board who has actually seen APS 50 in action (I had it on a test drive car). What I can tell you is that it is certainly not 'arrow navigation' in the traditional sense. In fact I would call it 'static map navigation'. Basically as you are driving along you get arrows and an indication of the distance to the next junction (as in traditional arrow navigation), however when you get to the junction the view switches to a static (i.e. non-moving nor rotating) map of the junction. If I remember correctly you can also choose to view your destination, which will also show a static map of said destination. I though it was a really pretty nice system, but that's because I'm getting it for free (it's part of a leasing package on a company car). It's by no means as fancy as a Tom Tom type navigation, but on the other hand from a functional point of view it might even work better. It has a less cluttered view than full map navigation, with only the necessary info - but nothing less either - and the integration into the car and its controls is really well done. The TMC function is also nice (although most portable GPS have this as well nowadays).

Anyway, here's the trick part - your options. I would say there are only three worthwhile combinations:

1) Audio 20 + UMI. This gives you HD map navigation (only saw a very brief demo and it's a bit like a low-resolution Tom Tom; not great but not bad either), CD player, Ipod & USB integration and finally Bluetooth music streaming (from your phone). This costs approx. 2400€ installed. The UMI is a dealer fit accesory.

2) APS 50 + MI. This gives you DVD map/arrow navigation (as described above), DVD player (occupied by the navigation DVD) and Ipod & USB integration. This costs approx. 2200€. In my opinion you must get the MI if you get APS 50, because the navigation disc permanently occupies the DVD slot (unless you want to switch discs every time you want to use the GPS, which sounds like an enormous hassle to me). MI will give you the option of just using an Ipod or USB stick for your music needs.

3) COMAND. This gives you HD high-res map navigation, DVD player (incl. DVD movie playback when standing still), voice control, hard disk MP3 storage and PCMCIA card access. If you get COMAND you don't really need to add the MI option (although it is possible), since you can store music on the COMAND's hard disk or use PCMCIA. Unless you really want to use an Ipod though, then you have to add MI. This costs approx. 3600€ (without MI).

There are also options to add a DVD changer to Audio 20 (I think) and APS 50 (definitely, this includes voice control as well) as well as COMAND, however I would never waste money on that (MI option is much better).

Between the three, if you can afford it then definitely go for COMAND. If you can't afford COMAND, then I believe Audio 20 + UMI is the best choice. Slightly more expensive, but the real map navigation looks smarter then map/arrow of the APS50. Plus you can start with only Audio 20 and add UMI later, finances permitting.

Me on the other hand I will have APS 50 + MI, but as already mentioned this is only because APS 50 is for free on my car.

DavidM

Thank you for full explanation. I appreciate detailed description of Audio 50 functions, thats what I was looking for.

Becouse I ordered Surround system also, I cant go for Audio 20, or I need to buy with charger for CDs, but that is not what I want.

So I got basicly 2 options: Audio 50 with MI and as you said before, I will use it with USB (thats what I originaly ordered), or I will switch to Command.
From what you said, Audio 50 seems to be decent solution, but Command is still tempting. But also cost 1500 euro more, so its a hard choice.

I got few more days to decide and I will post the result

Thanks again

D.

RabbitDad

In the end for me it came down to COMAND (+1600€) vs leather (+2000€). In case you were wondering I went with the latter.

On one hand, I felt the MB leather is a complete rip-off. I would have much preferred MBTex (called Artico in EUrope) at 500€, which is available on both the Classic and Elegance. However MB in all their wisdom have decided that you cannot order this on the Avantgarde model (Europe's semi-sport C) - which exterior wise is the only C I can afford and want (AMG pack is not within budget).

Instead, on the Avantgarde you get stuck with a half-cloth / half-MBTex interior by default. Unfortunately the cloth part is just nasty (IMO), completely cheapening the interior. So instead of just paying a few 100€ to get full MBTex (which would have been fine - I have a kid so I would be OK with a durable/wipeable leather-look material), I instead have to go for the overpriced full leather to avoid a dodgy looking interior. To make matters worse the quality of the leather is not that great (only slightly better than BMW's cardboard Dakota leather) and the big selling point that it includes leather door covers is a great joke - a better material for those covers should be standard to begin with (the non-leather door covers are 80s-style Japanese plastic IMO).

Furthermore MB leather is way overpriced anyway, with both BMW and Audi offering theirs at significantly cheaper prices (BMW with worse quality leather, Audi with better quality leather). In fact in the end I didn't have many reasons to go for a BMW over a Merc (which I didn't), but MBTex-like 'Sensatec' at 135€ (that's nearly for free IMO) was top of the list.

So in the end I did give serious thought about going for COMAND instead . However I decided not to, because from a functional point of view the difference with APS 50 is just too small. Yes, it looks a lot fancier - but let's face it, it's not like it's going to get you to your destination any better. Leather at least has the benefit of hugely improving the looks of the interior (something you notice every day, all of the time) and adding strongly to your seating comfort (and in this respect leather is better than MBTex - breathes better and adapts to the shape of your back more).

DavidM

Funny you say all this about leather. I got Avangarde with Artico ordered and second thing that I had in my mind, was ordering leather instead. I will call dealer and change my order to leather after weekend, couse I saw detailed picture of Artico today, and it was not realy that good looking as I thought. I was in leather seats on test drive and I never saw Artico in reality.

BTW, my dealer sended me pictures of navi in Audio 50 and I was surprised, that it looked decent. After all I will go with Command, it got few more features that I can use besides better looking navi, like DVD available for MP3 all the time, linguatronic etc.

Anyway, all these options are kinda pricy, but I decided, that since this is my first MB and first brand new car also and I want to have it for like 5 years, I get it all and I will like my car even more

Thanks a lot for advice, now I just need to wait for them to make it

RabbitDad

The Artico in the Avantgarde is only the seat bolsters and headrests, the middle part is some nasty cloth fabric. But I suppose you saw that on the pictures (if you want another look, www.mobile.de is a great site to find pictures of cars like the C).

I'd be interested to see those pictures of the APS 50 that you got from your dealer.

DavidM

I knew how Artico looks from pictures, but it was just overal look from distance. Picture I saw today was close zoom to that cloth and I was a bit disapointed with its looks, especialy compared to leather. They got nice web special at german official MB page with good pictures too.

http://www.mercedes-benz.de/content/...ebspecial.html

Your right with doors covers, leather is way better there.

Here is the picture. Its taken from czech manual to Audio 50, with screenshots from navi.